GaryHooser's Blog

Two legislators were busted last year for taking bribes in return for helping a prolific campaign donor with legislation benefiting his company. Immediately, with much fanfare, House Speaker Scott Saiki created a “Commission To Improve Standards of Conduct” and vowed to take action.

The Commission did excellent work, held numerous meetings, and submitted 31 recommendations to the 2023 legislature for action. Other’s also introduced “reform agenda” measures with similar themes.

The consolidation of power, and the ability of individual legislators to kill a Bill without a vote, without notice, and without an explanation – invites corruption, both legal and illegal. The insatiable need to raise campaign money to be elected and to remain elected, is an inherently and unhealthy reality for all involved.

The 2023 legislature failed completely to address these key issues. While some modest reform proposals were approved, the much ballyhooed effort fell far short of the bold reforms needed.

The two most significant reforms that would have provided true systemic change both failed.

HB796 – Proposing term limits for all state legislators was killed by Representative David Tarnas Chair of the House Judiciary Committee without even allowing a committee vote. Senate Judiciary Chair Karl Rhoads also killed a similar measure without giving it a hearing or allowing the public to provide input.

Many refer to voter owned, publicly funded, clean elections, as the “reform that makes all other reforms possible”. This is probably exactly why SB1543 was killed.

It certainly wasn’t for a lack of public support. The telephone calls and emails coming in to legislators supporting SB1543 represented a relentless stream of community support from all islands and all demographics. Opposition to the measure was negligible to nonexistent.

In addition to strong public support, 73 of the 76 legislators voted in support of SB1543. Committee and floor votes were held on 7 different occasions and each time 100% of the Democrats voted in support, and only 3 Republicans were opposed. Not one single Democrat even voted with “Reservations” – all were solid votes up, in support.

Yet, SB1543 died in Conference Committee – without a vote and without much of an explanation. In their final remarks, the two Judiciary Chairs on the Conference Committee made thinly veiled references to the lack of support by the money chairs Representative Kyle Yamashita (Finance) and Senator Donovan Dela Cruz (Ways and Means).

Who to blame? The most direct figures who should take the hit are obviously the money chairs. Right along side them though are their powerful enablers, Speaker of the House Scott Saiki and Senate President Ron Kouchi. House/Senate “leadership” in theory represents a majority of members in both chambers. They have the power to go to the “money chairs” and ask them to “find the money and make it happen”. Clearly “leadership” was not interested in passing SB1543 either.

The advocacy group “Our Hawaii” said it best in a tweet on the final day of Conference:

“Funds allocated to clean up the reflecting pool at the Capitol reflecting pools? $33.5 million. Funds allocated to clean up our politics? $0
It’s never been about the cost, it’s about whether getting #bigmoneyout of our politics is a priority.”

Clearly for these 4 gentlemen and those legislators in both the House and the Senate who carry their water – getting money out of politics is not a priority.

What’s next? For those who believe in our system of government, yet are dismayed at the toxic culture of entitlement held by too many legislators, what tools and strategies are left?

The answer is obviously electoral and not policy based. Bill’s can be massaged and amended ad infinitum but no amount of tweaking will change the reality that 4 guys call all the shots – only the elections of 2024 can change that.

The good news is a relatively small number of new, strong, value based voices could make a huge difference. A focused, and sustained effort, across all islands is what’s needed.

The August 2024 primary election is only 15 months away. We can do this.

Before I get to the nitty gritty update details of the hot mess that is the proposed Coco Palms Hotel development – may I ask you to please sign this petition and possibly chip in online to help pay the modest administrative and legal expenses of I Ola Wailuanui?

You really can’t make this stuff up. Read on if you can stomach it. And then join us at I Ola Wailuanui to help if the spirit moves you.

The on-again, off-again, development of the Coco Palms Hotel by an endless stream of Utah LLC’s is a charade – an absurd pretense intended to create a pleasant or respectable appearance. (Oxford Language)

The Utah owners promised the Kaua’i Planning Commission in August of 2022 they’d hold community meetings. Not a single meeting has been held.

There’s been no HRS343 environmental impact review as required by state law.

They agreed to dispose of their green waste at a facility in Moloaa. Instead, they’ve dumped it illegally on conservation lands.

It’s well documented there are countless Iwi Kūpuna who’ve been laid to rest here. The construction and demolition permits require a qualified archaeological observer whenever digging takes place. I’ve personally witnessed this requirement being violated (pictures and video available).

