When the first COVID cases popped up in Hana and Molokai, the county was quick to get cleaning services. WAILUKU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Maui Mayor Mike Victorino faces a tough primary election fight Saturday. The main reason why Im running is my children and all of our children of Hawaii, really. Maybe putting a Starbucks or a grocery store at the bottom, and have tenants live above. Yes or No. If it works then future councils or future mayors can expand the funding to help more families that have these structures but just dont have the money or the startup money to fix these homes that could be made livable again, Molina said. She said she will be an advocate for the public and will be accessible in the same way she is accountable to her customers. She also did not like the abrupt shutdown of the island when the COVID pandemic hit, saying it felt radical and tyrannical.. So theyre doing quite well. Its not so much a lack of water here, its a lack of ideas and old irrigation systems that need upgrades, he said. They provide a lot of services to our community., Victorino: Well first of all, one of the biggest issues is the affordable rentals and attainable housing. Bell also thinks the county could better manage its water resources. Looking back, Victorino said there was no playbook at the beginning of the pandemic. I was honored to be the speaker at the recent police recruit graduation. When we talk about affordable housing, what were really focusing on is the price of the house, and if you build 500 affordable houses and you sell 450 to people from outside of Hawaii, what have you really done for the housing problem? We develop our workforce right here on Maui and I think we should start as young as high school, and of course for sure college [with] industries that would interest our youth. What we need to do is bring groups togetherSHOPO, the police commission, the chief, the mayor, the rank-and-file, the command staff. I dont see anyone as the enemy. I was tired of seeing privileges for you know, developers, or the big businesses over the small business, she said. Victorino said the shutdown of the islands, including the visitor industry, came from the state government. Topics included: overtourism, cost of living, affordable housing, public safety, water rights, and a quick fire section on various issues. As long as we are fighting over water, and over whos doing what, we are not going to advance that initiative, she said of farming and diversification. . But Brown said she will have to look at the numbers to see how much short-term rentals contribute to the county versus if they converted to long-term rentals. So we know one of the biggest things is we need to make sure the water we use is used properly like the ahupuaa systemto make sure that we use the water as it comes down the mountain. The list includes: Cullan Bell, Richard "Rick" Bissen, Kim Brown, Alana Kay, South Maui Councilmember Kelly Takaya King, Jonah Lion,. Bissen, the. Now eyeing the mayors seat, Bell pointed to his experience as the owner of a small construction company where he deals with budgets and is responsible for hiring workers and contractors. We need to have more piping and other systems that will make sure that we dont lose as much water as we have in the past. On Friday, December 13th, RAM members were invited to attend a RAM Community Meeting regarding the Council's real property tax reform efforts. Its not stopping me, because we will get federal infrastructure money and we have plans to move some of that forward in the next two to three years. The benefit is that infrastructure is already in place, and it could help younger or older families find housing quickly. CHICAGO (AP) Paul Wallace and Brandon Johnson will face off in a runoff for Chicago's next mayor after voters on Tuesday rejected incumbent Lori Lightfoot for a second term, reprimanding a leader who made history as the nation's third mayor. I do not regret putting any of these mandates out at that point in time. Im not running against something or someone. This section is a little more fast paced. She started Akamai Coffee Co. back in 2007 in the Home Depot parking lot after being turned down 20 times for a business lease around the island. Affordable housing also should be prioritized for those who were born in the county and those who are of Hawaiian ancestry, she said. The race for Mauis top executive job comes down to incumbent Michael Victorino, and challenger Richard Bissen. There are eight candidates in the race for Maui Mayor. He said the high courts ruling brought more clarity. Many of our police officers today face a lot of different issues that they never had when they were kids and watched police officers work at that time. A ballot tracking service is available for those who enroll. She advertised free rent at the onset to get folks to live there and eventually pay rent. Incumbent Mayor Michael Victorino (left) and mayoral candidate Richard Bissen (right) will face off in a live debate at Seabury Hall at 7 p.m. Oct. 15. So we would say: no traveling in between the hours of 6 and 8. Update: 2022-09-26. Bissen: Public safety is the number one responsibility of the mayor. The owner would pay for the catchment, but in turn they may not pay as much for county water as they will be using the catchment, Bissen said. Change can only happen if We Stand United About Us Candidates Running in Maui County We can only make change if you vote the "Right" way. If we want to expect our citizens to make sacrifices because of supply chain issues, or have to pay more for their gas, pay more for their groceries, pay more for their utilities, then we need to show that same discipline as the government, and I think be the example, and we need to be more efficient. Not