GaryHooser's Blog

It’s been a crazy few days, weeks, months…

On top of the multiple hurricanes, and seemingly endless rain AND the normal stress and strains of life AND the elections – honestly I’m wearing a little thin.

My plan is to take a break until November 19th.

Then return and pivot with gusto towards the coming year.

Increasingly, I’m most happy when I’m writing.

And walking of course. The morning walks, the rainbows, the “sky on fire”, the mountains, and watching the moon set and the sun rise at the same exact time – is awe-inspiring to say the least.

I’ve recently gotten several notes from friends asking me “Is everything ok?” AND “How can I help?”

The short answer is YES, everything is actually better than ok 😉

And yes of course the challenges of life surround me and you both.

But all’s good and getting better.

And I totally appreciate you asking.

And YES you can help.

It’s something I try to teach those young emerging leaders heading out to change the world.

I tell them “You gotta be willing to ask. You’re asking adults and they can say no, or not now maybe later, or they can ignore you – but you gotta ask. If you believe in what you’re doing – you gotta ask.”

So, here it is.

I’m asking.

And I definitely believe in what I’m doing.

Yes, I have expenses involved in the work and day-to-day advocacy that is my life.

And yes, I could use some help.

I’m not asking you to pay me to do this work, because I will do it anyway whether I am paid to do it or not.

I’m not asking for payment, I’m humbly requesting a gift.

There’s no tax deduction as I’m not a tax deductible organization, nor any organization at all.

I’m just me Gary Hooser, trying my best to do good, and be better.

No gifts received by me will be used for any political donation nor for any lobbying.

You are not paying me to lobby. I will voice my opinion on public policy regardless, and will not accept any gift that is intended to pay me to lobby or reward me for lobbying.

The fundamental goal that drives my advocacy is inspiring, educating, and teaching others how to best get involved, and take ownership of their government and their democracy.

The help I need at the moment are funds to support the basic infrastructure allowing me to teach and educate others on the reality of “how things work” in the world of policy and politics.

My technology skills are limited, and in my dreams I’d hire someone to help update my website, maintain and upgrade the MailChimp service (which has outgrown it’s existing plan), and expand my social media presence.

In addition, I could use help supporting the exorbitant inter-island airfare rates being charged by Alaskan Airways.

To stay properly connected with friends and allies on all islands require “day trips” which involve airfare, Uber expenses, and coffee for all those coffee shop meetings.

Yes, I can and do Zoom, but occasional face to face meetings are important as well. (And there’s an annual fee for a proper Zoom account too).

And yes, if you are an English major or school teacher, you will know that I could use help with editing and proof-reading 😉

So…if you can help with a personal gift of $20 to $1,000 – VENMO @Gary-Hooser-1 It would be totally awesome.

If you prefer to give the ole fashion way, a personal check to Gary Hooser, 5685 Ohelo Rd, Kapaa, HI 96746 also works!

No corporate gifts nor any gift over $1,000 will be accepted.

If you can help, mahalo plenty, if not, I totally understand.

No worries.

My work will continue, regardless.

My goal is to raise $10,000 between now and November 19th.

This will be my only ask for the year (wink).

Mahalo for reading this far.

Mahalo for helping if you can.

Mahalo for anything and everything you are doing to help make our world a better place.

Sincerely,

Gary Hooser

Yep…in case you missed the news or my prior post, The Honolulu City Council is hard at work trying to figure out how to protect shopping carts from poor people.

Here’s the update: The Council voted 7-2 Thursday, with Council members Esther Kia‘aina ekiaaina@honolulu.gov and Matt Weyer mweyer@honolulu.gov voting NO, to approve the second of three readings for Bill 53.

HONOLULU RESIDENTS:
PLEASE EMAIL BOTH – ASAP – AND TELL THEM THANK YOU!

AND PLEASE EMAIL ALL OTHERS AND ASK THEM TO RECONSIDER THEIR SUPPORT AND INSTEAD OPPOSE BILL 53!!
https://www.honolulucitycouncil.org/home/#councilmembers

According to the StarAdvertiser (cut and pasted article below)

“Bill 53 is set for another hearing before the Council’s Public Safety and Economy Committee, followed by another full Council meeting to consider its final approval. The next full Council meeting is scheduled for Dec. 2, which is expected to be Waters’ final meeting before he terms out of office.”

How sad/ironic/unfortunate is that? Dec. 2 – The room will be full of people both applauding the outgoing Chair Tommy Waters for his service AND slamming his outgoing Bill 53 proposal that seeks to further criminalize the poorest of the poor.

My hope is that Bill 53 will be deferred indefinitely and/or perhaps amended to a Resolution establishing a “Task Force” or “Working Group” that can better examine the alternatives available (including the no-action alternative).

Please – email Councilmembers Esther Kia‘aina ekiaaina@honolulu.gov and Matt Weyer mweyer@honolulu.gov and tell them thank you!

Aloha,

Gary Hooser

Honolulu City Council advances shopping-cart bill despite homeless concerns
Honolulu StarAdvertiser By Ian Bauer 11/09/26

Profanity-laced testimony from one opponent and widespread criticism from others failed to put the brakes on a controversial Honolulu City Council measure aimed at curbing shopping-cart theft and abandonment, as Bill 53 advanced despite claims that it unfairly targets Oahu’s homeless population.

The Council voted 7-2 Thursday, with Council members Esther Kia‘aina and Matt Weyer dissenting, to approve the second of three readings of a measure that would broadly prohibit possessing, using or offering shopping carts for use in the city unless they are clearly identified by their owners and used under specified conditions.

Introduced in July by Council Chair Tommy Waters, the latest version of Bill 53 classifies violations as petty misdemeanors. It removes an earlier proposal for fines of up to $2,000 and imprisonment for up to 30 days, but does not specify a fine amount or jail term.