They promised to build affordable hotel-worker housing specifically upon properties they don’t own and now are “re-negotiating” this requirement with the County.

They’ve cut down well over 100 coconut trees from state-owned and private lands and dumped them in sensitive conservation areas without approvals or permits.

The BLNR has issued a cease and desist notice to the developers for illegal dumping, clearing, and grubbing on conservation lands.

The previous LLC upon which the current LLC foreclosed is appealing the foreclosure, effectively “clouding the title”. This will inhibit future investment capital until resolved – which could take years.

Still yet another LLC at least 3 LLCs back in the long line of LLCs, is listed on State leases and permits required to access and utilize these lands. That particular LLC no longer legally exists and was involuntarily dissolved by the State many years ago.

Consequently, the present LLC owner/developer doesn’t possess a lease, or a permit, from the Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) to use the surrounding state-owned lands which include the coconut grove. Yet, they are using these lands anyway, putting up fences, cutting down trees, grubbing, and grading – without regard to the law.

County property taxes on some parcels have not been paid in years.

The whole thing is a very bad joke – a caricature of a charade.

These guys from Utah, one of whom has been convicted of felony fraud, show up via Zoom, wring their hands, promise they will do better, wipe the sweat from their brow, and continue the charade.

Yes, they have expensive lawyers and will sue or threaten to sue the state and county should either or both have the audacity to hold them accountable.

Thankfully, the BLNR appears to be doing just that. Google the April 14 BLNR meeting and watch the hearing. It’s item D1. See for yourself the tough questions asked by Board Chair Dawn Chang and Members.

More importantly, watch the developers misstate the facts, feign ignorance, and promise to do better. They were barely aware the property is listed on both the National and the Hawai’i Register of Historic Places – and the regulatory requirements that accompany those listings.

The County Planning Director and Commission have also expressed outrage and asked tough questions.

But yes, our community and this incredibly significant property need more.

We need our government agencies to take an even more proactive role and ensure the landowner/developer follows the law.

The past and present actions of this owner/developer are too egregious to ignore or write off as only a series of innocent unintended oversights.

We need strong and direct enforcement of existing law, and we need a funding angel or angels to step forward in partnership with the community to purchase, restore, and preserve these lands in perpetuity.

Can you help?

Will you join me in signing a petition in support of the I Ola Wailuanui vision of community stewardship for these incredibly important historic and culturally significant lands?

Will you also take that next step and make an online contribution in support of I Ola Wailuanui to assist in helping to pay basic administrative and legal costs? No contribution is too small and all are welcome.

Please also consider making a gift pledge to be exercised only when we secure the total amount needed to purchase and convert this property to a stewardship-focused, community-owned, cultural and community center. Your pledge and a contingent promise of future support could be for $100, $10,000, $100,000, $1,000,000, $10,000,000, $20,000,000, or any amount in between.

For further information on how you can help, call me at 808-652-4279 or email iolawailuanui@gmail.com

Mahalo,
Gary Hooser – Board Member I Ola Wailuanui

Note: Recently, in The Garden Island newspaper Patrick Manning, managing director of Reef Capital Partners from Utah said “the DLNR has received erroneous complaints that we grubbed or graded the land. We will show the DLNR those complaints were not accurate.”

Excuse me? “Grubbing is defined as removing and disposing of all unwanted vegetative matter from underground, such as stumps, roots, buried logs, and other debris.”

Here is a photo taken less than two weeks ago and validates clearly the DLNR cease and desist order.

According to Civil Beat and many other sources too afraid to speak publicly – SB1543 publicly funded elections – will/may be sentenced to a slow and twisted death today April 27th at 3:05PM in Conference Room 325.

It’s time for that final and all-important push. Public pressure is the only tool we have left, and that means all of us must step up and apply it – liberally.

The 7 Senators and 6 Representatives listed below are the primary legislators responsible for whatever decision is made, and ALL should be contacted now, today, as early in the day as possible.

Yes, after passing every committee in both the House and Senate, behind the scenes and in the dark, SB1543 is being eviscerated. It is shameful really.

They get an A+ however for creativity and subterfuge. Their plan it seems is to actually pass SB1543 but not have it take effect until 2028 and then only for a single election, and then to limit via a lottery the number of candidates who can participate. AND to make absolutely sure this cluster muster won’t fly they are only funding 50% of even that miserable attempt at appeasement.

