GaryHooser's Blog

Walking the coastline this morning with Claudette, I mentioned to her that my brain was full. Too much stuff going on, too many ideas swirling around, and just too many things on my mind.

Somewhat predictably her response was, “So….what are you going to do about it?”

I mumbled something about walking my way through it and for the next two hours, I walked – in deep meditation, contemplation, and self-reflection.

It seems I’m entering into yet another “rolling mid-life crisis” where the question of “what’s next” refuses to go away. Every few years this question seems to rear its ugly/beautiful head, and does not go away until fully confronted.

What will be the next step, what path will I embark on in the not too distant future?

Though technically retired, I’m not into working in the garden, playing golf, watching tv, or just hanging out twiddling my thumbs.

I think about my 4 grandchildren daily. Two are here, just 30 minutes down the road. The other two are on the continent, at least two plane rides and 24 hours away. I miss them both terribly.

Yes, all have been raised around politics and civic engagement.

My oldest granddaughter, was asked as part of her second grade class project, “What would you do if you were the President?”

Her answer, “Be kind to people.”

Yep, that’s my little girl talking.

When I recently asked my 8 year old grandson about his plans for the future. A paleontologist is what he said. He wants to be a paleontologist.

“What about you Pop Pop?” he asked, “What do you want to do next?”

“I’m not sure boy, still thinking about that,” was my reply.

“Why don’t you be President again?” he said without hesitation.

My heart melted, I gave him a humongous hug, and then tried my best to explain to him a little bit about the roles I have actually played in politics and government over the years.

I assured him that we both could achieve anything we set our minds and hearts on if we were willing to do the work, stay focused, and never quit.

I think he was about 6 years old when he reminded me one day that “Hooser’s don’t quit”, so I know that’s one important lesson already embedded in his psyche.

Bottom line for me is I’m pretty happy with the space I occupy at the moment. I write. I work to educate, motivate, and collaborate with those interested in policy and politics as a path to make the world a better place.

But yes, I want to do more.

My working life started at around the age of 16. I’ve been a newspaper delivery boy, dishwasher, carnival worker, door-to-door fire-alarm and cookware sales person, finance company manager trainee, termite house tenter, Bose Rep., Royal Aloha Club time-share presenter, Open-Air-Pedicab driver, operating engineers local 3, Fun Factory manager, small business owner – carpet and window cleaner, Realtor, developer, magazine publisher, Councilmember, State Senator, State Director of Environmental Quality Control, Vice Chair of the Hawai’i Democratic Party, co-founder Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action (HAPA), nonprofit Board member and volunteer for various orgs, and of course — son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, and “uncle” to many.

But truthfully, while I take my daily walks, I’m thinking always there’s still new mountains left to climb, new lessons to be learned, and new opportunities to serve.

I read once that “10 years is a lifetime”. You can be an artist, a writer, an inventor, a lawyer, a whatever…for 10 years, then launch an entirely new one for the next 10 years.

I’m 71 years old, my health is good, I walk 5 miles daily, eat a mostly plant-based diet, and pound the water all day long. I wrote “Personal Reflections: Crossing bridges and walking about” describing how my health and walking journey first started.

So I’m thinking, I have at least three lifetimes yet to experience. On my bucket list is writing a book or two, being arrested (and promptly released) for (peaceful) civil disobedience, and getting a tattoo (probably the names of my grandchildren and maybe a dragon).

After that, who knows?

As I tell others – “Never say never, and always be ready”.

Mahalo to all…who are and have been part of this wonderful journey, and those also who are still yet to join me along the way…

Gary Hooser
Just call me tutu man

SB933CD1 is a “twofer” when it comes to violating Article III of the Hawai‘i State Constitution which says “legislative committee meetings held for the purpose of making decision on matters referred to the committee shall be open to the public”.

Signed into law on July 9, 2025 SB933CD1 was conceived, negotiated, and decided upon in private by a legislative committee without any public notice, review or input, AND it establishes a separate 4 person legislative committee tasked with giving out $50,000,000 to private non-profits, while exempting that new legislative committee from requirements to conduct its activities in public.