Under the measure, shopping carts would have to display conspicuous markings identifying their legal owners. Owners or people authorized by them could possess and use identified carts on property they own or in which they otherwise have a legal interest.

Written authorization from a property owner or an authorized representative could serve as an affirmative defense against prosecution for possessing, using or offering an identified cart outside the cart owner’s premises.

Carts owned by the federal government, as well as carts owned and being used by the state, would be exempt, the bill states.

Anyone convicted of violating the ordinance would be required to forfeit the cart to the city. Each cart in a person’s possession would count as a separate violation.

If enacted, the ordinance would take effect upon approval. Cart owners would have 180 days to identify their carts, during which no arrests or citations could be issued under the ordinance.

Waters has said the bill is not intended to target kupuna who use personal shopping carts or people experiencing homelessness.

“We have to acknowledge that stealing a shopping cart from businesses is not OK, it’s still theft,” Waters said before the Council’s vote. “You just have to walk around and you see shopping carts everywhere, they’re everywhere.”

Waters later challenged his Council colleagues to come up with a better legislative solution to the problem.

For his part, Weyer had introduced an amendment to reduce the penalty under Bill 53 from a petty misdemeanor, which carries potential jail time, to a noncriminal violation punishable by a fine, similar to a parking ticket.

But Weyer later withdrew his amendment after numerous testifiers called for the entire measure to be rejected.

Yet Bill 53 drew support from the Honolulu Police Department and the Retail Merchants of Hawai‘i during an Oct. 22 committee meeting.

HPD Maj. Paul Okamoto acknowledged the measure’s opponents believe it criminalizes homelessness on Oahu.

“However, this bill is about the possession of stolen property, and possession of property that belongs to someone else,” Okamoto said, adding “there needs to be sufficient consequence so that they understand that they are not to monopolize, take these shopping carts, and use them for their own use, monopolize its use.

“I think that’s wrong,” he added.

Dave Erdman, interim president and CEO of the Retail Merchants of Hawai‘i, also backed Bill 53.

He noted shopping carts can cost from $250 to $750 for retailers and even up to $1,000, especially when shipping to Hawaii and tariffs.

“When carts are taken without permission retailers lose valuable property, and customers ultimately bear those costs,” Erdman said, noting priorities should include “meaningful deterrents and clear enforcement tools for HPD.”

Other priorities, he said, included “protection for legitimate personal carts and authorized users, and third, and importantly, a process to return recovered carts to their rightful owners rather than forfeiting them to the city permanently.”

But most people who submitted written or oral testimony opposed Bill 53, including the city Department of the Prosecuting Attorney and the state Office of the Public Defender.

The Prosecuting Attorney’s office has acknowledged the city’s interest in addressing abandoned carts that obstruct sidewalks and create public safety hazards, but questioned whether criminal penalties would be proportionate.

The department expressed concern that a potential jail sentence for simple possession of a shopping cart outside an authorized location could raise questions about proportionality. It urged the Council to consider a non-jailable violation with an appropriate monetary penalty.

The state Office of the Public Defender also urged the Council to reject the measure.

In written testimony submitted Nov. 4, First Deputy Public Defender Hayley Cheng said shopping carts can be essential for people without housing, serving as storage and transportation for clothing, food, water, medication, identification documents and other necessities.

She also argued the measure, if enacted, would criminalize possession or use of a shopping cart even when the person had caused no harm.

“Bill 53 fails to make that critical distinction,” Cheng wrote. “Instead, it risks imposing substantial criminal penalties upon individuals for conduct that may be entirely harmless and that is closely associated with the daily realities of homelessness.”

Mandy Fernandes, policy director of the ACLU of Hawai‘i, also strongly opposed Bill 53.

“We oppose it even with Council member Weyer’s amendments, because a violation still requires somebody to show up to court,” she told the Council. “A lot of people that I believe would be targeted by this measure, and enforcement of it, are not going to be able to get themselves to court, and then that equals a bench warrant and then they get arrested.”

Fernandes described this city legislation as a waste of taxpayer-funded resources.

“This measure is cruel, it’s unnecessary, it’s ineffective, it’s expensive, it criminalizes harmless conduct, it wastes taxpayer dollars in doing so and it raises serious constitutional concerns that exposes the City and County of Honolulu to legal liability and lawsuits,” she added.

Fernandes said similar legislation “has not worked nationally” or locally.
“It’s unnecessary as Chair Waters has reminded us, there are already sufficient felonies, misdemeanors, civil laws that penalize this behavior,” she said. “If those are not sufficient deterrents then a petty misdemeanor is definitely not going to be a sufficient deterrent.

“HPD has sufficient tools in its tool belt to address this now,” Fernandes said. “And if they’re not using those to prosecute theft of shopping carts, then they need to reconsider their strategies.”

Laie resident Choon James also opposed Bill 53, questioning why the city had to be so punitive.

“It’s almost like a knee-jerk reaction,” James added. “Why does a solution to county challenges always have to be the big stick of punishment, through big fines and jail?

“And why is the stealing of a shopping cart proportionate to these criminal threats?” she asked.

Makiki resident Awapuhi Robinson said HPD should not be involved in what she characterized as a “civil matter” involving shopping cart owners.

“Are we as City Council now utilizing public services to be weaponized for corporations?” Robinson asked.

But Kaimuki resident Tim Garry supported the measure. “Much of the testimony against Bill 53 is from the ‘Homeless Industrial Complex’,” he asserted. “They give inaccurate scenarios that just aren’t true.”

Garry later proposed establishing a private fund to purchase shopping carts for those in need, likening it to “a needle exchange program,” and pledged the first $100 toward the effort.

During Council discussion, Weyer noted Hawaii’s high cost of living and the lack of affordable housing contribute to the broader problem of homelessness.

“And so I think it’s incumbent on all of us to be pushing all the tools that we need to have housing options for our community,” Weyer said.

