GaryHooser's Blog

Since coming out in strong support of Kai Kahele to be Hawaiʻi’s next governor, some have asked: Why Kai Kahele and not Josh Green?

If the answer to that question interests you, read on. Otherwise, go to the beach and enjoy your weekend!

While I do not know Vicky Cayetano, I have worked with both Josh Green and Kai Kahele and I’ve spent a fair amount of time trying to determine – Through what lens do each of them look at the world?

From personal experience and from a basic review of the campaign websites of each, I believe that Kai Kahele is far more concerned than Josh Green about issues of campaign finance reform, protecting our public trust resources, agriculture, food sustainability, climate change, closing down Red Hill and reducing the over-all foot-print of the military in Hawaiʻi – All issues near and dear to my heart.

Green barely mentions these issues at all. Please read the websites of both Green and Kahele and see for yourself.

Both candidates acknowledge the dire situation that now exists concerning the lack of affordable housing.

The past very aggressive support of Green by the Pacific Resource Partnership (PRP) and Hawaiʻi Regional Council of Carpenters (the largest construction union in the state) is a barrier difficult for me to overcome.

In 2018 PRP and the Carpenters via their “Be Change Now” Super PAC invested over $1 million into ensuring Green’s win, positioning him to run for governor today. Civil Beat – Carpenters Union Makes Josh Green A Million Dollar Candidate For LG

No one spends $1 million without expecting something in return. At the minimum, they expect a friendly ear, an open door, and decisions in the future that lean their way.

And in fact, immediately after winning the Lieutenant Governors’ race, Green hired a top Carpenters Union insider to be his chief of staff.

Full disclosure: I made my bones in politics fighting against big development and have always erred on the side of environmental protection and the preservation of our public trust resources. My other bias is on getting money out of politics.

On both counts, Kai Kahele comes out on top.

I’ve been in the room and have seen him up close take on Alexander & Baldwin in defense of the water and people of East Maui. I’ve watched him more recently step up on the Red Hill issue. Without question, his strong voice and unrelenting persistence in support of the grassroots-led movement paved the way for the entire congressional delegation and Hawaii’s political establishment in general to follow.

On money in politics, Kahele’s mantra is “Hawaiʻi is not for sale” – not to the military, not to big land owners and developers, and certainly not to the moneyed political elite.

Kahele is accepting no more than $100 from any single donor.

Green is accepting $6,000 contributions, the maximum allowed by law.

Read the campaign spending commission reports (CSC) – enter candidate name in “view reports”, click on candidate name, and search “contributions”. See for yourself who is giving money to who.

The CSC reports will show the major donors to the Green campaign are:

A whole lot of rich people claiming to be “Not employed”

A whole lot of lobbyists, attorneys, bankers, and Bishop Street regulars

A whole lot of PACs and Corporations

A whole lot of people who don’t live here.

*Note: According to the CSC report, there are numerous people giving $3,000 – $6,000 to the Green campaign and claiming to be “Not Employed”. This, in my opinion, is a clear indication of the campaign’s lack of respect for the principle of full transparency.

The Kahele CSC report does not yet list contributions or contributors because his announcement for the governor’s race was made only recently.

But when the report is filed on July 14 (the next deadline for both candidates).

You will see Kahele’s major donors are:

A whole lot of regular local Hawaiʻi residents giving $100 or less.

My reasons for supporting Kai Kahele are based on my personal experience working with him and with hundreds of other politicians over the 16 years I’ve spent serving in elective office.

The bottom line for me is that I trust Kai Kahele. I believe his core values and the lens through which he looks at the world is aligned with my own.

I believe that he is by far the best choice to be Hawaiʻi’s next governor.

If you agree with me please make an online contribution of $100 or less, today. Let’s prove to the world that big money does not rule politics in Hawaiʻi.

