Position Running For

Kauai County Council

What area(s) of the Island do you call home?

Lihue

What is your vision for a thriving agricultural sector on Kauai and how can the County support that vision?

A thriving agricultural economic sector consists of a variety of farms and ranches of all sizes and types. Farming would range from large companies like Kauai Coffee and Aloun Farms to smaller farms producing products for grocery stores, restaurants, and farmers markets. Both large and small farms would work together to share resources such as infrastructure improvements, machinery, and knowledge. I would love to see our products marketed and sold off-island. Ranching would consist of raising livestock for both the local market and exported to the mainland as Kauai grown beef.

The County can support that vision by continuing to invest in agriculture through grants and by creating a regulatory environment that supports, rather than hinders agriculture. I recently spearheaded updates to the County Agricultural Dedication Program that enabled ag dedicated properties to be taxed fairly according to their actual use and expanded qualifying agricultural activities.

Agriculture is more than an industry, it preserves our ranching and paniolo lifestyle, it provides fresh local produce to our residents, and prevents urban sprawl from encompassing our open space.

If elected, how would you engage with the business community prior to your decision-making?

As a fourth generation farmer, sole proprietor, volunteer board member for various non-profits, and current councilmember, I have built strong relationships throughout the business community. I am regularly in contact with businesses across many sectors and value their perspectives when considering council decisions.

I have longstanding relationships with the Kauai Chamber of Commerce, Kauai Economic Development Board, Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association, and other local business organizations. As Council Chair, I met quarterly with the Kauai Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee to discuss pending issues and remain committed to maintaining an open door policy.

How would you help ensure that working middle class residents can afford to buy or rent a home on Kauaʻi?

The County has done a really good job of creating and promoting low-income housing, supported by significant federal resources such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit. Our challenge now is to create workforce housing, which does not qualify for those types of federal resources.

I will continue to work closely with our housing department and provide them with the resources needed to promote housing for the working middle class. The county alone cannot build ourselves out of this situation. It will take private development to help alleviate the housing shortage.

During my time on council we supported numerous affordable housing projects, updated the County’s affordable housing policy, acquired land in Waimea and Kilauea for future housing, increased density in town core areas, and created legislation to allow for additional rental units.

The County must also foster a business-friendly environment that encourages investment, supports local businesses, and creates good paying jobs. Strong businesses, higher wages, and increased housing supply are all essential to ensuring working families can afford to live, work, and raise their families on Kauai.

How would you effectively manage budget and operations compared to the past?

Fiscal responsibility has always been my top priority. I chaired 10 out of the last 12 budgets and am proud of the financial position the County is in today.

I advocated for and helped establish a 30% reserve policy, which has provided the County with stability during natural disasters and economic downturns. This reserve proved vital during the North Shore flooding and when the County lost its share of the Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT) in 2021.

Over the years we strengthened revenue streams through measures such as the General Excise Tax, secured the County’s share of TAT, and restructured tax rates for non-owner occupied and vacation rental properties with a majority of those increases going towards affordable housing, all while continuing to protect owner occupied homes.

Looking forward, the County faces significant infrastructure obligations such as siting a new landfill and wastewater system upgrades. Leveraging State and Federal funds, disciplined spending, and thoughtful prioritization of projects will be required to meet those obligations and maintain our core county services.

What specific ideas do you have about economic diversification and how would you develop these areas?

We need to strengthen our agricultural sector. There has long been a movement to buy local and grow what we eat. Making those products easy and convenient to purchase are key. The local farmers markets and agricultural parks provide a consistent location to purchase local produce. Another opportunity to connect farmers and customers is to bring fresh fruit and vegetables to County Housing Projects. A farmer can provide a list of produce and prices for the residents to pre-order and will fill those orders the following week. This is a win-win, residents will be able to receive fresh local produce without leaving their house and the farmer will be able to reach a concentrated area of customers.

