MASON CHOCK

RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC

Skatepark

Kauai County budget has $400,000 and a plan for a new skatepark, with our Mayor wanting it in Hanapepe. Many stakeholders have worked for years to get to this point of action. What will you do to bring to Kauai a three skatepark islandwide network like on Big Island, Maui, and Oahu?

I’ve been supportive of skateparks and will continue to usher it’s forward progress. I support it being in Hanapepe, but if the community decides against it, we need to find a nearby community that will take it on.  

Climate

What actions should the County undertake to aggressively work to mitigate Climate Change?

There are many things the county is doing and can do more of moving forward.  This includes:

·  Increase bus and shuttle services. We need to develop regional shuttles particularly to get our visitors out of rental cars. In addition we need to incentivize use of the bus to help people get out of their cars which are a huge contributor to climate change. 

·  Invest in electrical vehicles and busses which are becoming increasingly competitive. The county has already begun this transition along with the installation of charging stations. 

· Enlist best practices for planning our island its outlying communities. We need to plan our communities well in a way that limits points of travel and supports multi-modes of traffic. 

· Redo maps identifying areas of impact by sea level rise, stop building and retreat where-ever possible with rezoning changes. We need to redraw setbacks and boundary lines for building in order to retreat from the sea. 

· Invest in coral regrowth projects.

· Support the Aloha Plus Challenge on a much more integrated local scale through private-public partnerships

· Develop our diversion programs including our non organic composting programs. We need to act on our solid waste diversion plan. We need to consider alternative means of dealing with our waste. 

· We need to site a new landfill, ban recyclable materials for our landfill such as food waste and concrete and other items.

· The county needs to join the crusade to litigate and hold liable our fossil fuels companies. 

· We need to plan for the future floods with our public safety agencies. We need to empower our communities and land owners by allowing access to maintain and clear the streams to keep us safe. 

· Once we can develop our cesspool transition plan with the state, we will be able to determine which homes will be eligible for county sewer in the future and which will not making it easier to determine how to subsidize through a revolving loan program or other repayment programs for the homes that will only have septic systems as their choice.  

Do you support a Ban on purchase of Brand New Fossil Fuel cars and Trucks for county fleets?

I support a ban on purchasing any vehicles at this time with the budget shortfall upon us. It should be noted the council has not authorized any purchases next budget. I support us moving to EV for our county fleets however a ban would have to include exemptions as it relates to our current fleet needs as well as the specific job the vehicle needs to accomplish. While there are very good comparable versions, it will come down to the specifics and we need to have some flexibility in being able to achieve the services the county is tasked with. My hope is that we can make strides in transitioning our fleet with every purchase.

What actions are you taking for proactive planned relocation out of climate change risk areas along the shore to higher Ground Instead of wasting money and resources futilely trying to protect areas and infrastructure increasingly at risk? Mahalo 

I have been working with the state leaders and commission on climate change to determine the mapping which takes sea level rise into account. Once we can establish these lines, the county will be able to limit any further building into these at risk areas.

Waste Management

Do you support expanding recycling efforts with the construction of a Materials Recovery Facility and implementation of Residential Curbside Recycling?

 Yes

Do you support a ban on styrofoam food containers and single use plastics?

 Yes

What steps would you propose the county take to reduce solid waste?

 Diversion is and has always been a high priority that has not received the attention I’ve wanted it to. Diversion must be the first step in changing how we think and how we view our waste. We can already begin by banning what we put into our landfill such as food waste, concrete and other construction/demolition materials. Once these are banned it will increase the need for us to strengthen our diversion programs such as composting and it will give us an extension on our current landfill. We need to find a way to afford a Material Recovery Facility. We really need our private industry to partner with on these type of ventures. Once we have a solid diversion program set up we can expand our curbside recycling opportunities. We now have less than seven years left on our current landfill site, we must act now to secure a solution to our landfill. Every solution must be considered at this point, including citing a new location for our landfill.  

Do you support raising trash fees so we can have curbside recycling pickup?

 I do however minimally as possible. Residents should be paying for what they dispose to encourage thoughtful purchasing. If you create less waste then you should pay less.  

Cost of living

What is your stand on Hawaii raising the minimum wage $15 to $17 an hour to a more livable wage?

I support this and voted in favor of a council resolution for this increase. 

How will families with school age students be supported?

Not sure what this question is referring to.  I need a more specific question. 

How would you help the County reduce our significant income inequality?

 See my response to the first cost of living question.  The county does not have 

TVRs

What do you plan to do about illegal vacation rental enforcement?