Sincerely,
Gary Hooser
Pono Hawaiʻi Initiative
https://garyhooser.blog

PS: No, I’m not bothered nor concerned that during this past year Kahele voted mostly by proxy, attended meetings remotely, and spent much of his time here in Hawaiʻi. Given the state of the world, I think I would likely have done the same. The vast majority of meetings by legislatures everywhere have been conducted remotely over the past two years or so. In my opinion, most of our political leaders err on the opposite end of the spectrum spending too little time with their core constituencies, and too much time schmoozing with lobbyists and special interests.

PSS: Read Kahele’s statement on the military in Hawaiʻi. He is of course a commissioned officer in the U.S. Military but yet he says “The Military’s footprint and negative impact on our communities must begin to shrink.” He then goes on to pledge as governor to “ensure that Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility is fully de-fueled and decommissioned…” He pledges to fight for the return of Mākua Valley and recognizes the total injustice of $1 per year leases granted now to the military. He also restates his opposition to the HDR-H radar facility at PMRF on Kauaʻi’s west side.

Will your state legislator be truthful with you when answering these 3 questions? Will they seek proactive and positive solutions or will they deny there’s a problem and look the other way?


Ask your Senator and your Representative directly via email:



1) Do some legislators solicit campaign contributions during the legislative session from individuals/entities that have issues/bills pending on which that legislator will be voting?



2) Do some Committee Chairs and their members meet in private, for the purpose of making a decision on matters referred to that committee?



3) Do some legislators, Committee Chairs, and/or members of legislative leadership kill bills based on personal and/or political reasons, not based on the content of the proposal?



If they answer yes, then ask them if they are prepared to support these solutions or do they have other alternative solutions to offer? If they answer no, they are lying to you.

In my experience gained through serving in the State Senate for 8 years, on the County Council for 8 years, and as a legislative policy advocate on the outside for another 8 years I believe that the manner in which the peoples’ work is being conducted today at the State Capitol is too often both unethical and illegal.

Perhaps it has always been bad, but it’s worse today than I have ever seen it. Or, it may be that it has taken me years to open my eyes to the political corruption, unethical, and illegal actions. In any case, things are bad.

Here are 3 actions that could be taken by the legislature to stop this unethical and illegal activity.

1) Ban the solicitation and acceptance of campaign funds during the legislative session. Many other States ban this practice. It’s not about banning events, it’s about banning asking for or accepting money during the legislative session.

2) Require the legislature to follow the State Constitution Article III Section 12. This is the 60,000-pound gorilla in the room: Too many decisions are made in the dark, away from sunshine and public oversight – and it’s against the law. The Hawaii State Constitution Article III, Section 12 states:

Every meeting of a committee in either house or of a committee comprised of a member or members of both houses held for the purpose of making a decision on matters referred to the committee shall be open to the public.

It’s common practice now for committee members, certainly the chairs, to meet in private “for the purpose of making a decision on matters referred to the committee.”

They meet in private, negotiate in private, and agree on the outcomes in private, emerging from the closed private meetings to announce the outcome, then formally vote at the public meeting.

This clearly violates the State Constitution and fosters a climate of secret deals being made in secret places. The publics’ business should be done in public.

3) End the unilateral power of a committee chair by requiring publicly recorded votes by committee members on decisions to hear, kill, or pass a bill. 

Some Chairs will kill a bill simply because a friend, colleague, or member of leadership asked them to do so. We know also that some do it for cash stuffed into envelopes, trips to casinos, and fancy dinners.

Chairs will kill bills by just not scheduling them for a hearing or if a measure is scheduled, they will kill it by simply stating that the bill will be “deferred”. In both cases, no public votes are cast by the committee affirming the Chair’s decision.

If a publicly recorded vote of individual committee members was required to kill a bill, then the unilateral power of the Chair would be greatly diminished, the democratic process greatly enhanced, and the attractiveness of bribery greatly reduced.

Yes, a majority of the members who sit on a committee can request and require a vote or a hearing. However, a legislator making such a request risks retaliation from the Chair. Making public votes to hear, kill or pass bills mandatory removes the very real threat of retaliation.