I wrote about SB933CD1 previously (A travesty of process and policy).

Today, I’d like to thank Governor Green for the “shout out” during his press conference commemorating the signing and passage into law of SB933CD1.

Yes, absolutely I’m seeking to shine a spotlight on the extreme deficiencies of this new law (to paraphrase from the remarks offered at the press conference.)

His remarks during the Q&A portion of the press conference, have both motivated me personally to push even harder on this issue AND elevated public awareness of the “constitutional deficiencies” contained within SB933CD1 (as mentioned by Representative Della Bellati in the Honolulu StarAdvertiser).

Hawai‘i Public Radio has also reported on the constitutional concerns, as has Kevin Dayton at Civil Beat who wrote “Lawmakers’ Plan To Give $50M To Nonprofits May Be Unconstitutional”, an excellent piece explaining a complicated process in easy to understand terms. AND also featured in Civil Beat today is Judith Wong, president of the League of Women Voters of Hawai‘i who writes this thoughtful piece “Bill For Hawaiʻi Nonprofit Grants Lacks Transparency”.

Mahalo Gov!

The Governor’s remarks at the press conference, and those of Senator Troy Hashimoto and Representative Daniel Holt (both members of the SB933CD1 Conference Committee), further confirmed that the discussions, deliberation, negotiations, and resulting decisions made by the Conference Committee, were all done in private – contrary to Article III of the Hawai‘i State Constitution.

Representative Holt a House Conferee said, SB933 ”was a difficult process…it did take some creativity at the end”.

Senator Hashimoto, Chair of the Senate Conference Committee said, SB933 “was given to me at the very end of the session to help negotiate…many people were involved in the discussions. The LG was doing a lot of negotiations…to make sure we can legally do this …the bill will follow HRS42F (pertaining to grants) in spirit…”

Note: Words matter. To say the bill will follow the law “in spirit” raises additional red flags…as does referencing negotiations “to make sure we can legally do this”…

There appear to be several serious legal problems with SB933CD1 including legal prohibitions on the “gut and replace” legislative practice and the separation of power between the executive and legislative branches of government.

Most importantly, Article III of the State Constitution says unambiguously “Every meeting of a committee in either house or of a committee comprised of a member or members from both houses held for the purpose of making decision on matters referred to the committee shall be open to the public.”

Clearly, these two legislators (both of whom were conference committee members), met in private with each other and others (either virtually or in person) for the purpose of making a decision on SB933 which was referred to their conference committee.

Both of these legislators and the governor alluded during the press conference to numerous meetings that were conducted as the group worked toward building a consensus and coming to their final decision.

None of these conversations occurred at a properly noticed, public committee hearing/meeting.

The public was never provided a copy of the proposed SB933CD1, never allowed to ask questions, and never allowed to testify on the measure.

Bottom line: The decision-making conducted during the creation and ultimate committee approval of SB933CD1 falls far short of Article III of the Hawai‘i State Constitution AND the proposed 4 member legislative committee (being formed to give away $50,000,000) also must comply with this constitutional mandate.

Watch on FB and Insta the actual “bill signing press conference” for SB933CD1.

It’s eerily similar to press conferences held almost daily by the President.

The script goes something like this:

The President/Governor announces some new bright and shiny action (the signing of SB933CD1), a member of the press in attendance asks a potentially controversial question (about a possible violation of the constitution), the Governor/President explodes in a petulant tirade against the person (yours truly) perceived to be responsible for exposing the problem – and of course the Governor/President never addresses the actual question or concerns raised.

Watch the press conference please and decide for yourself.

To paraphrase Hamlet by William Shakespeare.
“Me thinks, he doth protest too much”

Gary Hooser
Yes…former State Senator and Majority Leader…so I have a little bit of experience with this stuff…but do not remember it being this bad when I was there 2002 – 2010.