Later, Waters said, “This Council … put hundreds of thousands of dollars in the budget to build housing for people that’s gone unspent.

“Vouchers that we get from the federal government come down and sometimes the city has said, ‘We don’t want them,’” Waters asserted. “It’s ridiculous; take them and use them.”

Waters added he was also receptive to community suggestions, including one that may see the city provide storage space for homeless people’s belongings. “Based on that, I’ve already drafted a resolution,” he said.

“And I’ll be introducing that shortly.”

Bill 53 is set for another hearing before the Council’s Public Safety and Economy Committee, followed by another full Council meeting to consider its final approval.

The next full Council meeting is scheduled for Dec. 2, which is expected to be Waters’ final meeting before he terms out of office.

Why’s this Kaua’i guy writing about the Honolulu City Council?

Well for one thing they represent more Hawaiʻi residents than the other 3 Counties combined AND they’re setting a very bad example that I’m hoping no other County Council on any island will ever follow.

The Honolulu City Council, tomorrow, Thursday 11/05/26 at 10am – is going to meet and possibly pass into law a bad, insensitive, and just wrong on so many levels – Bill 53 that attempts to further criminalize the very poorest of the poor.

Yep. The Honolulu City Council is hard at work trying to figure out how to protect shopping carts from poor people.

GMAFB – These people are literally sleeping on the streets with all their worldly possessions inside that shopping cart. Some are working and cannot afford the sky high rents, some have medical issues and cannot afford medical treatment, and yes, some have substance abuse problems.

And the answer is to take away their shopping carts?

I don’t think so.

Please, please, please if you live on Oahu, Please contact YOUR Honolulu City Council Member and ask them to kill Bill 53. No amendment or deferral can salvage this.

Please also email in testimony, and show up in person if you can. Even if you don’t testify at the hearing, your presence in the room is important. Submit testimony for the Honolulu City Council meeting ASAP and no later than tomorrow, November 5 @10 AM: https://hnldoc.ehawaii.gov/hnldoc/testimony BILL053(26)
RELATING TO SHOPPING CARTS.

Of course it’s already illegal for anyone to steal anything from anyone.

Do we really need to “toughen the law” and crack down on those living at the very bottom of our social and economic ladder?

Ask the Council to “kill the bill” and focus instead on the comprehensive solutions already proven to work.

Every County needs to improve access to mental health services and substance abuse treatment.

Every County needs to increase the availability of affordable housing, safe zones, and homeless shelters.

I encourage Councilmembers in every County to do what I did a few months ago. No Room at The Inn – My own, eye-opening experience, attempting to help.

Put on your “anonymous citizen’s hat” and call the homeless shelters in your County. Call and do your best to locate a safe and dry place for your imaginary houseless friend to sleep tonight.

When you eventually reach a live person, they’ll say, “Tell your friend to come in, fill out an application, and when something opens up, we’ll let them know.”

So…the person who’s really houseless, dirt poor, and living on the street, must push their shopping cart who knows how many miles, down to the shelter, fill out the application, and then wait for the telephone call (assuming they have a phone and further assuming it’s charged up and working).

And for most, that call may not come for days, or weeks, or longer – depending on many factors.

To my friends in Honolulu – On behalf of the most vulnerable people on the planet, please let your voices be heard – tell the Council that Increasing the supply of true affordable housing is the answer, not taking away shopping carts.

Submit testimony NOW for the Honolulu City Council meeting tomorrow, November 5, 10 AM:
https://hnldoc.ehawaii.gov/hnldoc/testimony

It was a defacto “blue wave” – a tidal wave actually.

So, why do I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop?

The election’s over.

But not really.

Clearly, the money changers at the top who control the data, the algorithms, and the very thoughts and images that enter our brain – are not done.

At least that’s my prediction.

The Trump administration and his enablers are not going to accept losing.

Whether it’s a “false flag” attack on the homeland, a dramatically expanded war with Iran and/or Ukraine, a global economic collapse, or some high tech incursion into our voting system – something’s going to happen.

Call me paranoid, call me “Debbie Downer”, or call me a realist.

But I just cannot imagine President Donald J. Trump or the ultra wealthy high tech bro’s who put him there – accepting defeat.

I hope and pray that I’m wrong.

While I believe in the power of prayer AND in the power of hope and positive thinking – I believe even more so in the power of action.

Individual, focused, collective action towards a common goal of making our world a better place is the answer.

To both maintain our sanity and to tangibly improve and protect people and the planet – we must take action and we must start now.

Yes, we had a “blue wave” and Democrats will soon be in control of Congress.

But as my friend Nina Turner loves to say, “Any old blue won’t due”.

We must now, at this moment in time, call upon ALL members of Congress to be the leaders we voted for and so desperately need.

I mean literally CALL directly your/our U.S. Senators and Representatives. The U.S. Capitol Switchboard operator will connect you directly with their office (202) 224-3121.

NOW. Today.

Congratulate them on their win, thank them for their service, AND tell them now, clearly, and unequivocally – that they must select new House and Senate leadership from among their members who truly believe in putting people and the planet above corporate profits, and who feel the same urgency of the moment we do.

We don’t need no stinking corporatists, who call themselves centrists, and only masquerade as Democrats.

We need real Democrats, who really believe in this stuff – at every level of government.

And we need at the local and national level, a Democratic Party that holds elected officials who carry the “D” brand, accountable to supporting those core Democratic Party values.

Housing, healthcare, education, living wages, eliminating our dependency of fossil fuels, protecting our natural environment, and providing humane and equal treatment under the law to every human being must be our focus.

We need to eliminate the Department of War, and create instead a Department of Peace.

Yes, of course we need a strong “defense”, but our focus must be on mutual understanding, reconciliation, food, medicine, homes, hospitals, and schools – NOT bigger bombs, smarter drones, space weapons, biological, or A.I. killing machines.

