Author Archives: garyhooser

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About garyhooser

This blog represents my thoughts as an individual person and does not represent the official position of any organization I may be affiliated with. I presently serve as volunteer President of the Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action (H.A.P.A.) www.hapahi.org I am the former Vice-Chair of the Democratic Party of Hawaii. In another past life, I was an elected member of the Kauai County Council, a Hawaii State Senator, and Majority Leader, and the Director of Environmental Quality Control for the State of Hawaii - in an even earlier incarnation I was an entrepreneur and small business owner. Yes, I am one of the luckiest guys on the planet. Please visit my website AND sign up for my newsletter (unlike any email newsletter you have ever gotten, of that I am sure) - http://www.garyhooser.com/#four “Come to the edge.” “We can’t. We’re afraid.” “Come to the edge.” “We can’t. We will fall!” “Come to the edge.” And they came. And he pushed them. And they flew. - Christopher Logue (b.1926)

SB3202/Act 39 – The whipping boy of affordable housing policy – for policy wonks, political geeks, and lawyers

Posted on June 1, 2024 by garyhooser

In an effort to clear out my brain, I am compelled to think it through, and put down my thoughts in writing. If you’re someone who likes to get into the weeds, you might enjoy the reading – Others maybe … Continue reading →

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Back Door Politics – Circumventing the Charter

Posted on May 28, 2024 by garyhooser

Governor Green has signed SB3202 into law. This new law effectively circumvents the Kauaʻi County Charter by transferring the power of subdivision approval in the urban district, from the Planning Commission to a single individual, the Kauaʻi Planning Director. The … Continue reading →

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SB3202 – The no affordable-housing requirement, make our neighbor-hoods more crowded, take away home-rule, passed via a sham process, bill – to be signed into law on Tuesday

Posted on May 26, 2024 by garyhooser

Governor Green has announced that on Tuesday May 28th he will be signing SB3202 and throwing local planning, local communities, and Kauaʻi County particularly – under the bus. He will be joined in the festivities by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz, … Continue reading →

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Honest review of impacts needed at Barking Sands

Posted on May 24, 2024 by garyhooser

The Pacific Missile Range Facility Barking Sands (PMRF) Environmental Impact Statement Preparation Notice (EISPN) is out, and at first read seems woefully inadequate. See for yourself, https://pmrf-kpgo-eis.com The U.S. Navy on Kaua‘i holds various lease’s and easements giving them control … Continue reading →

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What my mother would say about the Coco Palms developers and the horse they rode in on.

Posted on May 22, 2024 by garyhooser

Growing up, I remember my mother would sometimes say, “If they’re willing to lie, they’re also willing to cheat and steal.” Mark Twain more famously said, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damn lies, and statistics. Such describes the … Continue reading →

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Hawaiʻi must lead – thinking global, acting local

Posted on May 20, 2024 by garyhooser

The 2024 legislative session is over. Thousands of bills were introduced, hundreds were passed into law. Surprisingly, state law-makers took a meaningful step in the right direction on what I believe is the most important issue of our time. The … Continue reading →

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HRS 343 rears its beautiful head – People and Planet Win – Syngenta loses.

Posted on May 15, 2024 by garyhooser

One of the most important laws on the books is HRS343 also known as the Hawaiʻi Environmental Protection Act (HEPA). Included in my now 70 years of life experience was a stint in 2012 as Director of the Office of … Continue reading →

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SB3202 = bad policy for all islands…and includes a hidden provision that rewrites the Kaua’i County Charter

Posted on May 14, 2024 by garyhooser

“Affordable Housing – Yes in my backyard” was the title of something I wrote 6 months ago on the topic of affordable housing. https://garyhooser.blog/2023/11/02/affordable-housing-yes-in-my-backyard/ To be absolutely clear, I support urban redevelopment and the general concept of increasing density in … Continue reading →

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Good night and good riddance – 2024 session

Posted on May 10, 2024 by garyhooser

It feels like the first day of a new year – in a policy and politics sense. The Hawaiʻi legislative session is over and there’s no more “waiting to exhale”. The constant vigilance required to monitor 3,000 or more bills … Continue reading →

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We lost. SB3202 passed. My guess is next step will be the courts.

Posted on May 8, 2024 by garyhooser

Well we lost. SB3202 passed. The vote was very close – The House of Representatives voted 29 in support and 22 in opposition. In the Senate there were 9 Noes and 16 in the affirmative. Vote translation: We needed only 4 … Continue reading →

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