My recent blog/email, SB933CD1 – a travesty of process and policy, seems to have struck a chord. 

While the merits of the actual policy decision are debatable, it is absolutely clear the process violates House/Senate rules AND both the spirit, the intent and the actual language contained in our State Constitution.

I watched every single committee meeting with SB933 on the agenda. No legislative committee ever discussed publicly the bills contents, and nor were the contents of the final SB933CD1 bill ever disclosed to the public during any public meeting.

Since committee members did not meet and discuss SB933CD1 in public, obviously they had to have met in private (in person or via email or online) in order to come to a decision on SB933CD1.

If a member or members of a legislative committee met in private for the purpose of making a decision on matters referred to the committee, that would be a violation of the State Constitution Article III which states in part:

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 decision on matters referred to the committee shall be open to the public.”

While SB933CD1 is an extremely egregious example, the practice of legislative committees making decisions on matters before them in private is the norm and not the exception. If you can stomach it, please read on for more of the same.

Spilling Tea All OVER the State Constitution

My interest in HB496: Relating to Māmaki Tea was piqued recently by a piece written by Chad Blair published in Civil Beat on June 22, 2025.

Blair’s article focused on the failure of State Senator Donovan Delacruz to publicly disclose his ownership of a business that grows and processes māmaki tea. Senate Rule #85, prohibits Senators from voting on issues that constitute a direct conflict.

My first reaction to reading the story? 

I laughed out loud, in a deeply cynical kind of way.

For those in power at the legislature, rules don’t matter.

When pressed by public or private attorneys in court, legislative leadership in both the House and the Senate will say clearly and firmly that they don’t have to follow the rules if they don’t want to.

Crazy, huh? The rules don’t seem to matter and neither it seems does the State Constitution.

The passage of HB496 involved five different committee hearings, two conference committee meetings, and several “floor votes.” 

So, a few days ago, I invited my best friend Max to climb up into my easy chair with me, and together we watched the official video record of all seven public committee meetings in which HB496 was on the agenda.

Max and I watched all seven meetings. Never once was there any public discussion between committee members. There was no mention of any potential conflict of interest and there was no deliberation pertaining to HB496. 

Senator Delacruz is of course the Chair of Ways and Means (WAM), the most powerful committee in the Senate. WAM was one of the 7 Committees to hear and pass without HB496 without any discussion between committee members.

Each meeting had exactly the same formula: 

1. The Chair called the meeting to order. 

2. Public testimony was taken.

3. The Chair either went “direct to decision-making” or announced a “short recess.” 

4. When a “short recess” was called, the Chair would normally reconvene the meeting after a few minutes, and go directly into “decision-making” which equates to announcing the decision already made in private outside the public committee meeting.

NO committee member in any of the seven meetings ever asked a question, or suggested any other option or concern related to the decision being announced. 

There are only three possible situations that could drive this scenario:

1. The committee members don’t care about HB496.

2. They completely trust the Chair to make the decision without their input.

3. Individual committee members and/or the Chair’s had already met via phone, email, or in person, discussed HB496 amongst themselves, and reached a consensus on the decision in private, outside the public committee meeting.

Article III of the Hawai‘i State Constitution declares: “Every meeting of a committee in either house or of a committee comprised of a member or members from both houses held for the purpose of making decision on matters referred to the committee shall be open to the public.”

After watching and rewatching the video record of the seven different committee meetings, it seems obvious to me (and Max too) that committee deliberation and decision-making had to have occurred outside of those public meetings, because NO deliberation or discussion between committee members occurred at ANY of them.

Clearly, the seven committee meetings were held ONLY to receive public testimony and/or to announce a decision that had been made in private prior to each meeting.

Thus, the process under which HB496 passed through the legislative process did not comply with the Hawai‘i Constitution.

Hmmm. This sounds vaguely (or exactly) like Acasio v. House, the case now before the courts.  

Will see what the judge says.