only will the system help take away the 24 outdated injection wells from the Maalaea community, she said treated water could also go toward agriculture and be used in drought situations. Read More Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot participates in a forum with other Chicago mayoral candidates hosted by the Chicago Women Take Action Alliance Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, at the Chicago Temple . Molina said that for the first 10 years of his political career, he received donations including from developers, but that later he declined them, explaining that he wanted to leave the big money out of the equation so his decisions will be clear when deciding on things such as rezoning. Brown said she looked over the current county budget of $1.07 billion, and a lot of those monies dont address our immediate needs., For example, a $43 million cultural center, if we dont have people here, whos going to go to the cultural center? she said. You know, these private partnerships help the government put in infrastructure for the reduction in price of the homes or apartments for our residents to live in, and these look very promising in the future. King said she would take the various executive assistant positions in the Mayors Office and place at least two employees as ombudsmen for the planning process, to help smaller developers and individuals get through the permitting process. Belong to the Bissen Administration. Victorino: Well, first of all, overtourism back in March of 2021 did exist. But he added: Money is not an object. We started one up in Wailuku at the Wailuku Apartments324 apartments will be built on the corner of Waiale / Kuikahi / and Honoapiilani Highway thats across Longs and Foodland in Wailuku. But his other actions are what have led some to seek his position, with opponents raising concerns over mandates and shutdowns. To the issue of transparency with the CARES Act federal COVID relief funds, Victorino said he provided reports to the council committees every month as he knows they are part of the checks and balances of government. Whether or not we are able to afford what it would take to actually own the systemagain the system, not really the water The water is a public trust. You know, we have young people that need to buy homes or be able to rent affordable apartments and units and right now, the way the prices have gone up, it has made it unreachable for many of them. Bissen: Water is the most important resource we need on our island, and it has to be a top priority for any leader. Instagram. We also need viable career options for our youth, and we need to be very mindful of the industry that we can create for our youth. It is not the same as it was 25 years ago. Marina Riker/Civil Beat/2022 Whatever their plans, the stakes are high. He proposes that since the resorts use a lot of water, that they be made to grow food as well on their campuses; the same could go for golf courses, which, for example, could grow fruit trees. Bell said he would like to also require that only permanent residents have a short-term rental or rental property. For frequent drought issues, Victorino suggested having more catchment systems and reservoirs and using gray water. The two garnered the most votes in the Primary Election and now face off in the General Election, with the top vote getter to lead the County of Maui for the next four years as mayor. Bissen points to his executive experience heading the prosecutors office in the county from the mid-1990s to early 2000s, along with serving as the interim director of the state Department of Public Safety from 2004 to 2005 and as first deputy attorney general for the state from 2003 to 2004. But we are just not working together, Kay said. Council Candidates. And I said, No dad, Im going to influence them by serving them well, with coffee. And he would not relent., But as friends and customers urged her to do the same, Brown finally decided, I cant ignore this.. Our occupancy rate is the lowest in the state, but our residual effects and our monies that are coming in for the par value of the hotel is on the high side. How much is it going to cost to fix? The following came from Cullan Bell, candidate for Maui County mayor. He said he would like to see stricter campaign spending reforms and reduce spending limits, that way the playing field is level.. Both candidates sat down with our Digital Director, Jack Dugan for a Q&A session, and were given three minutes each to respond. The Upcountry water meter list has been stalled for decades. Bissen said he would look at an inventory of county, state and even private lands appropriate for building. hillbilly hentai mw2 unlock all xbox one 2022; reddit knitting can am ryker diagnostic tool; acura mdx won t start brake is hard; schoology login. And to purchase that, I would be in favor of it, but it has to be a collaborative effort between myself, the county, and the rest of the people of Maui County because they are the benefactors of it, and I want to make sure they are at the table to make sure it works. Bissen: So we understand that tourism is our main economic driver for our island, our county. When members of the public asked for an accounting of the money, reports were given to them as well. That waste treatment plant would also be a big factor in getting all of the waste from this part of town in Central Maui, out to that plant which would be made to be and designed to use the R1 water for agriculture and irrigation. The Air Force and Air National Guard veteran has also been a teacher with the Department of Education and continues to serve as a substitute. So I think for us, we should really consider what the auditors concern was. Whats to blame for the major erosion happening along