 We have done a lot already.  In fact, in the last 6 years, we have gone down from 4,000 illegal TVRs to less than 200 illegal TVRs.  We have passed numerous bills to assist this effort, which include enforcement as well as upgrading our systems to track illegal activity more efficiently. 

How do you feel about taking away the main source of income from some elderly residents of Kaua’i, by making it illegal to rent their “Home Stays” after renting to visitors for many years without any complaints? “TVR Homes” were “grandfathered in”!

I don’t want to make it illegal for legal Homestays to rent to visitors.  However, I do think that the tax system needs to be able to better delineate the variances of uses that fall within the current commercial home use tax category.  

Houselessness

A prevalence of substance use and homelessness can be connected to mental health disorders. However, both substance use and homelessness are typically responded to as criminal activity. What are some policies you would propose in order to respond to this issue?

We must not become punitive as other Hawaii counties have in regulating homeless.

What solutions do you support to reduce or eliminate homelessness on Kauai?

We can assist with investing in housing first projects that place homeless into homes first and then wrap around services to support any of the needs they have such as the ones mentioned- substance or mental health related.  We just broke ground on a housing project to help homeless, called Ke Alaula located in Lihue.  We should be supporting similar projects by region.  

Please speak about the County’s current plan to house and care for our homeless population, and your plan to broaden that.  See answer to the previous question.

Health and Human Services

What would you do to address the rise of suicides amongst our community?

 I am the chair of the Kauai Resiliency Project that was formed a year ago for this purpose by Kauai Planning and Action Alliance, Keiki to Career.  There are resiliency factors we have been spreading and advocating for. The County is a partner in this effort.  

How can the county support the most “at risk” seniors through the CoVid crisis?

We can continue our Kupuna Care weekly CSA deliveries, provide meals, provide personal protective equipment.  

How can we ensure testing, screening and surveillance of visitors keeps CoVid from Coming back to Kauai? First we must insist the Governor and state allow Kauai to be represented in making decisions when it comes to opening it up to trans-pacific flights.  We must also enlist in a quarantine tracking tool that is is more efficient than 

How passionate are you about mental health issues; and how do you approach your understanding of mental health?  

 Very.  I have been active in this covid-19 response working with the Kauai Resiliency Project to ensure resources are made available to our families.  We added contact information for mental health services to the DOE meals that were distributed to our youth and their families.  We continue to seek out ways to address the mental health issues with our group of over 30 partners and providers.  The details of this action plan can be found at https://keikitocareer.org/call-to-action/kauai-resilience/

What have you been doing to reducing youth suicide or human trafficking?

 Our campaign with The Kauai Resiliency Project is to make actionable the 40 resiliency factors by the Search Institute.  We plan on working with our communities at expanding outreach for these factors to utilized by everyone.  A few examples of these actions are our Kids First program and our Share Family Meals program. 

Why close the drug home?

 I don’t know what this question is asking.

How would you help the County address our significant suicide problem?  See my answer above. 

Natural resources

What is your position on Ocean conservation?

 We must protect our reefs and our sea life.  I am for seasonal closures. 

Budgeting

With the county’s operating budget being dramatically reduced due to the covid crisis, where do you believe the funds should be cut first? What will you advocate to keep?

We cut the budget by over twenty percent in order to prepare for the economic downturn and foreseen revenue shortfalls.  Overtime and travel budgets will need to be cut as well as equipment purchases.  Our CIP budget will need to be scrutinized as well.  We must hold a line on our core services.  Our public safety operations and essential needs.  

With a basic understanding of the County budget, how many tax dollars do you think should be spent promoting tourism? Right now, non.  

Other than overseeing the tourism strategic plan, right now our focus at the county level should be to keep our visitors managed for our island’s health.

How will you cut the budget without government cut backs?

You can’t cut a government budget without government cut backs.  So cuts are inevitable and our largest expense is in our personnel.  We will need to look to see how we can cut in both projects and personnel costs.  

Racism

Do you agree that racism is a multi-systemic issue that directly impacts the residents of our communities? In what areas of our community do believe racism impacts the most and how can we combat this? Yes.  It happens in every corner of our island and we must continue to take a stand against all forms of racism decisively and publicly.

Property tax

In your perfect world what would you change on properties taxes and why?

I’d implement a new tiered classes that makes it more manageable, and can help delineate the variances found in use of the property would make the system more efficient and fairer.  

Affordable housing

Infrastructure, we need it in order to add affordable housing. What ideas do you have?

What are your ideas for more affordable housing?

 Lower the FRC for affordable and multi-family dwellings. Commit to funding more access to sewer service.  

What will you do to increase the supply of permanent affordable workforce housing?