The ultra wealthy who benefit from public funds, services, and infrastructure, must be held accountable and pay their fair share.

So please, CALL YOUR U.S. SENATOR AND HOUSE REPRESENTATIVE TODAY. The U.S. Capitol Switchboard operator will connect you directly with their office (202) 224-3121.

Seriously. We can and must do this.

Otherwise what?

Can you really look away and act like you don’t see it?

Your country kills school girls at Shajareh Tayyebeh. We are the largest provider of weapons and the second largest polluter on the planet.

Each and every day, you drive by people living at the side of the road. There’s no affordable housing, no room at the homeless shelter, no mental health services available to them, and no jobs for them that pay a living wage.

Yes, you can ignore what’s going on, or you can get involved, take action, and make a positive difference.

Trust me, you’ll feel much better when you get involved and take action.

To be clear, no elected leader is going to take us to the promised land.

It’s up to you.

I can and will do my part, of that you can count on.

But unless you join me, my effort will be like spitting in the wind

However with you and me, and our collective friends and neighbors joining together – we can become that wind and blow wide open those doors now shut tight to the positive change we need.

CALL YOUR U.S. SENATOR AND HOUSE REPRESENTATIVE TODAY. The U.S. Capitol Switchboard operator will connect you directly with their office (202) 224-3121. Just give them your zip code if you’re not sure who to ask for.

AND while your asking them to support House/Senate Leadership who truly believe in putting people and the planet first, tell your Senators LOUD AND CLEAR TO VOTE NO on BAAJA, or the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act – giving the fossil fuels industry unprecedented tools to force approval of their dirty energy projects AND stripping away environmental protections.

Winning.

While that’s the short answer, it will still be a few days at least to know the full extent of the win, AND on the national level – what response will yet be forthcoming from the Trump administration and his enablers.

Here’s a quick summary of where things are as of 8am Wednesday morning with a focus on those races I’ve been posting on over the past few months or so. (All subject to change and I’ll update as I learn more)

There was a defacto “blue wave” – a tidal wave actually – at both at the State Capitol AND in Washington D.C..

Since I’m a firm believer in the words of Nina Turner who reminds us always that, “Any old blue won’t due” – I won’t beat that drum any further.

I’ve listed below those local races I’ve been following most closely and have put in bold candidates I’ve been actively supporting on all islands – “If I lived in the district”.

I’m hugely pleased to report that here at home in the CD2, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda, a true blue Democrat I’m proud to support – won hands down against her well known and camera friendly opponent.
(D) TOKUDA, Jill N. 108,369 65.2%
(R) AWA, Brenton 48,764 29.3%

For too many reasons to list here 😉 I took no position on the Kaua’i Mayor’s race.

Kaua‘i Mayor
RAPOZO, Mel 13,927 56.5%
CARVALHO, Bernard, Jr. 9,208 37.4%

For Maui Mayor
BISSEN, Richard T., Jr. 27,567 54.8%
SUGIMURA, Yuki Lei Kashiwa 21,409 42.6%

Most readers who’ve been following my posts in the recent months know that my main focus has been on the Kaua‘i, Maui, and Hawaiʻi County Council races.

Here’s the current vote ranking for the Kaua’i County Council. Note, the top 7 vote-getters will serve on for the upcoming two years.

NOTE to ALL candidates: I sending all my best wishes and huge mahalos to all, AND I’m looking forward to working together with all in the future to help make our collective communities and our world a better place, whether via serving in public office and/or working directly in community.

HOLLAND, Fern Anuenue 12,425 7.2%
OZAKI, Todd R. 11,557 6.7%
KANESHIRO, Arryl J. 11,501 6.7%
CORREA, Michelle Kaleiohi 11,486 6.7%
BULOSAN, Addison 9,684 5.6%
SMITH, Dane 9,243 5.4%
APPLEGATE, Paul Noboru 8,456 4.9%
SHIGEMOTO, Taylor H. 8,235 4.8%
DECOSTA, Billy D. 8,048 4.7%
COOTS, Mike 7,166 4.2%
MARTIN, Umi 6,431 3.7%
RAPOZO, Cheree 5,842 3.4%
KAIMINAAUAO, Keola 5,091 3.0%
MATTOS, John H. (Scooby) 4,190 2.4%

For the Hawaiʻi County Council my focus has been on only one race:
Councilmember, Dist 5
RODENHURST, Ikaika 3,166 49.6%
MATSON, Shannon Lopeka 2,659 41.7%

And on Maui, the Council races I’ve been following/supporting:

East Maui –
SINENCI, Shane 25,063 49.8%
CARROLL, Claire Kamalu 16,325 32.4%

West Maui –
PALTIN, Tamara Akiko Maile 30,389 60.4%
TILLMAN, Mark 12,320 24.5%

Kahului –
BATANGAN, Kauanoe 22,273 44.3%
KAMEKONA, Carol Lee 20,266 40.3%

South Maui –
KING, Kelly Takaya 23,686 47.1%
COOK, Tom 20,942 41.6%

Upcountry –
PAHIA, Bobby 30,381 60.4%
YOKOUCHI, Jon Masaru 12,681 25.2%

Lanai –
JOHNSON, Gabe 33,271 66.1% (won outright in the Primary)

Molokai –
RAWLINS-FERNANDEZ, Keani 33,123 65.8% (won outright in the Primary)

What about the Honolulu City Council? Honestly for me the Honolulu Council is a bit of a mystery. Between their current focus on taking away shopping carts from those at the very bottom of the food chain, to the recent Sunshine Law apparent violations/shenanigans – it’s all too convoluted (nicest word I could think of at the moment) for me.

The 6 State (Oahu and Maui) legislative seats I’ve been actively following/supporting, “If I lived in the district.”