Gary Hooser
Former lots of things…
Now just a tūtū man looking for good trouble
http://www.garyhooser.com
https://garyhooser.blog

I’m hoping you can join us TODAY, Monday July 7 at 5pm for our Policy + Politics video pod-cast – Trust me. It will not be boring and nothing is off the table. Please send in your questions and PLEASE ALSO SHARE THE VIDEO PODCAST WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND NETWORKS!

Responding to the DOGE and the Big Beautiful Bill by passing a law giving 4 Hawai’i politicians $50,000,000 to dole out to their friends in the nonprofit world – is a crazy bad idea. Allowing them to do it behind closed doors is political arrogance on steroids.

Here’s how it works.

SB933CD1 grants to 4 legislators (2 House and 2 Senate) the power to give out $50,000,000 in grants to nonprofits and excludes the process from the Sunshine Law. 

The actual language contained within SB933CD1:

(b)  In selecting recipients and awarding and administering grants funded by the appropriation contained in section 3 of this Act, there is established an evaluation and selection committee to oversee the evaluation and selection of, and determine grant award amounts to, nonprofit applicants.

The evaluation and selection committee shall be composed of the following members:

     (1)  Two senators appointed by the president of the senate; and
     (2)  Two representatives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

“The meetings of the evaluation and selection committee shall not be subject to part I of chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes.” (Sunshine Law)

SB933CD1 requires but not really – that grants be related to budget impacts/cuts currently being implemented by the federal administration.

“To be eligible for a grant funded by the appropriation contained in section 3, applicants shall be recipients or providers that have sustained a reduction or termination of their federal funding, or if the applicant is not a direct federal funding recipient or provider, the applicant shall primarily serve populations that have been negatively affected by reductions or terminations of federal funding.”

SB933CD1 is essentially a “gut and replace” (IYKYK) that started as a short form (a bill empty of content). It was then amended in the House and Senate, and ultimately assigned to a Conference Committee where it was totally rewritten with content not included in any previous version.

There was no public committee discussion or disclosure on the decision to create what today is SB933CD1. 

At the final Conference Committee meeting the Chairs very briefly summarized the content and intent of SB933CD1, the committee voted to approve, and that was it.

At no time was there any mention of the extraordinary power and discretion being granted to the 4 member House/Senate committee, nor was the sunshine law exclusion publicly disclosed.

Please. Read the bill and watch the actual hearing video online at https://capitol.hawaii.gov (search SB933)

The Conference Committee report posted as part of the official record, normally provides a summary of pertinent actions taken by the Conference Committee. In the case of SB933CD1 – this report contains no mention of the special powers granted to the 4 legislators and sunshine law exclusion.

In summary: The Hawai’i Legislature passed SB933CD1 granting 4 of their own members the power to give away $50,000,000, and to meet with potential recipients of this money in private, and to make the ultimate decision on who gets the money in private.

AND the whole process of drafting and approving the language of the bill creating this extraordinary power was also done in private – contrary of course to their own House/Senate rules and in violation of the State Constitution.

Article III of the State Constitution states in part, “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 decision on matters referred to the committee shall be open to the public.”

Clearly, the Chairs of the /Senate House Conference Committees assigned to SB933CD1 met together in private (virtually or in person), prior to the public meeting, for the purpose of making a decision.

There really is no other way these decisions could have been made – SB933CD1 did not just appear out of thin air.

Gary Hooser
Former Hawai’i State Senator
(And I do not remember it being this bad when I was there)

Walked almost 6 miles this morning. Though I join Claudette and friends in this daily ritual, my journey’s mostly done in the solitude of deep thought and contemplation.

I started walking regularly, with a daily goal of 10,000 steps about 2 years ago. Today I made 13,931 and feeling like a million dollars. A million dollars with the weight of the world on my shoulders perhaps, but a million dollars none-the-less (as opposed to Jeff Bezos estimated net worth of 237 billion dollars and who clearly doesn’t give a rip about the state of the world).

When I walk, I feel good both physically and mentally. It is without exaggeration – good for the soul. I encourage anyone and everyone who has the physical capacity to do so, to get outside and start walking.