According to the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, approximately 25% of state legislative chambers across the United States, in both red and blue states, require committees to hold hearings on every bill referred to them or if requested by the sponsor. If the volume of bills is such that it makes hearing every bill impractical, the committee members themselves could caucus on and select which bills are to be heard, with their actions and votes tallied for public review.

The above proposals are not overly complicated or difficult to implement. Item #1 is easy. Item #2 and #3 require the adoption of a legislative budget and schedule to allow for the extra time and the additional staffing that may be needed.

Item #2 requires that lawmakers follow the law and comply with the State Constitution Article III Section 12.

What a novel idea. Lawmakers following the law.

Gary Hooser

Why does Kauaʻi County have the lowest property tax rates for hotels and resorts in the entire State of Hawaiʻi?

What public purpose does it serve to charge the Hyatt’s, the Marriotts, the Hiltons, and so many other off-shore foreign corporations less money than any other County in Hawaiʻi?

As of fiscal year July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022 the hotel and resort tax rate (per $1,000 of valuation) by County: Honolulu $13.90, Maui $11.75, Hawaiʻi $11.55, and Kauai at $10.85.

Kauaʻi charges $3.05 (per $1,000 of value) less than Honolulu.

The taxable value of Hotel and Resort properties on Kauaʻi is $2,667,497,850.

Stay with me for a moment please while I do the math.

Increasing Kauaʻi’s hotel and resort rate to equal Honolulu’s rate would bring in over $8 million every year that could be allocated for affordable housing, homeless shelters, youth programs, drug treatment centers, and more.

$8 million more with just a stroke of a pen. All paid for by off-shore corporations that are already paying this rate for their properties located on other islands.

Wait. It gets better.

Let’s not forget Transient Vacation Rentals (TVRs) which are essentially individual homes operated as mini-hotels but located in residential areas.

What if Kauaʻi did what Maui does and charged TVR’s the same tax rate or even slightly more than hotels and resorts?

The total taxable value of TVRs on Kauaʻi is $3,830,495,450 (yes, that’s more than hotels and resorts).

Increasing the Kauaʻi TVR rate to that of the Oʻahu hotel/resort rate would generate an additional $15,513,505 annually.

Let me spell it out.

If the Kauaʻi County Council had the courage to increase property taxes on hotels, resorts, and TVRs to the same level now charged by the City and County of Honolulu – our community would benefit to the tune of over $23 million annually.

That’s $23 million per year above and beyond what is now coming in and used to run the County.

That’s $23 million per year for affordable housing, homeless shelters, youth programs, drug treatment centers, and more.

That’s $23 million per year that could be used for much-needed infrastructure improvements – sewer, water, roads. Did I say potholes? Think about how many potholes $23 million would fill 😉

And remember, that money would 100% be paid for by people on vacation, who don’t live here, but yet who benefit from and utilize our collective public resources. People who are already paying that rate when they island hop. 

What’s there not to like?

Unfortunately, when a very modest proposal to increase TVR property tax rates by only $1 and estimated to raise $4.5 million was introduced last week, it was shot down by the Council in a 3 to 4 vote.

The three reasons given by the four “no” votes were essentially: We don’t need the money right now. How can we be sure the money will be spent on affordable housing? What about the impact on local residents who also operate TVRs?

Our County desperately needs additional funding. Affordable housing while being our top priority, is only one of many critical areas in need of support. We have a languishing youth drug treatment facility, homeless shelters at capacity, thousands of cesspools where we need modern sewer systems, and our only landfill is perpetually at capacity.

These are urgent needs, not simply wants.

As to the fortunate local residents who own a second home they operate as a TVR? They should just pass the costs on to the tourists who are renting the place, just as every other hotel does.

While good people can look at the same information and come to different conclusions, for the life of me I cannot understand the resistance of those four council members.

Honolulu does not have fewer tourists visiting because taxes are too high. Ditto for Maui. Raising our property tax rates to match the Honolulu rate will not have one iota’s impact on the tourism economy here on Kauaʻi.