This way they can claim to have passed this incredibly important measure, promise to “fix it” in the future, and keep open the option of thoroughly killing it again at any time between now and 2027 – while making advocates grovel over the next 4 years begging to extend and properly fund it.

Seriously – can’t make this stuff up. Read “Sunshine Blog: So much for game-changing legislation.” Civil Beat

And then – make those calls and send that email for what is likely to be the very last day and the very last opportunity to change the hearts and minds of key decision-makers.

Please don’t let your own district legislators off the hook on this either. They may not be the key decision-makers, but their voice can make the difference – IF they choose to use it. Find your legislator’s contact info here:

The message is basic: “Pass SB1543. Properly fund it, make it permanent, and have it begin no later than 2026.” Short messages are fine – professional and courteous, please.

**If you live in their district – your call/email is 100 times more important so please let them know that important fact.

The below legislators are all either a member of the Conference Committee or “leadership” and ultimately control what happens to SB1543. Please don’t accept a “There’s nothing I can do” response from any of them.

Senate President Ron Kouchi – 808-586-6030 senkouchi@capitol.hawaii.gov
WAM Chair Donovan Dela Cruz – 808-586-6090 sendelacruz@capitol.hawaii.gov
Judiciary Chair Karl Rhoads – 808-586-6130 senrhoads@capitol.hawaii.gov
Senator Sharon Moriwaki – 808-586-6740 senmoriwaki@capitol.hawaii.gov
Senator Brandon Elefante – 808-586-6230 senelefante@capitol.hawaii.gov
Senator Mike Gabbard – 808-586-6830 sengabbard@capitol.hawaii.gov
Senator Brenton Awa – 808-586-7330 senawa@capitol.hawaii.gov

House Speaker Scott Saiki – 808-586-6100 repsaiki@capitol.hawaii.gov
Finance Chair Kyle Yamashita – 808-586-6330 repyamashita@capitol.hawaii.gov
Judiciary Chair David Tarnas – 808-586-8510 reptarnas@capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Lisa Marten – 808-586-9450 repmarten@capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Gregg Takayama – 808-586-6340 reptakayama@capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Kanani Souza – 808-586-8465 repsouza@capitol.hawaii.gov

We need to pour it on friends. Please Please Please – make the calls, send the emails, and contact your friends and networks to do the same.

We can do this.

Gary

The Department of Land and Natural Resources has issued a cease and desist order against the owners/developers of the Coco Palms hotel for illegally entering state conservation land and using heavy machinery, tree clearing, and grubbing without a permit.

In addition, the developer has been cutting down coconut tree trunks and digging out stumps from other state-owned lands adjacent to and on the hotel site, and then dumping them without permission onto conservation and wetland areas.

In addition to violating laws and administrative rules governing conservation lands, the developer is also violating Kauaʻi County permitting requirements that specify:

“All green waste will be taken to Heart and Soul Organics in Moloaa.” Coco Palms Renovation Construction and Demolition Debris Management Plan (January 2023)

The developer is also violating their agreements with the State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD) which requires a qualified archeological observer to actually monitor the machines digging the holes and moving the earth around. 

The SHPD requirement states: ”Based on the historic background and previous archaeology detailed above in this plan, and the historic properties already documented, on-site archaeological monitoring is required during all ground disturbance activity. Ground disturbance is defined as all excavations below the existing surface grade.”

To top it all off, the developer does not have permission to enter the state lands in question. There is no state lease, no revocable permit, and no permit whatsoever that allows the developer to enter upon the state-owned parcels – let alone to cut down trees on them, grub and grade turning the area into a mud hole, and dump their green waste cleared from other lands.

The cease and desist order also states:

“the BLNR may subject you to fines of not more than $15,000 per violation in addition to administrative costs and costs associated with land and habitat restoration, or both. Should you fail to immediately cease such activity…willful violation may incur an additional fine of up to $15,000 per violation…”

Mahalo to the DLNR for stepping up to enforce the law and protect public trust lands.

More info is at https://www.wailuanui.org

Action steps!