My “walking thoughts” today strayed through my normal spectrum of personal and political, settling on the personal (which of course also includes the political).

I began singing to myself as I walked,

“Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don’t stand in the doorway
Don’t block up the hall”

Bob Dylan without a doubt, played a key role in shaping my world view.

The year was 1968, I was 14 years old, the war in Vietnam was raging, my older brother joined the Navy to avoid the draft, bombs were dropping, people were in the streets protesting – and Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin” rang in my head.

It’s funny. I worry frequently about forgetting passwords and peoples names, but today I remember every single word of those lyrics. Same with “Blowing In the Wind” “Mr. Tamborine Man” and perhaps the saddest song ever written, “The Ballad of Hollis Brown”.

I named my first-born son after Bob Dylan.

Sometimes, when describing what keeps me awake at night, I’ll describe to people “the man under the bridge” as a social justice metaphor.

In retrospect, I realize today my commitment to social justice was to a great extent shaped by the tragic image of Hollis Brown as described by Dylan.

Another tragic truth-telling is his American history of war entitled:
“With God On Our Side” written 60 years ago.

Oh, my name, it ain’t nothin’, my age, it means less
The country I come from is called the Midwest
I’s taught and brought up there, the laws to abide
And that the land that I live in has God on its side

Oh, the history books tell it, they tell it so well
The cavalries charged, the Indians fell
The cavalries charged, the Indians died
Oh, the country was young with God on its side

“I learned to hate the Russians all through my whole life
If another war comes, it’s them we must fight
To hate them and fear them, to run and to hide
And accept it all bravely with God on my side”

I’ll close today’s missive with one of my very favorite Dylan tunes. I encourage all to listen to and to share with family and friends.

“Forever Young” written in 1974.

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
May you stay forever young

May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the light surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
May you stay forever young
May you stay forever young

May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful
May your song always be sung
And may you stay forever young
May you stay forever young

The past few days (months) have been upside-down crazy. My own strategy for staying sane and not being totally stressed out is to keep showing up — virtually in writing and online, and in person when possible.

Today, I’m asking you to please join with me yet again.

It’s important. No, it’s CRUCIAL — which is why I’m up at 4:30am on a Wednesday morning putting this email together, urging you to submit testimony calling for the BLNR’s rejection of the U.S. Armyʻs Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Mākua Military Reservation, Kahuku Training Area, and Poamoho.

Regardless of where you live, please email testimony TODAY (tomorrow Thursday at the latest) to the Board of Land and Natural Resources at blnr.testimony@hawaii.gov

If you live on O‘ahu, please show up in person on Friday morning.

One of the various hats I’ve worn over my past 25 years of public service is Director of the State Office of Environmental Quality Control (OEQC) – responsible at the time for administering HRS Chapter 343, Hawaii’s environmental review law.

Rarely if ever, have I reviewed an FEIS document as poorly prepared as THIS one, submitted by the U.S. Army. It is woefully inadequate and should be rejected.

This FEIS is so replete with deficiencies that the staff of the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) itself have declared it insufficient – read the staff report and background information here.

The public trust doctrine requires the BLNR to exercise due diligence and prudence in managing our natural and cultural resources. The BLNR’s core responsibility is to protect the interests of the present and future generations of beneficiaries of that trust.

Again: E-mail testimony to blnr.testimony@hawaii.gov with “Agenda item D-1” in the subject line and ask the BLNR to hold the Army accountable to the law, and to REJECT this flawed FEIS.

Your testimony can be brief and to the point, but I encourage you to review the staff report which provides a solid summary of the FEIS deficiencies.

SHOW UP IN PERSON IF YOU CAN: Friday June 27th at the Kalanimoku Building, 1151 Punchbowl Street, room 132. The hearing begins at 9am.

