GaryHooser's Blog

Yes, you must take action first, then you can look deep into the thoughts of a brand-new 69-year-old (it was day 2 that shook me). See below time-sensitive action items and then my birthday rumination.

1) Regardless of which island you call home: Email your district Senator and Representative and ask them to support publicly funded elections and the “Foley Reform Commission” initiatives. Ask them to “sign on” to be a “co-introducer” of these Bills. Remind them the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi Platform states unequivocally: “We support full public financing of elections.”

2) Sign up for “Clean Election” action alerts and read my blog: Dancing with the devil – an untenable political reality

3) Read this excellent guest post by Nelson Ho in opposition to the appointment of DLNR Director Dawn Chang and sign the petition.

4) Kaua’i Residents: Tuesday, January 24th at 9am: The Kaua‘i Planning Commission is scheduled to hear arguments relating to the Coco Palms hotel development and vote on the Petition for Declaratory Order, filed by attorney Teresa Tico on behalf of the Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action (HAPA); Sierra Club Kaua‘i Group; Surfrider Foundation Kaua‘i Chapter; and individual Judith Ann Dalton. Full disclosure – I am the Board President of HAPA.

Please attend the meeting in person AND email testimony to planningdepartment@kauai.gov

Testimony is due 24 hours in advance, so before Monday, January 23rd at 9am if at all possible! Subject: Agenda Item K, SUPPORT the Petition for Declaratory Order and OPPOSE extending permits for the hotel development. Include your Kaua’i address.

The Petition states according to law and court precedent, the permits issued to Coco Palms Hui in 2015 have lapsed due to their failure to make “substantial progress”. 

It’s obvious to anyone driving by the property today in January of 2023 that there has not been “substantial progress” over the past 8 years – let alone the past 30 years. And a new dust screen certainly does not constitute “substantial progress”.

In addition, the permits granted in 2015 allowing the developer to ignore important county building rules and regulations were amended in 2018 after the “Iniki Ordinance” had already expired.

To further muddy the waters. The new Chair of the Kaua’i Planning Commission is also the official Kaua’i Representative for the Hawaiʻi Carpenters Union. The union and its members will clearly receive a direct financial benefit should the Coco Palms Development move forward. 

Kaua’i friends, this is important. Email testimony even if short to planningdepartment@kauai.gov SUPPORTING the Petition for Declaratory Order and OPPOSING extending permits for the hotel development.

If possible please attend the meeting in person AND email testimony. We must send a strong and united message to the Kaua’i Planning Commission.

Sincerely,

Gary Hooser

READ – 4 things you can do now to help – Coco Palms – I Ola Wailuanui

READ – Birthday Rumination – Hitting 69 –  It was day 2 that rocked me.

Turning 69 years old on Thursday, January 19th was an exhilarating day for me and I thank all who helped make it so.

I often tell people “I’m caught in a positive feedback loop, and you are part of it.” Thursday was one of those incredibly positive days.

It started with early morning texts from my children and a heartwarming video message from my grandchildren.

A friend then set the stage further, sending me this note:

“Youthfulness is not determined by age. It is determined by one’s life force. One who possesses hope is forever young. One who continually advances is forever beautiful. May all your dreams and wishes come true for life”

The rest of my Thursday only got better. Uplifting message after uplifting message, some warmed my soul, others made me laugh out loud, and still others made me cry in a good way – all provided fuel to my fire to do more and be better.

You can be sure my mother who will be 91 this year read every single one of them. She in turn wrote and posted a thoughtful birthday missive to her son as well.

Claudette and I ended the day at my very most favorite spot, the Lava Lava Beach Club in Kapaʻa. Sitting near the ocean, watching the waves as the sun slowly set, and listening to the sweet voice of friend and long time Kauaʻi musician Darryl Gonsalves.

The following morning my life was shaken by a personal confrontation with the other realities of getting old.

I set out early on Friday determined to visit two dear friends who I had not seen in years. I’d been told that both were in ill health and in long-term care facilities – one in Waimea and the other at Wilcox.

Both I considered family, both had helped me plenty over the years, and both were just incredible human beings.

I stopped at Wilcox first, went up to the third floor, signed in, and was escorted by a nurse to my friend’s room. Another visitor was there sitting quietly by the bed, I said hello and greeted my old friend who was stretched out and seemingly watching television.

He turned his head slightly toward me. I said hello a bit more loudly again, repeated my name, and even sang a short tune we had shared in years gone by. There may or may not have been a twinge or twinkle of recognition, but if it was there it faded quickly. I hesitated for a moment, told him clearly that I loved him, asked the other visitor to give my love to the family, and then slipped quietly out of the room.