State Senate District 18
Mililani and Waipiʻo Gentry
(D) BASS, Danielle Maliekekai 6,938 53.3%
(R) KITASHIMA, Kelly Puamailani 5,119 39.4%
(N) HANNA, Max G. 239 1.8%

State House District 14
West Maui
(G) KIAKONA, Pa’ele 2,991 41.1%
(D) PATEL, Sne 2,884 39.6%
(R) COCHRAN, Elle 1,236 17.0%

State House District 39
Royal Kunia, Village Park, Honouliuli, Ho‘opili, Portion Waipahu
(D) ROSENLEE, Corey 3,419 62.2%
(R) DEGRACIA, Daniel (Danny) 1,908 34.7%

State House District 42
Portions Varona Village, ‘Ewa, Kapolei, Fernandez Village
(R) GARCIA, Diamond 2,512 49.4%
(D) PARIS, Anthony Makana 2,440 48.0%

State House District 43
Kapolei and Makakilo
SOUZA, Kanani 1,855 34.8%
MEDEIROS, Sheila 1,695 31.8%

State House District 45
Wai‘anae, Mākaha
Kalehua Koala
(R) MURAOKA, Chris 1,643 51.8%
(D) KAOPUA, Kalehua 1,463 46.2%

The hot potato – State Constitutional question #2 regarding “Rise Bonds”
YES 195,307 63.2%
NO 88,954 28.8%

Again…what you are seeing above is from information available as of 8am this morning November 4th.

Some of these races are very close and may change as the “final print-outs” are published later today.

Please check out the data yourself, direct from the source at the office of elections: https://elections.hawaii.gov/election-results/

AND – I will be writing more on this…sharing my thoughts and hopes and proposed actions we need to take in the future (as in right now).

Please share my blog with others www.garyhooser.blog

AND go to https://www.garyhooser.com/ if we’ve never met and you would like to find our more about me AND sign up for my weekly email missives/reports/ramblings (I refuse to call it a newsletter). It is NOT a newsletter!

Imua.

Gary Hooser

Are you as sick and tired of those television ad’s as I am?

The constant stream of mailers has subsided, but the television ads are starting to turn my stomach.

I’ll be oh so glad when November 3 comes and goes. But we gotta push all the way through until the end AND we gotta help even more today, in these final all important days, those truly exceptional candidates who’re out there working hard to serve us in elective office.

At the national level, regardless of “which side” wins, there will be allegations of fraud and election manipulation.

I cannot imagine the MAGA forces accepting a loss of power in Congress.

To survive (both literally and figuratively) the madness that’s forthcoming on the national level, our focus must be on thinking globally while acting locally.

If you’re interested in my own state-wide voting recommendations (but please do your own homework), check out – “Who I am voting for and who I would vote for if I lived in the District”. I also share here my thoughts on the State Constitutional questions.

To make positive change truly happen, your vote AND your help NOW spreading the word to encourage others to do the same – is essential.

If you’re a friend and reader who truly believes in our democracy and in a position to help these two State House candidates especially – Anthony Makana Paris HD 42 and Kalehua Kaopua HD 45 – PLEASE SEND THEM A CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION TODAY – whether it’s $20 or $200, a donation of any amount TODAY if possible but no later than the end of the day 10/31/26 will help them make their final push.

If either or both of these candidates win, the impact could be far-reaching. They’re running hard and both races will for sure be close. Please help them if you can.

The purpose of my regular outreach via this posting and my regular email sent out each week, is to enroll your support in making positive change happen throughout our community.

And yes, I’ll say it out loud – To help make our world a better place.

My intent is to share with you, some of what I’ve learned over the past 36 years serving as a State Senator, a County Council member, AND in the private nonprofit world of political and policy advocacy.

I encourage you to be involved, let your voice be heard, and join me in making a difference.

After all, we’re all in this together.

Sincerely,
Gary Hooser
www.garyhooser.blog
Former Hawaiʻi State Senator, State Senate Majority Leader, Councilmember, non-profit community advocate, policy and politics blogger, grandfather, and many other things. – “Who is this guy Gary Hooser and why is he emailing me?”

Rushing to get this out…apologize for the typo’s and grammatical snafus…

NOTE: It’s likely too late to trust the mail so to be sure your vote is counted, please visit a Voter Service Center or Ballot Drop Box! Locations statewide are here (scroll to General Election).

Please take a moment if you have not already done so to read “My Policy And Politics Epiphany – Think County Councils”.

AND Please encourage your friends and networks to join my email list by going here.

Why’s this Kaua’i boy writing about the Honolulu City Council?

Well for one thing they represent more Hawaiʻi residents than the other 3 Counties combined AND they’ve recently set an example statewide for what Councils on every island should be doing, and definitely should not be doing.

So, there’s good news and bad news.

Let’s start with the bad, very bad, inane, insensitive, and just wrong on so many levels – Bill 53 now on the table that attempts to further criminalize the very poorest of the poor.

Yep. The Honolulu City Council is hard at work trying to figure out how to protect shopping carts from poor people.

GMAFB – These people are literally sleeping on the streets with all their worldly possessions inside that shopping cart. Some are working and cannot afford the sky high rents, some have medical issues and cannot afford medical treatment, and yes, some have substance abuse problems.

And the answer is to take away their shopping carts?

I don’t think so.

Of course it’s already illegal for anyone to steal anything from anyone. Do we really need to “toughen the law” and crack down on those living at the very bottom of our social and economic ladder?

Please join me in contacting each and every member of the Honolulu City Council. Ask them to “kill the bill” and focus instead on the comprehensive solutions already proven to work.

Every County needs to improve access to mental health services and substance abuse treatment.

Every County needs to increase the availability of affordable housing, safe zones, and homeless shelters.

I encourage Councilmembers in every County to do what I did a few months ago.

No Room at The Inn – My own, eye-opening experience, attempting to help.

Put on your “anonymous citizen’s hat” and call the homeless shelters in your County. Call and do your best to locate a safe and dry place for your imaginary houseless friend to sleep tonight.