Oral testimony can be provided virtually via zoom – request a link using the same e-mail blnr.testimony@hawaii.gov

For additional context…In Hawaii the U.S. military presence includes, but is not limited to:

Air Station Barbers Point
Barking Sands Missile Range
Camp H.M. Smith
Fort Shafter
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam
Marine Corps Base Hawaii (Kaneohe Bay)
Pohakuloa Training Area
Schofield Barracks
Tripler Army Medical Center
USCG Sector Honolulu
Wheeler Army Airfield

In addition to the leakage from the Red Hill Underground Fuel Storage Facility that’s irreversibly damaged the drinking water supply for O‘ahu,, decades of bombing, live fire exercises, and military training exercises have damaged beyond repair the natural landscape and once pristine environments of thousands of acres on multiple islands.

The military’s constant reassurances that they will “clean up” and “restore” the lands they desecrate have been hollow promises.

It’s time we say NO to the renewing of land leases at Pohakuloa, Kahuku, Kawailoa-Poamoho, and Makua. We must also refuse expansion at Barking Sands and the bombing of Kaʻula Island.

Support for American troops, belief in the importance of national security, rejection of the endless expansion of the U.S. war machine, and protection of our natural environment, cultural resources, and endangered species: are values that can and DO, co-exist.

The U.S. is by far, already the largest exporter of weapons worldwide. We have more military bases in more countries than any other.

It’s time.

Let’s say it together…

ENOUGH ALREADY.

Gary Hooser

Getting rid of Trump, while a worthy goal – will not stop the wars, nor end the insanity of now.

The maniacal, grotesque actions by one individual, his unfettered abuse of power, and the tangible harm being inflicted across our world are festering symptoms of a much deeper sickness: namely, greed in the form of out-of-control capitalism.

Trump sits in the White House wielding his egotistical madness not because he’s a smart and thoughtful leader, but because the richest people and most powerful corporations on the planet put him there.​​

The billionaire class — led by the titans of Silicon Valley, supported by the military industrial complex, and anchored by big oil — are all making money hand over fist.

The already obscenely rich, will of course get even more obscenely richer, upon delivery of the big fat bill, and obscene tax cuts contained therein.

It’s the Golden Rule, redux: He who has the gold (and/or the algorithms) RULES.​​

Remember, these are the smartest, richest men on the planet with the handsomest chiseled jawlines that money can buy.​​

They don’t want no stinking democracy getting in the way of their profits.​​

In their minds, the masses are the dumb asses. ​​

Allowing regular working people to control the government is a ridiculous romantic fantasy supported only by Communists and those dirty Bernie Sanders Socialists.​​

So far, the billionaires have been willing to play the game and perpetuate the charade. To maintain control, though, they’re forced to spend hundreds of millions of dollars every election to purchase seats in Congress, at state legislatures, and in city and county governments everywhere.​​

Otherwise, what might happen if they let regular working people control the government which regulates their businesses?

No doubt there would be higher wages, safer workplaces, better schools, cleaner air and water, and healthcare and affordable housing for all.​​

The core purpose of government is to protect us from thieves and thugs, be it those operating in back alleys or those more comfortable in corporate boardrooms.​​

At the moment, both the courts and Congress appear impotent.​​

So, it’s up to US — regular people, both young and old, both abled and disabled, both retired and hard at work every day – we must ALL step up and show up to say NO to the robber barons and unrestrained capitalism, and YES to grass-roots, community-based democracy.​​

We can and we must show up on the streets and in the halls of government. We must march, carry signs, testify at hearings, make those calls, and send those emails – but ultimately we must take back our democracy by winning BIG at the ballot box.

Unless derailed, postponed, or highjacked via a declaration of martial law, the 2026 elections will be upon us shortly.

The only legal, moral, ethical, and peaceful way forward, is to grab this final opportunity, take ownership of our democracy, and elect candidates at every level who support our values.

We must “primary” in 2026 — every single incumbent, regardless of political party, who fails us — and elect in their place lawmakers who will fight for us and with us, who support bold systemic change, and who are willing to challenge the billionaires and corporatists.