Kauaʻi could have $23 million more to spend each and every year, tourists and hotels would pay the price, and local residents would benefit.

Tell me again what’s there not to like?

Tell me again why you voted no for a basic $1 increase that would have yielded $4.5 million during its first year specifically intended for affordable housing and in subsequent years could be allocated toward whatever needs the Council deemed a priority?

To be absolutely clear, the Council, not the Mayor has the legal responsibility and authority to establish the County budget. The Mayor will submit to the Council the administration’s preferred budget, but the Council has the final say and can amend or approve as they see fit.

Kauaʻi Charter Section 3.10. Annual Budget and Capital Program. The council shall enact an annual budget ordinance, which shall include both the operational and capital expenditures for the fiscal year and the method of financing same. The council shall provide sufficient revenues to assure a balanced budget.

Source for tax info:
https://kauai.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?meta_id=139956

Click to access ratesfy22.pdf

As of 05/23/22, two weeks out from the filing deadline of June 7, – 9 of 51 candidates for the State House of Representatives and 10 of 25 State Senators are poised to get a “free ride” with no candidate running against them in either the Primary or the General election.

This information is gleaned from the Office of Elections “candidate filing reports” –

The filing deadline is June 7. All of the below names have “pulled papers” but not all have actually filed them.

You should expect last-minute shenanigans. It’s likely that other candidates will in fact jump into the race during the coming two weeks, and that some of these candidates may jump elsewhere into other races.

I suspect that a few of those listed below may not exactly appreciate me drawing attention to their free ride. They are only days away from possibly having no opponent and no campaign.

Some on the below list are politically solid because they serve their community well.

Others are more or less untouchable due to their longevity of service and the pervasive name recognition that brings to the table.

A few are perceived as being unbeatable due to their extensive campaign war chest. Senator Donovan Dela Cruz for example has a campaign bank balance exceeding $900,000 – 10x what a normal Senate Campaign requires and 20x what some of the others on the list have.

And yes, some are on this list because people in their districts either are not paying attention and/or no one is willing to step up to the task of running against them. Many will complain of course, but few will accept the call to run and serve.

The following are the districts where only a single candidate has pulled papers indicating their intent to run. Unless otherwise indicated all are incumbents.

Senate District #3 (Hawaii) Dru Mamo Kanuha

Senate District #4 (Hawaii) Herbert (Tim) Richards- (new district, no incumbent)

Senate District #5 (Maui) Gil S. Coloma Keith-Agaran

Senate District #10 (Oahu) True St. Thomas (incumbent Sen. Les Ihara has not pulled papers)

Senate District #12 (Oahu) Sharon Y. Moriwaki

Senate District #14 (Oahu) Donna Mercado Kim

Senate District #17 (Oahu) Donovan Dela Cruz

Senate District #18 (Oahu) Michelle N. Kidani

Senate District #21 (Oahu) Mike Gabbard

Senate District #24 (Oahu) Jarrett Keohokalole

**********************************************************************
State House of Representatives

House District #1 (Hawaii) Mark M. Nakashima

House District #2 (Hawaii) Richard H.K. Onishi

House District #10 (Maui) Troy Hashimoto

House District #15 (Kauai) Nadine K. Nakamura

House District #16 (Kauai) James Kunane Tokioka

House District #18 (Oahu) Gene Ward

House District #23 (Oahu) Scott Y. Nishimoto

House District #31 (Oahu) Linda Ichiyama

House District #38 (Oahu) Lauren Cheape Matsumoto

Today the Pono Hawaiʻi Initiative is announcing its endorsement of 15 high-quality candidates, 6 incumbents, and 9 highly electable challengers – running for election to the State House of Representatives. At least two more are forthcoming in the very near future.

As you know, I have earlier announced my strong support of Ikaika Hussey for Honolulu City Council, Sergio Alcubilla for CD1, and Kai Kahele to be Hawaiʻi’s next Governor.