It was a long sad drive to Waimea.

The initial routine there was similar. I signed in, went through the COVID screening process, and was greeted by a nurse who asked who I was visiting. When I spoke my friend’s name, the nurse looked up and said “she’s not here”. For a moment, I was confused and said, did she go home? Did she move to another facility? The nurse shook her head slowly and called over another nurse who explained to me very gently that my friend had passed away a month earlier.

I barely remember my drive back home. I texted Claudette, that “I’d waited too long.” She replied with love telling me “Don’t beat yourself up, you tried.”

Adding to this jumble of emotion, my friend and former colleague Senator Ron Menor who was just 67, passed away the Monday preceding my birthday.

Every day it seems another familiar name passes.

My mother, a strong Christian woman is 90 and while moving a little slow, walks unassisted, and still cooks her favorite desserts and helps around the house. My natural father, a career navy man, died at the early age of 57 – essentially from a diet of cigarettes, alcohol, and black coffee.

I’m 69 years old. My health is generally good and I like to think I’m a long way from moving on. There are far too many things I still want to do with my life.

This week definitely has shaken me.

The outpouring of support and love offered by so many on Thursday lit my fire and reengaged my commitment – to both family and work.

The wake-up call that came on Friday was both saddening and enlightening.

I am reminded that life is a precious gift that will ultimately end – so we must use our time here wisely and with purpose. I’m also reminded that we must not neglect our friends and family, and we must carve out some of that valuable time remaining for them. Please, tell your family and friends how much you love and appreciate them today, don’t wait for another day that might not come.

Mahalo to all of you for being part of my journey.

Sincerely and forever young 😉

Gary Hooser
Just a man, trying his best to do his best.

May God bless and keep you always

May your wishes all come true

May you always do for others

And let others do for you

May you build a ladder to the stars

And climb on every rung

May you stay forever young

Forever Young – Bob Dylan

Another favorite: Old Man by Neil Young
“Old man take a look at your life, I’m a lot like you were.”

Further closing notes:

My life it seems is one of abundance, and for that I am deeply grateful. I have too many stories to tell, too many fond memories to reflect on, too many goals yet to be achieved and tall mountains still to be scaled. As I’ve written in the past, I’m a lucky man. Surrounded by family and friends, doing meaningful work daily on tasks that I love, and living in the most beautiful place on the planet.

Mine is not a life free of stress or hardship, there are no shortage of those stories as well. But my default is to always push on, to know the sun is always going to come up the next day, and to follow my naʻau, my gut and instincts – whenever those tough times present themselves.

Please sign this petition opposing the appointment of Dawn Chang to be the new Director of the Department of Land and Natural Resources – DLNR.

Nelson Ho, a longtime Sierra Club leader, was Harry Kim’s Deputy Director of the Hawaiʻi County Department of Environmental Management and served on the Board of Directors for the Conservation Council for Hawaiʻi.
 Full disclosure: Nelson is a trusted friend and also on the Board of Directors for Pono Hawaiʻi Initiative of which I am the Executive Director.

Here’s what Nelson Ho has to say (as published in the Honolulu StarAdvertiser):

Governor Green, I applaud and support your commitment to appoint women and Native Hawaiians for important cabinet positions.

However, as someone who for forty years has raised public awareness of the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ shortcomings, I do not believe gender or race should be the determining criteria for the next leader of the state’s most important department for protecting conservation lands and implementing land use policy. Your recent nomination of Dawn Chang as DLNR’s Chairperson may be a nod to your commitment to diversity, but it also raises deep concerns in our Hawaiian and environmental communities.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources plays vital roles in identifying and managing state owned lands, including ceded lands; protection of Hawaiian burials and other cultural and archaeological resources; shielding sensitive conservation lands from development; regulation of fishing; and the management of coastal lands and local harbors. And yet, for decades DLNR has been plagued with weak leadership, crippled by understaffing, even fractious fiefdoms within its offices and divisions. All are problems contributing to the agency’s long standing reputation for ineffectiveness and even malfeasance.

Governor Green, please do not make the same mistake that Governor Ige did in 2015, when he nominated developer Carlton Ching to lead DLNR. You saw with your own eyes how that attempt crashed and burned in the State Senate.

I and many others were surprised and deeply disappointed with your nomination of Dawn Chang for DLNR Chairperson. Her consulting firm Kuiwalu was hired by developers and state and federal agencies to work in communities to help generate support for controversial — sometimes dubious — economic projects, including the divisive Thirty Meter Telescope proposal on the Big Island.