Please sign the petition in support of I Ola Wailuanui and our effort to stop the hotel and provide the long overdue stewardship to these historically and culturally significant lands. https://www.gopetition.com/petitions/wailuanui-petition-opposing-hotel-development.html#sign

Please help support our legal team and basic administrative costs by donating to our 501c3 non-profit https://www.wailuanui.org/donate No amount is too small and all are welcome and much needed!

“When they tell you there’s no money, what they’re really saying is it’s not a priority.”

This my friends who are new to policy and politics is a teachable moment. I’ll never forget the exact day and time I first learned of this ultimate legislative truism from Jeff Mikulina then Chair of the Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi, probably 15 years ago.

Numerous reports are predicting a state budget surplus of up to $2 billion this year.

If SB1543 passes successfully through the legislative conference committee process, it will be because leadership in the House and Senate and the “money chairs” of the Senate Ways and Means and House Finance committees believe reducing the influence of money in our election process is a priority.

That is the short of it. SB1543 is based on a proven model used now in several other states. There is no need to “study it further” and there are no real “bugs that still need to be worked out” – the only question is whether or not House/Senate Leadership and the House/Senate “money chairs” believe this public policy initiative is a priority.

If you believe as I do that the time for publicly funded elections is now and passing SB1543 must be a top priority for our state – please share your thoughts with the 4 men who ultimately are responsible for passing this important measure into law, or not.

Time is of the essence. Please take action today, over the weekend – so when they come into their office on Monday morning they are greeted with an abundance of email and phone messages in support of passing SB1543.

Senate President Ron Kouchi – 808-586-6030 senkouchi@capitol.hawaii.gov
WAM Chair Senator Donovan Dela Cruz – 808-586-6090 sendelacruz@capitol.hawaii.gov

House Speaker Scott Saiki – 808-586-6100 repsaiki@capitol.hawaii.gov
House Finance Chair Kyle Yamashita – 808-586-6330 repyamashita@capitol.hawaii.gov

**If you live in their district – your call/email is 100 times more important so please let them know that important fact.

As always, please keep all communications courteous and professional.

Here is an excellent article published today that’s most definitely worth reading.

Hawai‘i ‘clean elections’ bill nears endgame –

LIHU‘E — The state of Hawai‘i could be weeks away from a radical reenvisioning of politics in the state, as a bill to facilitate full public financing of state and county campaigns awaits debate over final changes by the state Legislature.

Senate Bill 1543, if passed, would create an opt-in system for state and local electoral candidates to receive full public financing for electoral campaigns. Its supporters see the bill as a means of promoting “clean elections,” in which candidates can run without the corrupting influence of private donors.

“Senate Bill 1543 is the most significant and extensive public financing bill currently being considered throughout the nation,” said Heather Ferguson, national director of state operations at Common Cause, a Washington, D.C.-based watchdog group.

In order to qualify for the program, candidates would need to receive a certain number of $5 contributions within their voting district. Candidates seeking higher-ranking positions would need to obtain more of these contributions, but also receive more funds once they successfully opt in.

For example, a candidate for governor would need 6,250 contributions to receive $1,675,000 in funds — whereas a candidate for Kaua‘i County Council would only need 200 contributions to opt into the program, but would only receive $30,000 to spend on their campaign.

While the bill contains thorough descriptions of how the program would operate, a few core details have been intentionally left out.

For one, all mentions of the program’s funding have been left empty. Additionally, the bill is currently written so that it would take effect on June 30, 3000.

Both the lack of funding details and the ludicrous effective date (commonly called a “defective date”) exist to force a “legislative conference,” in which members of the House and Senate convene to make final edits on the bill.

Finance reform advocate and former longtime state legislator Gary Hooser said he believes the primary point of contention is on funding of the program. Supporters of the bill have stated it would cost around $30 million per electoral season to implement.

“Any other discussion about the details on the bill is really just smoke or cover,” Hooser said. “Because what’s being proposed is already done in other states, so it’s not like this is brand new. It’s just going to be all about the money, and whether or not the leaders in the House and the Senate think that this is important.”

While the legislative conference is all but certain, SB 1543’s future remains unclear. Last month, Sen. Karl Rhoads (D-District 13) — who first announced the bill in early January — expressed to The Garden Island a cautious confidence over the bill’s passage.
“I’m sort of guardedly optimistic,” he said. “I think this is a good year for it to happen in terms of the way political stars are aligned, but there’s no guarantees.”

Additionally, Hooser echoed this sentiment to The Garden Island on Thursday.