When you eventually reach a live person, they’ll say, “Tell your friend to come in, fill out an application, and when something opens up, we’ll let them know.”

So…the person who’s really houseless, dirt poor, and living on the street, must push their shopping cart who knows how many miles, down to the shelter, fill out the application, and then wait for the telephone call (assuming they have a phone and further assuming it’s charged up and working).

And for most, that call may not come for days, or weeks, or longer – depending on many factors.

Increasing the supply of true affordable housing is the answer, not taking away shopping carts.

Which brings me to the good news!

Kudos to Honolulu City Council Chair Tommy Waters and Vice Chair Andria Tupo­la for introducing Bill 11 which “seeks more transparency over publicly funded incentives for affordable housing projects”. (StarAdv 10/21/26)

While Bill 11 still needs refinement, it’s a critically important step in the right direction.

My hope is EVERY County Council in Hawaiʻi, will consider similar measures, AND take the concept even further.

Each County could/should/must pass into law a requirement that NO government subsidies, whether RISE bonds for infrastructure, tax credits, density increases, or other benefits, will be granted to any private developer unless accompanied by clear, strong, and permanent affordable housing requirements.

Some truths to consider:

1) The demand for real estate in Hawaiʻi is global and insatiable.

2) To truly be affordable, homes must be priced “below market”.

3) Since no private developer is going to sell any home voluntarily below market, the development of true affordable housing for local residents must be subsidized by government.

4) The “flipping”and resale of below market government subsidized affordable housing must be restricted in order to ensure long term affordability.

These government subsidies come in the form of regulatory reform, new financing options, publicly funded infrastructure construction, tax credits, density enhancement, fast-tracking of permitting, and various project design exemptions (open space, parking, setbacks, hight limitations) etc.

Giving away taxpayer dollars, environmental protections, and special treatment that increase developer profits, in return for only hopes and promises = the mismanagement of public resources.

A County ordinance restricting the use of any and all development incentives to only projects that unequivocally provide true affordable housing to local residents, AND provide full transparency – is what’s needed.

We must ask our elected leaders in every County TODAY, to focus on creating truly affordable housing, holding already wealthy real estate developers accountable, and NOT criminalize further the very poorest among us.

Gary Hooser

Note: The above is a partial “re-write” of a previous piece that includes the StarAdvertiser Bill 11 overview.

Screenshot

On November 3, we must elect a Kaua‘i County Council majority that pro-actively seeks to move our County forward, rather than one that’s timid, passive, and sits on the sidelines – hesitant to propose new ideas, or unwilling to hold our new Mayor accountable.

Our new Council must first and foremost do whatever’s necessary to fulfill the Kaua‘i Charter requirement to hire an independent County Auditor and support staff. Regular independent (not politically driven) performance audits are essential to identify and reduce waste, fraud, abuse, and inefficiencies that exist in our County government, as is the case for any and all large organizations.

Past excuses for leaving this Charter mandated office empty for over a decade focus on an apparent “inability to attract qualified candidates”.

The number one factor for every applicant seeking any job will of course be the salary offered by the employer.

Unfortunately, neither the Council nor the Mayor has requested a review or guidance from the Kaua‘i County Salary Commission as to whether or not the Salary level set for the County Auditor is sufficient or needs to be increased. (confirmed via recent UIPA request).

The Salary Commission “reviews and establishes the maximum salary of all elected officials and officers of the County…”. (County website)

Affordable housing and the urgent push to increase the availability of new homes, must be accompanied by Council oversight AND independent performance audits as well.

Are the County land purchases accompanied by an independent appraisal? Are the “associated costs” (real estate commissions etc) reasonable and is the entire transaction fully transparent and done at “arms length”?

Are the construction contracts entered into by the County “non bid” contracts? Did the County solicit and evaluate bids from a variety of contractors and/or land sellers?

The County administration is and will continue to spend hundreds of millions of dollars purchasing land, providing development incentives, and supporting the construction of new housing through-out Kauai.

But to avoid the too often inevitable missteps that accompany the spending of large sums of money on complicated developments, an independent County Auditor AND a proactive Council must be in place to provide the necessary oversight.

Our Council must support these housing initiatives AND ensure the homes are truly affordable, they are made available to local residents first, AND there are provisions in place that keep them affordable.

No government subsidies, whether RISE bonds for infrastructure, tax credits, or density increases, should be granted to any development unless accompanied by clear, strong, and permanent affordability requirements.

Rather than just rely on the Mayor and Planning Department/Commission to “cut a good deal” – the Kaua‘i County Council could pass an ordinance putting such requirements into law – today.

Important: Read my recent post “Developer Incentives – Affordable Housing And Accountability”.

On November 3, a new Mayor and Council will be elected.

There are 14 Council candidates vying for the top 7 slots.

My hope is that a majority of those chosen will be willing and able to assert the oversight and leadership necessary to both support the new Mayor and to hold him accountable, AND to initiate their own initiatives that add value to our community.

I encourage all to vote, but think long and hard before basing that vote on name recognition alone. Each and every candidate is a nice person, quick with a smile, a shaka, or a high-five when needed.

But we of course need more than that. Much more.

What’s needed most is a deep commitment to provide honest, assertive leadership, a willingness to ask the tough questions, AND the ability to offer thoughtful, creative but “doable” solutions.

We don’t need “big talk, big body, and BS” AND we don’t need those embedded in the old way of doing things.

Yes, we need institutional knowledge grounded by real world experience, but more than that we need the entrepreneurial spirit of those who understand “creative problem solving” AND who know how to build coalitions to get us there.