In the coming days, we will be expanding our endorsement list to include candidates at all levels- on every island. All who meet our core criteria, who can win, and who share our values – putting people and the planet above corporate profits.

Electing these individuals to serve us in public office will bring a political sea change.

Imagine for a moment publicly funded elections at all levels. Imagine capping all campaign donations at $100. Imagine full disclosure of all lobbying activity.

Imagine if the needs of regular people took precedence over those of the wealthy and the corporate. Think about truly affordable housing for local families. Think about a tax structure that protects local residents, and local small businesses, shifting costs to offshore corporations, wealthy absentee investors, and others who come here to take rather than to give.

We have such an opportunity before us, but it will take each of us pulling together to be successful.

El pueblo unido, jamás será vencido. A people united will never be defeated.

We need people: To be on the ground (holding signs and canvassing) and in the air (telephone banking) – on all islands. Please contact a campaign directly or complete this volunteer form .

Yes, we also need money:
One direct mailer costs approximately $5,000.
Whether we mail one, or one per candidate – is totally up to your generosity.

A robust social media campaign will average a minimum of $500 per week over the next 10 weeks. Can you help with one week or more?

PHI is also projecting $3,000 per month for the next 2 months for other core operating expenses, events, materials, print media etc. – as are legal and appropriate for a 501c4 nonprofit.

Can you help with an online contribution () today to help with the above expenses? 200 people contributing $100 each by May 31st will do it. No amount is too small. Checks are welcome as well, Pono Hawaiʻi Initiative, P.O. Box 871, Honolulu, HI 96808. Note: Contributions are NOT tax-deductible.

That’s it. That’s the winning formula: Good candidates, people on the ground to help them, and grass-roots financial support to get the word out.

Let’s do this.

Gary Hooser
Pono Hawaiʻi Initiative 2022 Primary Endorsements For State House

Natalia Hussey-Burdick has announced her candidacy for the State House of Representatives and we all, regardless of where we live, should send her our aloha, our mahalo, and our kōkua.

Natalia is one of those verifiably awesome community leaders who work hard every single day to make our collective home a better place.

She is what I call a “blue chip”.

She helps people.

And this is why she is running. Not for the title and fancy office, and certainly not as a stepping stone for her ego. She is running simply because she knows it is her kuleana to help her community – the place where she was born and raised.

That place is Kailua – Kāne’ohe on the windward side of Oʻahu, House District #50 in political speak, but to Natalia, it’s simply home.

The residents of Kailua – Kāne’ohe face the same daily challenges every community in Hawai’i is facing: The pressures of unrestrained tourism, the non-existence of affordable housing for local residents, the continued degradation of our natural environment, and a government that is too often unresponsive to community needs.

Natalia feels the same urgency of the moment shared by each of us, and she is determined to do something about it.

She has hands-on experience working within the legislative environment, she is respected by policy-makers and community leaders across the state, and she is relentless in her pursuit of making our planet a better place.

So please take a few moments today, regardless of where you live, to reach out to Natalia and let her know that you have her back.

She can be reached at nataliaforhawaii@gmail.com

Offer to help if you can.

Perhaps make an online donation to her campaign.

Please. Any tangible gesture will add fuel to her fire, of that I am sure.

gary

I’m getting this question fairly frequently and am thinking it’s important to describe the exact criteria I use that impact my personal decisions, as well as the basis for Pono Hawaiʻi Initiative endorsements – and likely most individuals and organizations who support and endorse candidates.

1) First of all the candidate needs to be on the radar. They need to actually have filed their papers to run. They also need to proactively express an interest in actually receiving support.

A surprising number of candidates do not even reach out to introduce themselves, let alone ask for support.

Once a candidate is “on the radar”, I do some basic googling and FaceBook research, and normally meet with them in person. I then step back and ask myself a few fundamental questions.

2) Can I trust that they will not lie, cheat, or steal?
3) Do they share my basic core values?
4) Are they receptive to learning and growing, or do they already know everything?

5) What do other friends and associates who have more direct experience with the individual have to say about them?