You saw firsthand how the world supported the Ala Hulu Kupuna Blockade, which successfully kept the construction vehicles from going up the mountain. It would be a shame for you to lose the widespread community appreciation you garnered from your supportive visit to those dedicated kiaʻi. Key leaders of these mountain protectors were revered cultural practitioners, 80-year-old kupuna, UH department heads and faculty, graduates from the Hawaiian Immersion School system and students educated in our island charter schools.

Please do not dash the hopes of these and other communities who greatly rely on a functioning DLNR. It must execute its mandate and muster the courage to stand against development pressures that would undermine that mission.

Dawn Chang’s reputation also suffered when court filings over burials at Kawaiaha‘o Church showed that Chang had helped the church avoid a more thorough archaeological review by DLNR’s State Historic Preservation Division. “The result of her advice was protracted litigation and the disturbance of hundreds of burials,” said David Kimo Frankel, former Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation attorney in an email. “We don’t need a fox guarding the hen house.”

Governor Green, we need a reformer for the DLNR Chairperson and an advocate for resources protection, not further resources exploitation. Please withdraw Dawn Chang’s name and instead nominate a strong, pono leader with proven integrity who will truly carry out DLNR’s mandate and begin its long overdue reform.

Nelson Ho

The coming few days are big ones. Please show up if you can.

Today, Tuesday the 17th marks the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, a coup d’état against Queen Liliʻuokalani, which took place on January 17, 1893, on the island of Oahu and led by the Committee of Safety, composed of seven foreign residents and six non-aboriginal Hawaiian Kingdom subjects of American descent in Honolulu.

Then there is tomorrow Wednesday the 18th: The day the legislative session opens. If you are on Oahu I encourage you to visit the Capitol and personally visit your Senator and Representative. Regardless of where you live, I encourage you to call or send them an email between now and then. Let them know your top priorities. For me, that’s publicly funded elections and the “Foley Reform Commission” initiatives. Please ask your Senator and Representative to show their support and “sign on” to be a “co-introducer” of the respective House and Senate Bills!

Sign up for Clean Election “action alerts” and tips on how to take action from the good folks at Our Hawaiʻi!

My latest blog post on the topic: Dancing with the devil – a Faustian dilemma and untenable reality facing every elected official.

An excellent on-point piece in Civil Beat More Transparency In The Hawaii Legislature? It Won’t Be Easy

Thursday the 19th: Wahiawā, Whitmore Village, and Waialua are home to some of the heaviest use of pesticides in all Hawaiʻi. HAPA, Hawaiʻi SEED, Hawaiʻi Center For Food Safety, and ʻŌlelo Community Media – are hosting a community gathering – “Pesticides, Public Health, and Your Right to Know” 5:30 PM-7:30 PM at Whitmore Community Park, Multipurpose Room A. For more information and registration go HERE.

My totally awesome wife Claudette however reminded me that January 19th was in fact my birthday. She said fairly clearly and directly (and if you know Claudette you know what I mean) that maybe, just maybe – a family birthday gathering might be more fun. Since I am well aware of course that, “A happy wife is a happy life” I will be at Whitmore in spirit only…and instead be celebrating getting old with my beautiful family here at home 😉 – scroll to the bottom to read more on the birthday thing.

Tuesday the 24th: The Kaua‘i Planning Commission is scheduled to hear arguments and vote on the Petition for Declaratory Order, filed by attorney Teresa Tico on behalf of the Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action (HAPA); Sierra Club Kaua‘i Group; Surfrider Foundation Kaua‘i Chapter; and individual Judith Ann Dalton – relating to the Coco Palms hotel development. Full disclosure – I am the Board President of HAPA. The Petition essentially states that according to law and court precedent, the permits issued to Coco Palms Hui in 2015 have lapsed due to their failure to make “substantial progress”.

It’s pretty obvious to anyone driving by the property today in January of 2023 there has most definitely not been any “substantial progress” over the past 8 years – let alone the past 30 years. And I might add, installing a construction dust screen just days before the developers are supposed to prove “substantial progress” does not fulfill the intent of the law either.

Further, the permits granted in 2015 allowing the developer to ignore important existing county building rules and regulations were amended in 2018 after the “Iniki Ordinance” had already expired. This is special legislation on top of special legislation.

Note: The actual public notice for the Kaua‘i Planning Commission meeting has not yet been issued so “stay tuned”.