Rather than relying on visitors to come to Kauai and spend money, we need to market and brand our island products for sale around the world. E-commerce is one of the few ways we can bring outside money to our island. We have many unique products Kauai Coffee, Koloa Rum, Kauai Cookie, Kauai Shrimp, etc. We need to capitalize on these opportunities and really market our Kauai talents and products to the world.

What are your priorities for infrastructure investment? How would you ensure that planned infrastructure projects (roads, wastewater, facilities, bridges, etc.) on Kauai move forward in a timely manner?

Delivering infrastructure projects in a timely manner begins with ensuring the County has the financial resources to complete them. That starts with protecting dedicated funding sources like the County’s General Excise Tax, which generates nearly $40 million annually for roads and transportation. This revenue has allowed the County to leverage state matching funds and improve major roadways such as Maluhia, Koloa, and Olohena Roads, along with many other roads across the island. This funding is scheduled to sunset in 2030, so extending or making it permanent is a top priority.

Large scale projects like wastewater, housing, and landfill will require strong partnerships with the State and Federal government. The further we can push these projects to being shovel ready the more competitive our projects will be to receiving low interest loans, grants, or earmarks.

Finally, the County should modernize how it manages infrastructure by developing a comprehensive asset management system leveraging artificial intelligence and data driven technology to prioritize maintenance, extend the life of public facilities, and make smarter investment decisions.

What is your vision for effective management of the visitor industry so that economic goals are met while ensuring community and environmental concerns are addressed?

Keeping visitor accommodations within the visitor destination area is important. The County Planning Department has been proactive and vigilant in cracking down on illegal transient vacation rentals, which add to our tourist count and inundates our local neighborhoods.

I also support the goals of the Kauai Destination Management Action Plan, which shifts the focus from simply increasing visitor arrivals to managing tourism in a way that is regenerative, culturally respectful, and community driven.

Kee Beach is an excellent example of this approach. The reservation system, shuttle service, and parking management have reduced congestion, protected natural resources, and ensured local families continue to have access to this treasured area. We should continue pursuing thoughtful, site specific management strategies like this that improve the visitor experience while preserving our communities and environment for future generations.

What is your solution to best manage solid waste on Kauaʻi? Please include your views on recycling, landfill site, source reduction, and other strategies.

Waste is expensive to manage. The general fund subsidizes our solid waste operation in the amount of approximately $21 million. I am open to any and all environmentally friendly and cost effective ways to manage or reduce our solid waste. Ideally, I would love to see a cost effective method to mine our existing landfill, turn the old waste into energy, and then reuse the mined area. The County has several programs in place to extend the life of the landfill and divert as much trash as possible. For recycling, composting, and reuse programs to work, we each need to do our part and pitch in.

As an elected official, what steps would you take to mitigate the impacts of climate change on Kauaʻi?

There is no doubt we are seeing more frequent and severe storms on Kauai and we must continue to adapt at every level. The County has taken important steps to mitigate the impacts of climate change through strong coastal protection policies and wildfire preparedness measures and those efforts must continue to evolve as conditions change.

Emergency readiness is equally important. I will continue to support our County’s emergency management team by ensuring they have the resources to conduct regular disaster simulations, improve emergency plans, refine response protocols, and strengthen partnerships with other government entities, community organizations, and the private sector.

We must continue to fund and maintain adequate reserves, so the County can respond quickly and effectively to storms and other disasters.

Finally, building individual resiliency is important. The County should continue educating residents on being prepared at home by having basic disaster supplies on hand such as food, water, flashlights, etc. A resilient Kauai depends on strong public policy, prepared government, and residents who are ready when disasters occur.

What else would you like to share with the business community?

I am running for Kauai County Council because I care about Kauai and I care about its future. I bring with me my business and accounting acumen, 10 years of experience on the council, 10 years as Chair of the budget, 4 years as the Council Chair, my commitment to community service, and the values and principles that were instilled in me from family, teachers, coaches, and the community. Growing up here, I believe I can represent the people of Kauai and Niihau well because I am a regular, everyday Kauai resident who works hard and wants to make the best life for myself and my family. I would be humbled and honored to have your vote in this upcoming election.