6) If they are elected can I trust them to vote for our shared values?

This is a tricky one. Each and every candidate is different. An issue important to me, may not always be important to them and I do not expect any candidate to be a rubber stamp, always voting as I might vote.

So, I look for litmus test issues/votes:

This years SB2510 relating to renewable energy (tree burning so-called firm renewable mandate) is one such issue. This measure was opposed by just about every single credible advocate who has made lowering energy costs, the reduction of carbon emissions, and climate change their #1 issue. Who was willing to vote NO on this bad, bad, bad, bill? If you were willing to vote NO, then you are one of the good guys – IMHO

Another litmus test from 2021 was HB444 relating to lease extensions on public lands. This measure was opposed by just about every environmental and native Hawaiian organization across all islands. A NO vote opposing HB444 is clearly a vote that tells the whole world whose side you are on.

Both of these votes are what I consider “crunch time votes” and are clear measures of character, dependability, and values – at least with regards to those values pertaining to environmental protection, public trust land rights, and climate change.

7) What issues have non-incumbent challengers publicly supported or opposed via testimony and other public means (letters to the editor etc)?

Once it seems clear that a candidate has the right stuff in terms of values and character, then the question is one of electability.

8) Are they willing to do the hard work it takes to win? Do they have roots in the district? Can they put a team together to help them win? Are they willing and able to raise the basic funds needed to launch a campaign (signs, banners, walking pieces etc)?

9) Can they win? Sometimes, winning isn’t everything and merely challenging the incumbent corporatist is sufficient reason to support a candidate. Taking a “bad” guy down a notch or two, and preparing the challenger to win “next time”, can be considered winning.

Another huge factor:

10) Who is the opposition? Are they running against a powerful incumbent who continuously blocks legislation that is important to our core values?

Supporting a candidate who shares our values, who can win, and who is willing to challenge a “bad” incumbent – is perhaps the best situation.

A candidate’s willingness to speak up and speak out on important issues, AND to push back when needed against the big dogs in House and Senate leadership – are also key factors that make a candidate more attractive.

So there’s no mystery to the process and criteria. The above 10 points pretty much lay it out. Does a candidate need to hit all 10? Frankly, it’s rare, as candidates are people and people are imperfect.

At the end of the day, the totality of the 10 factors, combined with other inputs and the overall direction of the naʻau – will ultimately drive the decision.

Words suitable for a family audience cannot express my reaction upon reading Guthrie Scrimgeour’s piece in Sunday’s TGI which started out: “By a 4 – 3 vote, the County Council voted down a measure Friday that would have increased the tax rate on vacation rental units and used the funding for affordable housing.”

According to the article Council Chair Arryl Kaneshiro justified his opposition by saying, “It’s money that’s not necessarily needed at the time…When the county really needs the money, then we can increase the tax rates.”

Then I took the time to actually watch the Council meeting and listen to the arguments made by the 4 Councilmembers who spoke against raising $4.5 million for affordable housing and in favor of protecting the interests of tourists and their innkeepers.

It was appalling really.

Councilmembers Carvalho, Cowden, and DeCosta joined Chair Kaneshiro in refusing to support the additional funding for affordable housing, either mimicking Kaneshiro’s argument (we don’t really need the money) or talking in circles, grasping at straws only tangentially related to the core issue.

A majority of our Councilmembers believe we don’t need the money?

What world are they living in?

Each and every affordable housing project on the island has a waiting list. We have people sleeping in the bushes at the side of the road. Our homeless shelters are full.

I know personally people who are working full time, and who live in their cars because they cannot find an affordable place to rent. They drive from beach park to beach park every night seeking a safe quiet place to spend the night.

Transient Vacation Rentals (TVRs) are houses or condos that are operated as hotels. In addition to taking long-term rentals away from local residents, TVRs add to the overall burden of the tourism industry on County parks and roads.