In case you missed it earlier, here is a previous post/email about a separate lawsuit that’s also been filed against the State of Hawaiʻi and the Coco Palms developer/owner: Why we are taking legal action against the BLNR and Coco Palms (file under “can’t make this stuff up”)

To further muddy the waters. The new Chair of the Kaua’i Planning Commission is also the Kaua‘i representative for the Hawaiʻi Carpenters Union whose members it would seem may have a direct financial benefit should the Coco Palms Development move forward.

And last but certainly not least, here are 4 Things you can do now to help – Coco Palms – I Ola Wailuanui

Sincerely,
Gary Hooser http://www.garyhooser.com

Note on the birthday thing: Yes, January 19th is my birthday. I will be turning the young age of 69.

My life it seems is one of abundance, and for that I am deeply grateful. I have too many stories to tell, too many fond memories to reflect on, too many goals yet to be achieved and tall mountains still to be scaled. As I’ve written in the past, I’m a lucky man. Surrounded by family and friends, doing meaningful work daily on tasks that I love, and living in the most beautiful place on the planet.

Mine is not a life free of stress or hardship, there are no shortage of those stories as well. But my default is to always push on, to know the sun is always going to come up the next day, and to follow my na’au, my gut and instincts – whenever those tough times present themselves.

92-year-old Clint Eastwood’s secret:, “Never let the old man in” (plus eat right and exercise).

Forever Young by brother Bob Dylan is a song that I share with my children, and encourage you to also share with yours.

May God bless and keep you always

May your wishes all come true

May you always do for others

And let others do for you

May you build a ladder to the stars

And climb on every rung

May you stay forever young

Please read each and every word of this beautiful song here – trust me the lyrics are well worth the read.

Or listen to Bob Dylan sing it live. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtFEzhaNrT4)

If you really and truly want to offer me a birthday gift – please consider a contribution of $6.90, $69, $690 to the three causes I’m presently working 24/7 on.

Hawai`i Alliance for Progressive Action – HAPA
Online at https://www.hapahi.org/donate
or via mail to
PO Box 1534
Kapa`a, Hawai`i 96746

Pono Hawaiʻi Initiative
Online at https://ponohawaiiinitiative.org/https/donate/phi
or via mail to
P.O. Box 871
Honolulu, HI 96808

I OLA WAILUA NUI
Online at https://www.wailuanui.org/donate
To secure community-based ownership and management of the property formerly known as the Coco Palms Hotel. For those who prefer to mail a check please make the check out to HAPA and mail to the above HAPA address with I Ola Wailua Nui noted on the check.

Can you help also with a pledge? Remember, the funds will only be needed and expected AFTER we are able to obtain a contract to purchase and AFTER we are able to raise the full $20,000,000.

For more information and a copy of the pledge form go here.

Mahalo plenty for any and all help!

And from the bottom of my heart, thank you to all who have already given. I am a bit behind in my thank you notes but please know I see every contribution that is made and I am aware and very thankful for your help and assistance.

Sincerely,
Gary Hooser
Birthday Boy and Proud Grandpa!
I’ll start with a photo of me and my beautiful mother who is 90 years old and still full of vim and vigor…then Claudette and I when we were first married and then one of me and the three incredible grandchildren.

4 things you can do now to help – I Ola Wailuanui https://www.wailuanui.org

1) Make a pledge or promise of a future contribution! This pledge is contingent upon I OLA WAILUA NUI raising the total amount of funding needed to purchase the property. – Cut, paste, and complete the below “Pledge Form” and return it to iolawailuanui@gmail.com
*************************************************************************************
Wailuanuiahoʻāno – My personal financial pledge

I, ___________________ promise to contribute $_______ to assist in funding the purchase and community-based development of Wailuanuiahoʻāno that honors the history, perpetuate the culture, and is community-based in its leadership and vision.

The said $______ shall be paid as follows:

$_______ to be donated to an acceptable 501c3 nonprofit organization designated to hold title to the property provided that sufficient funds are pledged to acquire the Coco Palms property. These pledged funds shall be provided upon the close of said escrow.

$_______per year for the following 4 years to be donated to an acceptable 501c3 nonprofit organization designated to manage the property community-based development.

This pledge shall expire unless extended in writing by the donor if for any reason the property purchase has not been consummated by 02/01/24.