What will you do to ease the permit process for affordable workforce housing projects?

Land bank, increase our housing revolving fund, amend the housing ordinance. We already streamline permitting for affordable workforce projects.    

Do you support a continuous allocation of funding for affordable workforce housing?

 Yes

How do you feel about loosening the stringent building restrictions on ag parcels to allow for worker and family housing?  If it is a bonafide farm and is proposing farm worker dwelling units, then we should be supporting it through our farm worker housing permit process. 

Education

How would you engage young people in local government?

Host school classes to visit, learn and attend meetings.  Mentor young people.  Institute a civics class at the high school level. 

A stronger economy depends on more college graduates. What can be done to encourage more high schoolers going on to college?

 Specific to the counties role in higher education, I helped secure a new university zoning added to the general plan and subsequent bill.  It will encourage building of student housing opportunities. If we have more student housing, we will have more college students on Kauai. 

How do you think we can improve the education of our children?

 Approach learning from a hands on,  project based perspective that incorporates how our next generation can be more self-directed and lead their future.  We must cultivate the desire to learn and grow in a positive way rather than a punitive, mass approach.  

Law enforcement

How would you get the police and community to interact more positively?

 Leadership and customer service training with policy to support it.   

Military weapons in the police dept.: Yes or No? No

Food systems

How will you support local farmers and homegrown produce to work increase food sustainability on our Island?

 Continue to help them connect with resources to make their operation and business a success. 

What is your strategy for growing more food on the Island?

 Duplicate the Community Ag Park effort that Aina Hookupu o Kilauea around the island. 

Post-COVID rebuilding

What are the unique opportunities we have as a state due to the COVID 19 crisis?

 We could be known as the safest, close to covid-19 free state in the united states.  We have an opportunity to develop initiatives and support industry that is economically circular in approach.  

How do we ensure true equity, diversity, and inclusion as we rebuild Hawaii?

 Organize

Outside of tourism, what is your strategy to diversify our economy?

 Agriculture is key

Is economic diversification for Kauai achievable?

 Yes, but it will take time. 

What Plans are you supporting to rebuild our economy with resilient & diversified local essential businesses?

 I am supporting the Kauai Economic Recovery Strategic Team Recommendations. 

What does reopening look like on Kauai?

 Careful, thoughtful and proven.  

We should not be gambling with our lives and yet we need a solid vetting system so we can continue to open our businesses.

What three specific ideas would you promote to create a new sector to diversify the County economy?

As I mentioned, one thing that covid-19 taught us was that we need to be ready to take care of ourselves.  This means we need to be able to feed ourselves and provide for our own health.  Investing in a circular economy is the answer we’ve lamented on for generations and now is yet another opportunity to move the needle in this direction. 

I have always believed that agriculture was our means to preserve our rural character, retain our lifestyle and provide for ourselves.  To increase our capacity in this area, the county should invest as much as possible into infrastructure needs that include access to water, storage, processing and production facilities.  We need to continue the current track we are on in supporting our local farmers and assist with a comprehensive and integrated distribution system so that residents continue to receive the local produce that is being farmed.  Farmers markets need to continue to be expanded and invested in.  At this time we need to reestablish the EBT program at the markets and expand the possibility of EBT with restaurants doing take out and using local products. Of course, we need to find ways to make it easier to do business in our county with housing and permitting processes that encourage entrepreneurship.  We could double the production of kalo and barely meet the demand on the market. It’s time to go back to some of the basics we know and define us.  There are many fishponds that can be put back into production.  It’s time to reinstitute the Civilian Conservation Corps to act on these agricultural opportunities.  Investing in Civilian Conservation Corps style work programs to extend past the cares act funding is a must.  Along with work programs we should Increase our Transportation agency service to help people save money. Our ability to provide safe service for workers including evening service will be important.  As much a possible we need to wrap our services around our workers can save money.  

It is foreseen that there may be a rise in pandemics in our future.  We should be investing in our healthcare system on a local level.   We already have an amazing nursing program but we need to solidify an emerging industry in manufacturing, production and distribution of medical needs such as tests. Why can’t Kaua’i be the place that provides the world with the tools to take care and protect itself as well as others.  Investing in and developing local lab capacity must be a priority for self-sufficiency and health. 

Lastly we need to revamp the Hawaii Visitors industry experience as the only COVID 19 free destination.  This protects us and makes it stringent to get here but it also makes us a highly sought after destination in the world. With the statistics of the Alaska model (what we are prescribing to) showing increasingly dangerous numbers, I believe we need a second test administered five days after arriving with quarantine in place until the second test is conclusive.  This will lower the percentage of exposure to the island.   Imagine, we could pride ourselves on making our quarantine hotels an experience to remember if our hotels take the lead and provide an exemplary hospitality experience throughout their quarantine period.  