Councilmember Luke Evslin proposed the measure, which would have generated $4.5 million in new revenue by increasing the TVR tax rate by $1 to $10.85 per $1,000 of taxable income, bringing it even with the rate for resorts and hotels. Armed with the facts, he obviously had done his homework and did an excellent job articulating the need and justifying the ask.

Councilmember Kuali‘i and Vice-Chair Chock were both passionate and articulate in their support as well.

TVRs on Kauai should pay a property tax rate equal to or even exceeding that of hotels – just like they do on Maui.

The Maui County Council recently approved their property tax rates, setting the TVR rate on Maui at $11.85, slightly more than their hotel/resort rate of $11.75 – (per $1,000 of value), and not one single Maui Councilmember voted no.

Unfortunately here on Kauai, Council Chair Arryl Kaneshiro along with Councilmember Carvalho, Cowden, and DeCosta all said no.

We don’t need the money they said. Maybe at some point in the future, we might need it, but for the moment we are fine, was the message justifying their votes.

We don’t need an additional $4.5 million that could have been used for affordable housing, homelessness, open space acquisition, and other vital services – and paid for by tourists.

$4.5 million annually is what we are talking about.

$4.5 million annually that could leverage municipal bond funding to pay for the infrastructure needed for thousands of new housing units.

$4.5 million annually that would have been paid for by people on vacation, who don’t live here, who choke our roads, beaches, and trails daily, and whose very presence on our island drives up the costs and take away much-needed housing for local residents.

I encourage all to watch the Council meeting yourself and make up your own mind on this.
Start at around 2:40. Check out their attitudes and listen closely to their words.

Then, please contact the Councilmembers directly and share your thoughts. You can use councilmembers@kauai.gov to reach all of them with one message or send each one an individual note.

Please be courteous and professional.

Those 4 who voted against increasing the tax on TVRs and using the money for affordable housing:
Council Chair Arryl Kaneshiro – ajkaneshiro@kauai.gov
Councilmember Bernard Carvalho – bcarvalho@kauai.gov
Councilmember Felicia Cowden – fcowden@kauai.gov
Councilmember Bill DeCosta – bdecosta@kauai.gov

Those 3 who voted in favor of increasing the tax on TVRs and using the money for affordable housing:
Council Vice-Chair Mason Chock – mchock@kauai.gov
Councilmember Luke Evslin – levslin@kauai.gov
Councilmember KipuKai Kuali‘i – kkualii@kauai.gov

Be aware when the SuperPacs again bring out their long knives – Kai Kahele will not dance and he clearly can win. Therefore the big money forces will be fighting him tooth and nail, day and night, for the next 90 days.

You are aware already I am sure that Congressman Kai Kahele has officially announced he’s running for Governor. Watch his announcement speech – you will be impressed.

If you read my piece from last week, Dancing with the devil – money and politics in Hawaiʻi, you know that Kai is my guy (and why he won’t dance).

He has made a commitment to cap campaign contributions at $100 per person. That’s it, $100. The legal limit for a Governor’s race is $6,000, but Kahele says $100 is the most he will accept from anyone.

He’s saying it’s time to get big money out of politics.

As a candidate myself in 10 elections over a 20-year period, I can tell you firsthand how exhausting and sometimes demeaning fundraising can be.

True Confessions: Over the years I’ve solicited and accepted campaign contributions from corporations, unions, and high net worth individuals – each of whom, either implicitly or explicitly, sought and expected my support for their particular policy agenda.

I’d like to think I’ve maintained my integrity along the way, but it should be no surprise that this is why people, corporations, and unions make large contributions to campaigns.

It’s about influence, and too often those with the most money have the most influence.

Fundraising is a huge roadblock to entry for new candidates and is an inherently corrupting influence on the political culture.

Kai Kahele is saying no to this culture and is making campaign finance reform a #1 priority. Imagine that. A top-tier candidate running for Governor saying no to big money and big influence. Wow. Just wow.

Needless to say, I made my online contribution of $100 as soon as I saw his announcement. And I hope you will too. Please join me in support of a guy who is saying out loud, that Hawaiʻi is not for sale.  $100 bucks. That’s it. Of course, $20, $30, or $50 will also help!