We can’t continue waiting for the Party, or for some charismatic leader, or for existing incumbent politicians, to suddenly see the light and step up.

We must lead the charge ourselves, and convince the 36% who stayed home in 2024 to join us.

And yes, absolutely between now and then, we must also keep showing up on the streets, at public hearings, and via our email and social media.

AND I invite you to join me in boycotting Amazon. Amazon’s Steve Bezos supports the Trump agenda AND epitomize via the Venice wedding, the greed and the gall of the billionaire class (who are without class), who enable, support, and benefit from the Trump regime.

Another tech multibillionaire, FOT and influential patron of J.D. Vance, is Peter Thiel, who wrote an essay in 2009 clearly describing the mindset of the high-tech billionaire class saying, “I no longer believe that freedom and democracy are compatible.”

Spread the word please.

It’s time to take the gloves off.

Our children, the worlds children, and the planet itself – deserve at least this.​​

Let’s do it.

Gary Hooser
Former lots of things…
Former Kaua`i County Councilmember
Former Hawai‘i State Senator – Majority Leader
Former Director of Environmental Quality Control for State of Hawai’i
Former Waikiki Pedi-Cab Driver
Former Small Business Owner
Former Real Estate Developer/Broker
Now just a tūtū man looking for good trouble
http://www.garyhooser.com

Trust me on this. Or if you are a “trust but verify” kinda guy…Google it.

Google, “Best smash burger Kōloa Kaua`i” or “Best hamburger Kōloa Kaua`i” and watch what comes up.

For those that prefer a veggie option, try “Best avocado sandwich in Kōloa”.

Just one year after opening, and the Smash Cafe Kaua`i will be at or near the top.

Every. Single. Time.

Or search Yelp, Trip Advisor, Google Reviews – 5.0 every single review.

Today, I’m sending out a huge congratulations to the Smash Cafe Kaua`i on their one year anniversary!

Wow. What an accomplishment.

Located under the banyan tree on the “food truck corner” as you enter Old Kōloa Town – it’s been an exciting, challenging, educational, and hugely gratifying year for owners, Dylan and Leeona Hooser AND their incredible Smash Cafe Kaua`i team.

Yes, I am undeniably biased. This is my family! Watching them grow this business from concept to a vibrant and successful business – fills my heart with joy.

I remember when Dylan first purchased the food trailer in Texas and drove it alone to the docks in California. Because of a faulty wheel on the trailer he was stranded at the side of the road for a short period, had to locate a mechanic in the middle of nowhere, fix the darn thing, and get back on the road…and bringing that food trailer all the way to our little island.

I remember them figuring out the menu and settling on the incredible Smash Burger.

And yes, I remember insisting they have a vegetarian option for yours truly. That’s how they came to serve a top-of-the-line scrumptiously enjoyable veggie burger, AND a totally tasty “fully loaded veggie avocado-wich” (my favorite).

Ditto to the yummy fruit smoothies and kick-butt espresso drinks.

My role in the beginning was being the “fetch and carry guy”. I’d run to the store to grab ice, take the trash to the dumpster, wipe down the tables, and of course help Claudette (Granny) keep an my eye on the grandchildren.

Dylan and Leeona did the heavy lifting, the cooking, shopping, daily cleaning from top to bottom of the food trailer, the customer service, the bookkeeping…and all that goes along with running such a business.

From the start, their primary measure of success has been “totally satisfied customers”.

Yes, of course they need to make a profit and pay the bills, but their “happy place” at the end of the day is retelling stories of customers raving “that was the best hamburger I’ve ever had”.

True. While I love that awesome avocado sandwich, day after day people pile on the smash burger praise. Tourists and locals alike come back as regulars asking for the signature Kaua`i Smash Burger.

The most recent review I found is representative of many:

“This might be the best burger I’ve ever had. The sirloin and bacon blend patty was cooked to perfection—crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. No notes, no substitutions. Trust the chef and get it the way he makes it. Our whole table was happy dancing as we ate!”