Name – ________________
Date – _______________
Mailing Address –
*********************************************************************

2) Contribute now online or via mail to support existing administration and legal expenses. No contribution is too small, all are welcome and critically important. https://www.wailuanui.org/donate

3) Request an in-person or zoom meeting to learn more about this incredible project. For individuals, organizations, or small groups who are considering a major gift – email iolawailuanui@gmail.com

4) Kauaʻi Residents: Cut and paste the below letter of support and return it asap to iolawailuanui@gmail.com It is very important that we can demonstrate broad-based community support. Returning this statement or any statement you prefer is greatly appreciated.

To whom it may concern,

I am writing this letter in full support of I Ola Wailuanui, its vision and the community plan being developed for Wailuanuiho’ano.

Wailuanuiho’ano and what many know as the former CocoPalms Resort is a uniquely special and sacred area.

The site is surrounded by ancient sacred heiau – from the mouth of the Wailua river to the summit of Mt. Waiʻaleʻale. The last Queen of Kauaʻi, Queen Deborah Kapule lived on the property and it was the birthing place for royalty.

Wailuanuiho’ano was the site of astronomical tracking of the rising heavens, and a gathering place and social headquarters in ancient Hawaiʻi.

Two ancient loko i ʻa, Loko Puʻuone (or Loko Hakuone) – inland fishponds Weuweu and Kaiwiʻiki (or Kawaiʻiki) – are still present on the property. These fishponds are estimated to be between 600 and 800 years old. Mahele records also show the seaward portion encompasses Mahunapuʻuone burial grounds.

I Ola Wailuanui envisions the acquisition, restoration, protection, and ongoing stewardship of these important lands via a community-driven process that honors the deep history of this place, both ancient & modern – and led by individuals with ancestral ties and rooted to this ʻāina.

Rather than a private hotel development, I Ola Wailuanui envisions a public place of cultural enrichment, historic preservation, land conservation & spiritual nourishment; an educational & interpretive gathering place; a center of Hawaiian cultural stewardship; a place of food production: and a core place for learning in Hawaiʻi.

I Ola Wailuanui is a Kauaʻi based hui now securing 501c3 non-profit status and presently working with established 501c3 organizations including those with experience in the acquisition and management of lands intended for preservation and conservation. https://www.wailuanui.org

I am a resident of Kauaʻi and I stand in support of the I Ola Wailuanui vision.

Name:
Kauai Address:
***************************************************************

Mahalo,

Gary Hooser

According to the Christian bible, the love of money is the root of all evil – yet we force our politicians to dance with that very same devil every 2 or 4 years.

We ask our elected leaders to regulate business, profits, and money, yet we require them to bow down in supplication to these same entities in order to win their election to office.

And they do. State legislators regularly solicit campaign funds from businesses and individuals that have legislation pending before them. Governor Josh Green has proven to be a virtual money-making machine, raising millions from entities and industries that he is responsible for regulating. Similarly at the County level – money drives elections which put candidates into positions of influence and power.

Call it what you want, but our current electoral system has at its core a pay-to-play reality.

It does not have to be this way.

Publicly funded elections provide a path for candidates to win an election without selling out to big-money interests. Clean publicly funded elections are already being conducted in Connecticut, Maine, and a handful of other areas.

Hawai’i must join them.

The concept is simple. In “clean election states” that offer full public funding, candidates first qualify by raising a threshold quantity (from 50 for a small district to 6,250 for the governor’s race) of $5 individual donations to prove credibility. Once the candidate qualifies, their campaign is provided funding from the state sufficient to purchase the signs, brochures, and basic advertising needed to run a viable campaign. In return, the candidate agrees to accept no other private funding at all.

Over 70% of Maine Democratic candidates have rejected the acceptance of private money and use Clean Elections funding only to run their campaigns – totally severing the relationship between private donors and elected officials.

74% of votes say they prefer candidates who support publicly funded campaign election systems.

Clean Elections will allow candidates to fund campaigns without the need for private donors.

The barrier of entry for new candidates will be lower and campaigns will become more competitive resulting in greater diversity.

Regular local residents will have more influence since they’re the reason candidates are funded – not special interests.

With legislators no longer beholden to private donors they will be free to pass bills that big money opposes without fear of campaign funds drying up.

With full public funding, Hawai’i can transform its elections to be accessible for all and remove to a great extent the monied influence that’s been embedded in campaigns throughout its history.

The investment needed to implement a full public funding program for all State and County elections in Hawaii, similar to Maine and Connecticut would be less than $25 million per year – a tiny sliver of the waste, fraud, and abuse now occurring. Whether paid for by general funds, a tax on Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS), a cannabis tax, or via a myriad of other means, an investment in clean elections is well worth the money.