Want to know more about where Kai Kahele stands on the issues? It’s all here on the campaign website – take the time please to read it.

Yes, Kai is my guy and I’ve sent him my $100. It feels good actually to know that I will be one of his top donors 😉 And it feels good to support a candidate that’s willing to walk the talk against big money and big influence.

A recent Twitter/Text poll done by KITV4 says Kahele can win and is in fact winning. Be aware of this when the SuperPacs again bring out their long knives.

Kai Kahele will not dance and he clearly can win. Therefore the big money forces will be fighting him tooth and nail, day and night, for the next 90 days.

Let’s turn up our own heat and help this guy. Send him a small online contribution, join as a volunteer, and share his candidacy with friends and neighbors.

Let them know that Kai won’t dance, and that’s why we must make sure he wins.

Sincerely,
Gary Hooser
Former State Senator and Majority Leader

*If you have not already done so, please read – Dancing with the devil – money and politics in Hawaiʻi…it will help connect the dots.

Assuming Governor Ige’s approval, Hawaii’s minimum wage will increase from $10.10 per hour to $12 in October, then phased increases will continue until it reaches $18 in 2028. In addition working families should celebrate the fact that the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) was also made permanent and refundable.

Credit for this win goes first to those in the community who took the time to call, send email, and offer testimony in support – over and over and over again for the past 4 years. It is those who stayed the course, who stood in the hot sun holding signs, wrote letters to the editor, and reached out directly to their district legislators – who should be applauded first for this victory.

Sending those countless emails and making those telephone calls, does in fact make a difference.

Also to be recognized and thanked is retiring State Senator Brian Taniguchi who year after year has been a champion for this issue. He is the legislator who has kept the effort to increase the minimum wage alive and ultimately ensured its passage.

While House Speaker Scott Saiki and his leadership faction will claim the credit, this group has actually been the greatest impediment to increasing the minimum wage and denying workers a pay increase over the past 4 years.

While they publicly have professed support, Saiki and his team have effectively blocked all increases that have been proposed and supported by the Senate, year after year.

This year is different because each and every legislator is up for reelection. With few exceptions, each and every legislator wants to keep their job. It’s a natural impulse and not inherently a bad thing.

Speaker Saiki came within 167 votes of losing his 2020 reelection to Kim Coco Iwamoto, who is challenging him again this year. Kim Coco made Saiki’s failure to increase the minimum wage and his lack of support for working people, a primary pillar of her campaign.

And voila! Speaker of the House Scott Saiki changes from being the main roadblock of increasing the minimum wage to literally its loudest cheerleader.

Fear of losing your next election is a powerful motivator. That fear, combined with the relentless collective actions of many individual advocates from across all the islands – is what made this win possible.

When legislators run unopposed they too often become unresponsive to community concerns. But when someone throws their hat in the ring to run against them, that tune quickly changes.

Bottom line: We need to identify and support qualified candidates to step up to challenge those incumbent legislators who have become complacent, unresponsive, and unwilling to make the sometimes tough policy changes needed.

As a Democrat I believe we need to “primary” incumbent Democrats who block people and the planet first policy initiatives, or just as worse – those that just sit there and do nothing.

We need change-makers, not just placeholders. We shouldn’t have to bludgeon our lawmakers with daily onslaughts of email and phone calls just to get them to move off the dime and do the right thing.

A strong mahalo is due to the many in our community and around the state who have taken the time to take action these past 4 months, and these past 4 years – in support of increasing Hawaii’s minimum wage.

We won and it would not have happened without the individual actions of many, and you know who you are. It also wouldn’t have happened without the help and support of Senator Brian Taniguchi, Senate leadership including Senate President Ron Kouchi, and a handful of strong outspoken progressives in the House.

Mahalo to all of you for this win. Mahalo especially to Kim Coco Iwamoto for stepping up to challenge the most powerful Representative in the House. Imua 2022!

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