“I’m cautiously optimistic,” he said. “We’ve had two legislators go to jail in the past year — one Senator, one House member — for accepting bribes. The person they accepted bribes from was a campaign donor. There’s a spotlight on the House and the Senate. People are saying, ‘Do something, prove to us that you want to do what’s right.’ And so I think the mood is ripe for this kind of change.”

In order to keep the bill alive, the legislative chambers must reach an agreement by April 28. If an agreement is met, the conference committees will publish a Conference Draft of the bill, which would go before the full House and Senate for a final vote no later than May 4.

Jackson Healy, reporter, can be reached at 808-647-4966 or jhealy@thegardenisland.com.

“We’re going to close up our hotel and take our business somewhere else where the taxes are lower!” said No Hotel On Kaua‘i Ever.

Ditto for luxury vacation rentals, and so many other property owners who don’t live here, don’t rent to local residents, and can afford to pay more.

So why is our government operating from a mindset of scarcity?

According to a recent TGI story, the County Housing Agency is asking the Council for budget support for more staff to help manage the complaints and inquiries and to prepare a comprehensive plan. Council Chair Mel Rapozo and Council Member Bill De Costa meanwhile are pushing back against that request and instead promoting the notion of “safe zones,” or homeless encampments run and regulated by the county.

Instead of arguing over whose idea is better why not do both?

And then do more.

The lack of basic shelter for our residents, friends, and neighbors should be declared the disaster it is, and we must use every tool available and then go out and get more and use them too.

Hundreds of people are living on the streets, in the bushes, on the beach, and yes – under bridges. We have hundreds more sleeping on couches, in carports, and in cars.

Yes, we need more staffing for our housing agency. And yes, we need to support safe and sanitary temporary encampments in suitable locations – because there’s literally nowhere else for people to go.

I have a friend who works full-time but because of the extreme shortage of rentals, lives in his van. Routinely, he’s awakened in the night by landowners or police and told to move along. He drives to the next side-of-the-road sleeping spot, only to be told again a few hours later – move along. He’s not doing drugs, playing loud music, or partying with friends – he’s just looking for a place to sleep.

We need to do it all folks. We need to develop permanently affordable housing for local residents. We need to support more temporary shelters. We need a place for those sleeping in cars to park for the night. We need mental health services, addiction treatment, basic health and dental care. And our Housing agency needs more staff to help manage and make all this happen.

Don’t tell me we can’t. Don’t whine about how it’s the State or Federal government’s job, or the problem is too big, there’s not enough money, yada, yada, yada.

And please don’t be that ignorant fool at the table bragging about how he worked 3 jobs, how he sacrificed, how he never took handouts, and how he pulled himself up by the bootstraps. If you don’t believe we have a basic human duty to help those less fortunate, just shut the front door (STFD) and take the drivel to your beer buddies outside.

Eugene Tian, Chief Economist for the DBEDT, reported over 40 percent of homes sold on Kaua‘i are purchased by buyers from outside the state.

We have a severe shortage of affordable housing caused by off-island investors buying up the inventory. This is the problem. The solution is building more permanently affordable housing for local residents and taxing off-island investors to pay for it. Yes, other factors must also be addressed but the complete absence of affordable basic shelter is the fundamental problem.

The time for looking away is over. We need to own our responsibility – increase taxes on those who can afford it and don’t live here, then leverage those funds to support the shelters, build the homes, and provide the services.

Trust me. Those hotels will not pack up their bags and move because taxes are too high.

“Today’s discussion is not about taking hits, or shots — nor is it about weed. It’s about power and control.”

I wrote this for today’s Civil Beat and it seems to have struck a chord.
“Hawaii’s House Speaker Has Way, Way Too Much Power”

Enjoy!

Please share with your friends and networks if you feel the content provides value.

Best,

Gary

The game has changed since I last posted a few hours ago.

Our efforts have paid off and SB1543, publicly funded elections, has been scheduled!

Wednesday at 2pm is the day and time. Please submit testimony and help pass the word!

If you live on Oahu please try also to show up at the hearing.

Details and testimony link is on this revised blog post:

SB1543 – game on. Time to double-down. Testimony needed…let’s do this.

Complete info on bill is here:
https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=1543&year=2023

Publicly funded elections, SB1543, has been scheduled for Wednesday, April 5th at 2pm!