The cost to do nothing and retain the status quo, means more cash stuffed into envelopes, more pay-to-play, more over-budget rail systems to no-where, more stadium entertainment districts, and less affordable housing, more corporate water theft, and more people living under bridges while the fat cats get even fatter.

Please be part of the solution. Call or email your legislator today and encourage, urge, and demand their support of a clean elections bill for Hawaii. While no specific bill will be introduced until after opening day at the legislature on January 18th, it’s important to let all members of the House and Senate know now – that clean publicly funded elections are your priority and must be theirs as well.

*Contact information for your Senator and Representative can be found at Find Your Legislator. Trust me. Once they know you live in their district and that you vote, they will listen. They may or may not do the right thing, but they will listen. If you fail to share your thoughts they will not know that this issue is important to you, so PLEASE contact your district legislator.

Contact info for every State Senator is here:

Contact info for every State Representative is here:

The cynics and skeptics will say it’s just gonna be more of the same. Always the optimist, I beg to differ. There’s too much at stake.

We have a new governor and many new legislators. The public will be anxiously waiting and watching as the 2023 legislative session unfolds.

Also watching will be many new candidates, planning even now their 2024 campaigns.

Issues on the table include increasing affordable housing, reducing the influence of big money on elections, and following on the heels of the English/Cullen bribery convictions — reform of the legislative process, ethical standards, and lobbying regulations.

Affordable housing will be attacked from many angles, the easiest and most obvious of which is to just throw money at it. Next on the housing playlist will be eliminate red tape, streamline and fast-track permitting (code for getting rid of environmental protections and community involvement).

Hopefully, instead of eliminating important public and environmental safeguards, legislators will first do the basics and “staff up” those agencies as needed to expedite efficient and thorough permitting reviews.

Hopefully, also legislators will utilize the county and state tax structure to disincentivize (code for punish, reduce, eliminate by making it very expensive) foreign, offshore, and nonresident ownership of residential real estate.

Legislators should consider, as well, prohibiting the ownership of agricultural land by “aliens and non-American corporations” as is done in Minnesota and a handful of other U.S. states. Read: Regulation on foreign ownership of agricultural land: A state-by-state breakdown (2017), at https://bit.ly/3IhlJjS

Reducing the influence of special interest money by passing clean elections legislation similar to what now exists in Connecticut and Maine must be a priority for us all.

In these two states, participating candidates are not allowed to accept or spend any private donations whatsoever. Instead, their campaigns are fully funded at a reasonable level by the state. This system greatly reduces pay-to-play corruption, elections are much more competitive, and candidates spend more time actually campaigning instead of fundraising.

Publicly funded clean elections is the “reform that make all other reforms possible.”

Pass clean elections and implement a hefty state tax or fee on campaign spending by non-candidate committees including SuperPacs and voilà — money loses and people win.

Two legislators went to jail after admitting to taking bribes. Currently, our elections are driven by big money and special interests. People are sick of it.

In response to the corruption, House Speaker Scott Saiki took the admirable step (with much fanfare), and passed House Resolution 9 establishing the Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct.

By May 4, 2023, and the close of the legislative session, we will know whether the speaker meant what he said, or whether it was all for the cameras.

The commission’s stated purpose was to “Provide recommendations to further the goals of the Code of Ethics, lobbying laws, campaign finance laws, and other applicable laws and rules that will increase awareness of, compliance with, and deterrent effects of those laws and rules.”

Chaired by the highly respected Judge Daniel Foley (retired), the commission recently issued its final report containing 31 separate proposals to battle public corruption, improve transparency, and increase public trust. Kudos to Foley and the entire commission for their excellent work. Read the report at https://bit.ly/3WC53HX

The recommendations include support for 16-year legislative term limits, banning campaign fundraising during the legislative session, increased disclosure for lobbyists, and increased accountability of committee chairs. Also included is a proposal to codify a “bill of rights” for the public to “embody the ideals of respect, fairness, openness and dignity” in the legislative process.

The report’s executive summary states: “A deep moral crisis exists throughout each corner of the state.”

Will legislators find the moral and political courage to take the bold steps needed to confront this crisis? Or will they just nibble around the edges, replacing “shall” with “may” at every opportunity?

I’m hoping and actually cautiously optimistic they will do the right thing.

A friend asked me recently about what keeps me up at night. What do I think about most when I lay there in bed in those final moments before drifting off?

I wish I could say it was about how fortunate I am, but that’s not the case. I have my health, my family and friends, and I spend just about every single moment of my life doing exactly what I want to do at the moment.