Please do your homework, look closely at the candidates, and choose those you think will serve us best. And of course, read this blog post if you are interested further in my thoughts on who I will be voting for. Or…if you just want my Council choices…for the Kaua‘i County Council, I will only be casting 5 votes (and yes you are allowed to vote for up to 7):

Bulosan, Addison

Coots, Mike

Correa, Michelle Kaleiohi

Holland, Fern Anuenue

Martin, Umi

Please join me in including the above 5 individuals on your Kaua‘i County Council voting list as well.

Gary Hooser
garyhooser.com

Kudos to Honolulu City Council Chair Tommy Waters and Vice Chair Andria Tupo­la for introducing Bill 11 which “seeks more transparency over publicly funded incentives for affordable housing projects”. (See StarAdv article at bottom)

While the measure still needs refinement, it’s a critically important step in the right direction.

My hope is the newly elected Councils in every County will consider and pass similar measures AND take the concept even further ensuring via ordinance that NO government subsidies, whether RISE bonds for infrastructure, tax credits, density increases, or other benefits will be granted to any private developer unless accompanied by clear, strong, and permanent, affordable housing requirements.

Jobs and economic development are important, but we need more.

A County ordinance restricting the use of any and all development incentives, to only those projects that clearly and unequivocally provide true affordable housing to local residents, AND provide full transparency – is what’s needed.

Affordable housing by definition must be priced “below market” and thus must also contain “restrictions” on the resale to avoid flipping and maintain long term affordability.

With or without the passage of Constitutional Amendment #2 (RISE Bonds), the government support/subsidy of private development in exchange for public benefits in the form of affordable housing, will without a doubt continue.

To be absolutely clear: Any and All County support/incentives MUST include clear standards and full transparency to ensure the costs of implementation are managed properly, the public benefits are actually delivered, and truly affordable housing is made available to local residents.

Please contact your Councilmember and ask them, politely and professionally of course, to take this concept and run with it.

And while you’re at it, send a mahalo to Honolulu City Council Chair Tommy Waters tommy.waters@honolulu.gov and Vice Chair Andria Tupo­la councildistrict1@honolulu.gov for starting this conversation, AND encourage them to go all the way.

Gary Hooser
garyhooser.blog

Below I’ve cut and pasted a copy of the Honolulu StarAdv story

Council advances affordable housing transparency bill10/21/26

The Honolulu City Council’s Housing, Homelessness and Parks Committee recommended a draft of Bill 11, which seeks more transparency over publicly funded incentives for affordable housing projects.

In spite of opposition from Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s administration, a Honolulu City Council committee Tuesday advanced legislation requiring public disclosure of city incentives for affordable housing developers on Oahu.

The panel’s Housing, Homelessness and Parks Committee recommended a committee draft of Bill 11, which seeks greater transparency over publicly funded incentives for affordable housing projects, to receive a third and final reading by the full Council.

The next full Council meeting is scheduled for Nov. 5.

Introduced in January by Council Chair Tommy Waters and Vice Chair Andria Tupo­la, the measure would require the city Department of Housing and Land Management to submit semiannual reports detailing incentives awarded, received, authorized or approved for affordable housing projects.

As drafted, Bill 11 would require the city to report on financial assistance, including grants, bonds, loans and other monetary support, as well as real property tax exemptions, fee waivers and deferrals, development-­related exemptions and other benefits provided to affordable housing projects.

Reports also would identify each project’s name, tax map key number, address and developer, along with the estimated value of nonmonetary incentives, the legal basis for each incentive and the cumulative value of assistance provided to each project.

The reports also would include the total number of dwelling units and affordable units in each project, the city agency administering each incentive, and any known federal or state grants or awards received by the project.

The bill defines affordable housing projects as housing offered for sale or rent to households earning 140% or less of the area median income, adjusted for household size.

According to Hawaii state data for 2026, 140% of AMI for Honolulu County is $150,920 annually for a single person, and $215,600 for a family of four.
DHLM opposes Bill 11’s reporting requirements as drafted.

At Tuesday’s hearing, DHLM Director Kevin Auger said his department and the administration “share the Council’s view that the public deserves to know whether the city is getting a good value from the housing incentives that Council approves.”

But he noted the city’s “chief concern” with this measure “is that it won’t provide much that’s truly useful, and it will do so at great expense.”

“The stated purpose of Bill 11 is to require the reporting of affordable housing incentives to City Council but the breadth of the bill is problematic,” Auger said. “The expansive definition of ‘affordable housing’ — housing offered for sale or for rent to households earning 140% or below the AMI — would cover the homes lived in by close to three-quarters of Oahu’s population, including, for example, a family of four earning up to $215,000 a year.”

He added if DHLM took on this work it would be “endless.”
“And the question that we have is to what end?” Auger said.

Auger argued that the measure focuses on documenting incentives rather than determining whether they make a difference in housing production.

Determining whether an incentive makes a difference would require analyzing what developers could have built under ordinary zoning and regulatory requirements, along with construction costs, financing and market conditions, Auger insisted.

Instead, DHLM recommends studying housing programs to determine whether incentives make projects more financially feasible by comparing costs with and without the incentives.

Auger noted the Council also did not solicit “input or discussion” from DHLM while crafting Bill 11.

“And it’s not been revised to provide for any of our comments, concerns, or feedback since its introduction,” he said. “Based on the foregoing, we respectfully ask the committee not to advance Bill 11 and continue to work with the department to further refine the tools we are already developing to determine whether or not the city and its taxpayers are getting good value from the housing incentives the Council approves.

“Bill 11 is a prime example of unneeded bureaucracy; it’s a rearview mirror-­focused reporting requirement that would consume precious departmental capacity that will negatively impact our strategic plan to deliver more affordable housing,” Auger said.

In response, Tupola, the housing committee’s chair, questioned DHLM on its lack of input on Bill 11.

“In all of the letters you guys sent from March and September there were no amendments suggested,” Tupola said. “Do you guys have a list of suggested amendments that you have for this bill?”

“We’ll be happy to follow up with you, chair, to provide those to you,” Auger said, but added “fundamentally, we don’t like the bill at all. We don’t think it’s an appropriate approach.”