Do you think tourism on Kauai should be limited? 

Yes

What can the County do to duplicate the success of the North Shore to manage the negative impact of tourism on Kauai?

 Institute a Business Improvement District so that the funds can support a shuttle.  

What does a “Just Transition” mean to you? What, in your vision, are we transitioning to? Take action with or toward integrity

How do we diversify our economy in a way that is less dependent on tourism?

 Support Sustainable agriculture.

How can we attract the tech sector to open business on Kauai? This is a “clean” industry and could provide many high paying jobs to our island?

 First step, take over broadband.

How will you address the issues of economic development in a Post CV 19 world?

 Follow and act on the KERST recommendations

What are your thoughts to re-allocating County State Resources to support alternatives to the tourist-based economy and to increase farming and food production? Yes

Would it be a good idea to abolish the tourism authority completely in order to prevent the encouragement of more and more tourists and more and more rental cars, making Hawaii much too dependent on tourism for jobs?  I think revamping or repurposing the tourism authority is what could be considered in adapting to our new health crisis.  We will always have some aspect of tourism in Hawaii, but it must look and feel differently.  It will take time to transition to a more circular economy.

I believe that the pro growth philosophy of economy and population is one that must end if humans are going to be sustainable. What is your position on this? I agree that pro-growth is unhealthy, but we will grow regardless.  We need managed growth.  

Traffic

Also, ideas regarding traffic problems, please?

 Regional shuttles with a Business Improvement District fund. 

Can we limit the number of rental cars when we begin hosting visitors again? No but the state can.

How can we control the number of tourist so the sites are not over used and the traffic is manageable? Permit regulated access

Specific plans for Kapaa traffic. Specific plans for keeping Lydgate and Salt Pond parks open for all, not just homeless.

 Regional Shuttle for visitors.  Establish feeder roads to bypass the main routes.  Parks will need to revise its management of park access including camp permits.  

How can we increase public transportation?

 Increase the budget for transportation

Criminal justice

With American justice on trial nationwide and globally, what are your views on the use of solitary confinement at Kauai Community Correctional Center as a disciplinary tool?

 No

What will you do to increase the prosecution of violent crimes on Kauai and keep violent criminals off the streets during the lengthy “investigation process?”  Fund the prosecuting attorneys programs.  

Governance

Do you support the idea of selecting council members by district? explain your response please

 Yes

what is your core candidate philosophy? and why.

 Aloha Aina, kuleana and leadership because they are all much needed in our government system. 

Would you support County of Kauai council representation by district instead of all members at-large as now? Yes

What life experience prepares you to budget a $70 million/yr enterprise from the start as opposed to being a “trainee”?

Not sure what this question is asking

Hemp

I would like to know every candidate’s stand on the full legalization of cannabis for export? I’m supportive of export

Do you see the many benefits of legalizing the cultivation of hemp? To be used in creating sustainability on the island .

Yes

Herbicide spraying

Would you support an ordinance to ban use of chemical herbicides by the county after a reasonable transition period?

 Yes

Coco Palms

The Coco Palms property is for sale. (Listed with Colliers Realty). As expressed in the Civil Beat, there is concern it will go to auction next year. What is your vision for the Coco Palms property? And what will you do to make that vision a reality?

 I’d like to have Coco Palms put into the public’s hands as a cultural park.

Small businesses

How will you help small businesses affected by this shut down?

 Seek and secure federal and state funding to support small businesses.  Seek and support private public partnerships.  Coordinate opportunities to expand agriculture by funding infrastructure needs, continue csa boxes distribution, assist farmers with housing, support farmers markets and community ag parks. 

The increased costs of shipping is hurting our businesses, what is your plan to help control costs?

 Plea with our congress to amend the Jones act to make to allow Hawaii to be more productive.

Broadband

What options will you explore to significantly improve Kaua’i’s broadband and and voice communication system?

 Partner with other islands to form a public source for broadband.

MASON CHOCK: Safety Issue: Funding status for future crosswalk from Puako Subdivision to Puakea Golf Course sidewalk in Lihue, HI just before entering new Puakea Subdivision where more construction is being done on new houses thus more and more traffic?  I think this question is asking for a crosswalk. I will check with our housing agency on the status of a crosswalk.  I think it may be also asking if the housing project will cause more traffic.  While this might be true, its location is located in the town core which will allow for more walkability and access lowering the need to travel by vehicle.