Everyone should be so lucky.

But they’re not. Not by any stretch of the imagination.

What keeps me awake at night is thinking about that family living under the bridge, and the 1% at the top responsible for the same level of carbon emissions as the poorest 3.1 billion people (OaxFam).

The extreme and obscene inequality that exists on the planet is what keeps me awake. That, coupled with anger and disgust with the political and economic forces that enable it.

The good news is I awake just about every morning thinking about what I can do to make things better. Then, when I take such an action whether large or small, voila’, I feel better – and sleep better as well.

So my question right back to my friend who asked the question and to you reading this today is what keeps YOU up at night? And what are YOU doing to make it better?

Is it that young woman sitting on the sidewalk in the rain and cold? Will you stop and offer her a poncho to keep her dry? Will you stop by the shelter on your way home with a box of personal hygiene items, some food perhaps, or maybe even a cash donation to help?

And will you send off an email to your Legislator, the Mayor, or a Councilmember asking them to help as well?

Or perhaps you cannot sleep knowing your favorite mountain stream no longer runs year round and the beach you frequented during small kid times, is now gone? When you awake, what will you do to make it better so you feel better and the world gets better?

I understand you have a life of your own to live. You have bills to pay and family obligations that must come first. Believe me, I get it.

But I gotta ask you this question as well. What keeps you up at night and what actions big or small are you taking to make it better?

One of these days when my grandchildren have grown up to be young adults and ask me “Where were you grandpa? Where were you when the sea levels were rising and the storms just beginning to rage? Where were you when 685 million people were in abject poverty and dying in doorways, in the bushes at the side of the road, and under the bridges?”

When that day comes, my hope is that they will be proud of my answer. I hope, wish, and pray the same for you and for all of us. For the only way we will win this battle, the only way we will save the planet and bring peace and a decent life to the people on it – is for both of us and all of us to take those actions needed to help us sleep better at night.

Whether offering regular small actions or larger commitments of time, energy, and yes money – all are needed. No contribution’s too small and the potential collective impact of all of us helping in even small ways – has huge potential.

Imagine the collective impact of each of us giving just $5 to that worthy non-profit. Imagine the impact on our parks if each of us took just a little bit more out than we brought in? Imagine the collective power of our voice – if each of us just used it.

During these especially important days, as one year ends and another begins, let’s make this our collective resolution – To wake up every single day of our life and do something meaningful whether large or small to help make our world a better place.

Sincerely,
Gary L Hooser (http://www.garyhooser.com)
Please sign up for my regular email “Policy and Politics” missives and updates at https://policy-and-politics.mailchimpsites.com

I was actually in the room when it happened, and could not believe what I was witnessing. In fact, I said that out loud at the Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) hearing held on October 28, 2022.

There was a moment when I attempted to interject saying, “I can’t believe members of the Board are going to vote to renew permits allowing the use of public lands to an entity that did not exist.”

However, the Chair of the Board indicated my comment was out of order and politely but directly said I should SUASD (virtually speaking).

So I did. After-all, I was just a member of the public – one of many who had submitted testimony which the BLNR staff admitted on record they had not read.

To her credit, Kauai Board Member Karen Ono did voice concerns and raised important questions. She and other Board members initially objected to the approval without further information, but under the repeated urging of the Chair and BLNR staff – the permits were approved subject to a 6 month review.

They openly admitted they didn’t know who they were granting the permits to and key staffers and decision makers hadn’t read the testimony. No one had actually inspected the 3 parcels, and there was no meaningful discussion at all with regards to environmental impacts.

Yet, they voted anyway to grant the permits and in the process exempted the action from HRS 343 which requires an environmental review.

You can’t make this stuff up.

The BLNR has a fiduciary constitutional duty to protect and preserve public trust resources including Wailuanui lands, and to preserve and protect the exercise of Kanaka Maoli traditional and customary rights.

Yet, they approved permits for the use of public lands to Coco Palms Ventures, LLC whose legal status in Hawaii was revoked in 2017. Coco Palms Ventures, LLC (which currently does not exist) also owes Kauai County $80,000 in back property taxes.

These lands situated in the most historical and culturally significant area on the entire island of Kauai – Wailuanuiahoʻāno.

All 3 parcels are legally considered “ceded lands” and under the 1959 Admissions Act are intended to benefit Native Hawaiians. One of the parcels is on the shoreline, and all are part of the planned Coco Palms Hotel development.