In the end, the committee — which on Tuesday included Tupola and Council members Scott Nishimoto and Augie Tulba — passed Bill 11 out for final adoption.

After the meeting, Auger told the Honolulu Star-­Advertiser that Bill 11 “was introduced by its sponsors without consulting DHLM.”

“After it was introduced, DHLM staff reached out to Waters’ office requesting to discuss how to craft a more effective approach than the one proposed by Bill 11,” he said. “We followed up that discussion with additional feedback. The bill has not been adjusted to address the feedback provided.”

Asked how many affordable housing developers operate on the island, Auger offered a broad estimate.

“If you’re referring to developers of ‘affordable housing’ as defined by the bill … that likely would include nearly every developer of housing on Oahu,” Auger said.

Waters has defended the need for Bill 11.

“Every incentive the city extends to a developer is a public investment, and taxpayers deserve to know exactly what that investment is producing,” Waters said in a previous written statement.

He noted the city lacks a consistent system to track the full scope, cumulative value and impact of its affordable housing incentives.

“That transparency is how we verify that these tools are delivering affordable units for local families, and how we make smarter decisions about where to invest next,” Waters said previously.

Aloha friends,
Because it’s a “hot topic” with potentially significant implications AND because my position differs from that of some friends and allies who I deeply respect – I’ve updated my previous post explaining my rationale (on 10/12) and am also including the below published in the StarAdvertiser which I had previously not read, AND in case you missed it, here again is my list of Council candidates that have my support.

The actual “ballot language” for Con Am #2 is here.
Bill 3219 that authorized the Con AM #2 is here.

“Our View” from StarAdvertiser Editorial Board: Voters should enable city-linked ‘RISE bonds’
Sept. 27, 2026

In the Nov. 3 general election, Hawaii voters will be asked to approve or deny an amendment to the state Constitution allowing counties to issue “housing infrastructure growth bonds,” in districts needing housing-related public improvements. The correct answer is “yes” — voters should approve the amendment.

The ballot question reads, “Shall the Hawaii State Constitution be amended to authorize counties to issue housing infrastructure growth bonds, the repayment of which shall be secured solely by the incremental increase in real property tax revenues attributable to the increase in assessed real property values within a designated district established for housing-related public improvements?”

Don’t be intimidated by the legalese: Give counties this power, which reduces the cost and complexity of adding new housing.

Housing infrastructure growth bonds are an efficient way to prep for new housing development. They essentially borrow against higher property taxes that will be collected within the boundaries of a specific development district that is created, using the money to plan and pay for roads, water, power and sewage systems in that district under one project umbrella.

The constitutional amendment was placed on the ballot by the Legislature, with Senate Bill 3219. As the bill states, Hawaii faces a severe, ongoing shortage of housing for local residents. However, a continuing obstacle to new home- building has been the expense of adding homes on land that isn’t set up with basic infrastructure, leading development to take place in a piecemeal, inadequate and often inequitable process.

Counties seeking to issue a standard development bond today are required to account for money generated as debt, then stay within their own municipal debt limits — a restraint that doesn’t fit for growth bonds, since their purpose is to isolate the bond debt from public obligations paid for by all taxpayers. As a result, most development in Hawaii takes place in fragmented pieces — small project by small project, costing more and taking longer than using a master plan would.

That’s partly why housing development hasn’t kept pace with the urgent demand for homes, especially in neighborhoods where growth would complement the advance of Skyline. Rail is envisioned as a spark for transit-oriented development (TOD) in zones like Halawa, Kapalama and Iwilei — but aging or inadequate infrastructure creates a costly hurdle.

To bridge this gap, the constitutional amendment — “ConAm No. 2” — will allow counties to raise money for infrastructure by self-financing — issuing bonds that are paid back from higher taxes in a special district. This is known as tax increment financing (TIF).

To help voters get familiar with the idea, the state calls these tax-increment-financed bonds RISE (“Resilient Infrastructure for Shelter and Equity”) bonds. To use RISE bonds, counties can establish TOD zones or master-planned community districts where infrastructure is urgently needed, issue bonds to pay for upfront public infrastructure — the roads, sewers and water lines — and get the work done without repeated rounds of permittings. As homes and improvements are built, properties rise in value, and that incremental increase generates tax revenue used to repay the bonds.

Approving ConAm 2 will not raise property taxes on residents, and it will not authorize the use of funds from existing property tax revenue. That typically appeals to homeowners who want to support affordable housing, but don’t want their own homes becoming less affordable. Tax-increment bonds are used in 48 other states.

The principal benefit to local residents is simple: more affordable homes, built faster. Using TIF for infrastructure can reduce the cost of constructing new homes by up to 30%, industry experts report — and lower development costs translate into lower purchase prices and rents. Done right, it’s a sustainable solution, generating housing around transit hubs without taking away from general funds for public services elsewhere.

The benefits are clear, but there are potential pitfalls in TIF, or RISE bonds. TIF projects may collapse if a developer pulls out, or if property values don’t rise — or if market downturns or other roadblocks delay construction, raising costs and delaying benefits. Careful vetting of specific projects will be required.

This amendment allows RISE bonds to be issued only for public improvements within defined housing development zones or public housing-related infrastructure. The constitutional amendment won’t grant automatic approval to any project; and, each proposed district and bond issue will require a full review, public hearings and approval by the county council. Further, counties can structure agreements so that developers or investors must absorb risks or cover revenue shortfalls — incentivizing “on-time, on-budget” development and protecting public funds.

Approving ConAm 2 gives our local county governments a proven, self-sustaining financial tool to build foundational infrastructure Hawaii desperately needs. By voting “Yes,” voters can help ensure that local households, and future generations can afford to live — and stay — in Hawaii.

Honolulu StarAdvertiser “Our View” from editorial board