Mahalo to all from across the islands for the hard work and persistence. It’s time now to double-down, provide supportive testimony, and pass the word to friends and neighbors.

If you believe that corporate and special interest money should stay out of politics – your testimony is critically important.

Go here to the Capitol Website to testify: https://bit.ly/3nx67Af

Your testimony can be as simple as “Please pass SB1543” or add whatever additional information as to why this is important to you – that comes to mind/heart.

When passed into law, SB1543 will establish a comprehensive system of public financing for all candidates seeking election to state and county public offices.

SB1543 will create an even playing field for candidates and refocus elections back to the needs of the people and not just the needs of those who donate the most.

This measure is a top priority of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, is strongly supported by Common Cause, the League of Women Voters, and many other community leaders working to reduce the influence of big money on Hawaiʻi elections.

The States of Maine and Connecticut have successfully implemented similar public funding systems with positive results that include increased voter turnout, greater electoral competition, more women candidates, and in general more diversity.

This is one of those bills that’s truly important and represents systemic change. Some call publicly funded elections “The reform that makes all other reforms possible.”

Please take the time to submit your testimony now, today, and prior to 2pm tomorrow Tuesday, April 4th. Late testimony is better than no testimony but if can – submit something NOW.

Every call and email is important, regardless from which island it is coming from. Please remember – short, to the point, courteous and professional, and TODAY.

Sitting in the Kapa’a crawl, heading South, and not moving at all for what seems like a long, long time – I found myself thinking “Can’t wait until the Coco Palms Hotel opens up.”

They say sarcasm is the lowest form of humor, and this is not funny at all. Not one little tiny bit.

At 350 rooms hosting 700 or more guests, if this hotel is ever built it will add approximately 400 more cars into that unmoving stream – once in the morning as the visitors depart and employees arrive, and then again in the afternoon as the cycle repeats itself.

They will all be entering and exiting from a single point, perhaps two at the most – Kuamoo Road on the North and Haleilio Road to the South.

The already very intolerable traffic situation will become verifiably and insanely even more intolerable.

Should the 700 guests decide to cross the 4-lane highway to go to the beach rather than spend their vacation in traffic, that will of course not just be dangerous – but have a significant impact on the coastal area and exacerbate the traffic even more.

I’m wondering if the hotel will disclose to the visitors who book rooms, the fact that the mouth of the Wailua River consistently ranks as one of the top most polluted beaches on Kauaʻi?

According to a recent TGI story: “Environmental organization Surfrider Kaua‘i’s Blue Water Task Force found large amounts of bacteria in several of Kaua‘i’s waters this month, suggesting that ongoing concerns over fecal contamination of the Garden Island’s streams and beaches are far from over… the Wailua River mouth…measured over 130 enterococci per 100 milliliters of water, indicating high amounts of contamination in excess of state water quality standards.”

With 700 hundred more people flushing several times a day, and multiple showers/bathes in the morning and after getting home from the beach, the wastewater problems that have existed here for years, will…you guessed it – only get worse.

Do you think the fragrance that occasionally permeates the air across from the Shell station and at the Lydgate Sewage Treatment Plant is bad now? Yep. It’s going to get worse – that is for sure.

But there is good news!

It’s never going to really happen folks. Remember Lucy and the football? Or what’s that other saying made famous by former President George W. Bush – “Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me, fool me three times…and well you must be talking about the Coco Palms Hotel development.”

Yep. If you believe this hotel will be built, I have got a bridge I’d like to sell you. Unfortunately, it’s not a pedestrian bridge over the 4-lane highway so people can get back and forth safely.

Nope, that bridge is not part of their plans. Neither are the community meetings the developers promised at the Planning Commission meetings held last year. And neither is an environmental impact statement that is required by law. Nope, not going to do a silly little EIS (so said the famous Hawaii Super Ferry).

And apparently not part of their plans either is the appropriate disposal of green waste from the hundred-plus coconut trees they’ve cut down. A casual inspection of the State lands (our public lands) behind the Coco Palms, shows piles and piles of recently deposited coconut tree stumps and logs.

Also not part of their plans is the hiring of a local general contractor. Nope. As is oh-so predictable, the current Utah-based owner/developer has hired a Utah-based general contractor to manage the work. I’m wondering if they even know what the words iwi kupuna mean?

Unless the County, the State, or the community intervene, soon the digging will start.