This is why I Ola Wailuanui, a community group of which I am a part of, had no choice but to file on November 25, 2022, a Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief against the BLNR, Coco Palms Ventures LLC, and various John Does.

Our hope and intent is that the Hawai’i Courts will agree that the BLNR was incorrect in its action and a complete environmental review must be conducted.

Our further hope is the Kaua’i County Planning Commission will agree and rule in support of a “Petition for Declaratory Order” that’s also been filed by various community groups or, at a minimum, require the developers to submit an Environmental Impact Statement before ruling on the Petition or allowing the developers to proceed.

This action essentially states there’s been no substantial progress in fulfilling the County permits, too much time has passed, and certain permits have effectively lapsed. Under the law the developers must thus reapply for new permits.

At the end of the day, sometime in late January, the Planning Commission will decide whether they believe substantial progress has been made or not, and whether or not the law will be followed.

I believe the vast majority of Kaua’i residents, after 30 years of waiting, 30 years of broken promises, and 30 years of desecration, have come to the same two conclusions I have.

A hotel is no longer wanted, needed, nor suitable for these lands.

State and County agencies must enforce the law, fulfill their public trust duties, and serve the long term best interests of the community.

For those interested in learning more about an alternate community based vision for these lands, visit https://www.wailuanui.org/

3 things you can do now to help

1) Make a pledge or promise of a future contribution! This pledge is contingent upon I OLA WAILUA NUI raising the total amount of funding needed to purchase the property (currently estimated at $22,000,000). – Request a “pledge form” via email iolawailuanui@gmail.com

2) Contribute now online or via the mail to support existing administration and legal expenses. No contribution is too small, all are welcome and critically important. https://www.wailuanui.org/donate

3) Request an in-person or zoom meeting to learn more about this incredible project. For individuals, organizations, or small groups who are considering a major gift – email iolawailuanui@gmail.com

Bob Dylan sang that regardless of your station in life, “You gotta serve somebody…”

My question today of those who serve in public office, who aspire to future election, or who serve now in other positions of public trust – who do you serve?

When push comes to shove, whose side are you on?

Do you believe that we’re all in this together, or that it’s every person for themself?

Do you believe we have a collective, personal and societal obligation to help the weak and those with less, or for you is it only the strong that should survive?

Do you believe everyone deserves a seat at the table, bigotry is unacceptable, and diversity must be embraced?

We all look at the world through our own unique lens. We all have biases and as much as they might try our government decision-makers cannot be all things to all people. Yes, we must strive to be balanced and fair. But at the end of the day, there are many decisions that can go either way.

Do you see those folks living under the bridge and in the bushes as a blight on our community, or as unfortunate souls in need of our help and support? Do you brag to your friends about how you worked 2 or 3 jobs to get to where you’re at, and they should do the same? Do you say to yourself and others, “It’s their own damn fault”? Or do you believe one job should be enough, that everyone deserves access to housing that is affordable, and that maybe, just maybe it’s not their own damn fault?

Is your inclination to favor the needs of those at the top, confident their success will “trickle down” to everybody else? Or do you believe that those who earn more, own more, and consume more, should pay more and carry a greater share of societal needs?

Are you willing to increase taxes for those at the top in order to fund health care, housing, education, and environmental protection?

Are you willing to say no to developers seeking to build projects that have significant negative environmental, cultural, and societal impacts?

When the health impacts of dangerous but commonly used chemicals are made known, are you willing to push back against those that use and profit from them? Yes, I speak of pesticides like glyphosate and so many others. Read this excellent and short Civil Beat piece: Are Glyphosate-Based Herbicides Harmful To Humans?

Do you believe all workers deserve a living wage, paid sick leave, and retirement plans that allow them to grow old in dignity?

Do you believe climate change and global warming represent an existential threat to our planet, or is it all much ado about nothing and we should just move along, balance the budget, and worry instead about the potholes and speed bumps?

These are questions we should ask of all who aspire to serve in positions where these decisions are made. It’s not so much what political party you belong to, nor what high school you attended, who your aunty is, nor even about how nice a person you are, how hard you work, or how many events you show up at.

It’s about the core of your values and your bias.

I opened with a song by Bob Dylan and will close with one by Pete Seeger.

“They say in Harlan County, there are no neutrals there.
You’ll either be a union man, or a thug for J. H. Blair.
Which side are you on boys? Which side are you on?”

Gary Hooser
*Trust me on this: Click and view the YouTube Bob Dylan performance that he gave at the Grammys, singing “You gotta serve somebody” – awesome performance. Listen to the lyrics and check out the backup singers.