Kaanapali? HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Maui County's race for mayor is turning into the most contentious in the state. As with housing, Lion also believes the county has the water it needs but just isnt managing it well. . Instead of submitting plans that go from one department, then they approve it, it goes to the next department and they approve it,, if we can find solutions like this wastewater treatment facility that solves multiple problems, like the problem of water for agriculture, the problem of putting that water into injection wells, if we can keep it out of the injection wells and put it on the land to grow something, now we are solving two to three problems at the same time,, Basically we went to the Supreme Court for the right to pollute our own water,, People are still upset about that, nobody knows where that money went,, When looking at what has taken place, especially in the last two to three years, especially with COVID, we are really in a space of healing right now. I dont know if the county is set up to manage the water system. I think that what we need to do is build morale. Her father immigrated from China to the U.S., and Brown was surrounded by her grandma and aunties who worked hard in Chinatowns sewing factories, where they would sing to her while her parents were out working and attending school. Attorney Winston Wong Discussing Unconstitutional Maui Property Tax Law . The management part is the transmissiontaking care of the physical apparatus Its about 75 miles of water line were talking about, and thats a long stretch. We built 13-hundred units over the last three years, and theyve been occupied. Candidate Mike Victorino (Nonpartisan) Cullan H.M.M. Become a Candidate; Candidate Reports; Nonpartisan Candidates in Partisan Contests; Presidential. Brown said if elected mayor, she will bring servitude and her CEO experience to the offices. And we had just a surge that many of us could not handle. In 1983, the 160-unit apartment complex pending foreclosure in Wisconsin was in disarray. Is that going to fall on commercial? And so they have had a lease to take care of that system. He pointed to more than half a dozen projects in the works, including the Waikapu Country Town project which the county will provide wastewater services for in exchange for more units as well as the 324-unit majority affordable Wailuku rental apartment project across from Longs Drugs in Kehalani. Anyone who receives a grant from the County of Maui on my administration would be required to have an internship program there. She added that lots of times families who may not show enough income to qualify but could make it work may be turned down as they do not meet certain standards on paper. And again, theres one separate for Lnai, separate for Molokai, and separate for Maui so that we can manage the tourist industry. Maui County . She is also on the Environmental Protection Agencys Local Government Advisory Committee and on the Board of Directors of ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability USA. The race for Maui's top executive job comes down to incumbent Michael Victorino, and challenger Richard Bissen. Description. And the number one responsibility is to take care of your citizens, and the way were going to do that is through recruitment and retention. And there were many, many people coming hereuncontrolled. Molina authored the charter amendment to establish an affordable housing fund, created the first-time homebuyers program and introduced the bill that led to the ban on plastic bags. So what weve been doing is ramping up the housing initiative. And one of the things that we should consider doing is of course mentoring and internship programs. We could also work in partnership with the University of Hawaii Maui College campus to again look at types of industry that our youth would want to enter into. I dont see anyone as the enemy. Home. . Cullan Bells drive to run for mayor grew from his advocacy for children and families during the COVID-19 pandemic. How much is it going to cost to maintain? RAM GAD POD - Michele McLean, Director of the Maui County Department of Planning. Now, the rest of the world is pretty much opened up. To sign up for ballot tracking alerts, visitelections.hawaii.govor call 808-453-VOTE (8683) for assistance with enrolling. Maui County: Richard Bissen Wins Big In The Race For Mayor - Honolulu Civil Beat Elections 2022 Maui County: Richard Bissen Wins Big In The Race For Mayor Voters across Maui, Molokai. I think theres two pricesexpensive, and out of reach. On the issue of affordable housing, Bell said he hopes to establish at least a one-year minimum residency requirement before a person can purchase property, to ensure housing for residents. mtanji@mauinews.com DECISION 2022 EDITOR'S NOTE: The Maui News is featuring the profiles and platforms of candidates in the lead-up to the Aug. 13 primary election. I think we really need a climate mayor at this time and I have the most climate experience and environmental experience, she said. It can be kpuna, it can be millennials, people just getting their first homes, or people who want to downsize. His opponent is Mike Victorino. And its gone up in the last four years from the $700,000s to over a million dollars for the average cost of a house. And so I believe, if you can see the numbers lately, our high-end destination has drawn less numbers as far as people that are coming. We know we have maybe eight years to try to enact the regulations that are going to help keep our temperature at a reasonable rate.. Mike Victorino (Nonpartisan) Cullan H.M.M. This starts with training and education in areas such as in technology and farming, along with education for more specialized jobs. 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