Side note: Several months ago we were thinking Yelp and other review sites were unfairly refusing to publish many of the Smash Cafe Kaua`i reviews. We realize now their algorithms must have been thinking there were just too many positive ones!

Today, Dylan and Leeona have gotten someone else doing the “fetching and carrying” and the Smash Cafe Kaua`i Ohana is growing with others helping with the cooking, the cleaning and other day-to-day duties.

But the joy of watching customers go wow after their first bite, and come back day after day for more – is embedded in the Smash Cafe Kaua`i culture.

Please join me in offering Dylan and Leeona and the entire Smash Cafe Ohana a huge congratulations for a job well done. It’s been a long, challenging, and sometimes stressful year…but the hard work and commitment has resulted in an enterprise our entire community can be proud of.

Come by for lunch!
Smash Cafe Kaua`i
At the “food truck corner” under the banyan tree as you first enter Old Kōloa Town –
Monday through Friday, 11am until 4pm with live “lunch time” music on Tuesdays and Thursdays!

Gary Hooser
Pop Pop
The fetch and carry guy…

Screenshot

I get the question every single day.

The question, of course, is “What can we do to make our government (island, state, world) a better place?”

I offer two suggestions, and I’ll expand on them here.

The first: Think globally, act locally.

The second: SHOW UP – at demonstrations, in the rooms, online, and at the ballot box.

Acting locally means starting at the County Council level.

Thinking globally and acting locally translates to County issues, including…

Agriculture: Ensuring food safety and production, regardless of tariffs, barge schedules, or national food laws/practices. This can be done via County land use requirements and tax incentives for food crops farmed with healthy, sustainable methods.

Law Enforcement: Protecting the Constitutional right of all County residents to due process, via agreements with federal authorities authorizing County support only when the federal actions follow County-specified legal guidelines.

Affordable Housing: Protecting a County resident’s right to sleep in a private car parked in a designated County-owned area when no other legal options for shelter exist in the County. Requiring by County ordinance that large employers who want land use zoning changes, and who use workers from outside the County, must provide additional housing for those workers, thus increasing existing housing inventories. The County could also amend property tax and land use policies to incentivize the development of affordable housing, paid for by absentee, foreign, corporate owners, the resort industry and others.

Environmental Protection: Via County land use and zoning ordinances, protecting sensitive areas like aquifers, shorelines, and coastal areas that may be at risk due to state or federal actions (or inactions).

These are just four areas in which County governments could significantly impact all of Hawai‘i, and even the planet. If all four Hawai’i Counties took similar action, the impact would be statewide… and as a model, even worldwide.

Fundamental political fact: Majority rules.

Passing any Hawai’i State law requires the approval of 13 State Senators, 26 Representatives, and the Governor.

A Council majority on Kaua`i is four.

FOUR Council-members have the power to change the laws within Kaua`i County. The Mayor is also needed to approve such change and/or a fifth member of the Council must be available to override a veto.

In other words, a total of 5 people must agree in order to change a law for Kaua`i County, versus 40 people for a State law.

For Maui, Hawai‘i County, and the City and County of Honolulu, the magic number is five, plus the Mayor… which means that for change to happen, six people must come to agreement.

Seems pretty obvious that getting 5 or 6 people onboard is much easier than trying to corral 40 to do the same thing.

So why aren’t we focusing more on making change happen via our County Councils?

True, the County area of responsibility and legal authority is narrower than that of State government, but the regulatory authority is still huge.

Creative County lawmakers can also develop “work-arounds.”

For example, the County may not have the power to tell farmers what they can and cannot grow — but they can leverage property tax authority by “use,” to incentivize healthy food crops grown for local consumption, and disincentivize unhealthy “factory farms.”

Similarly, the County may not have the power to legislate what restaurants can serve and sell — but they could provide a generous property tax incentive to those food establishments who commit in writing to serving and selling a minimum of X% locally grown agricultural products. The County already provides similar incentives to landowners who rent their residential properties at affordable rates.

Bottom line: We need to spend more time and energy focusing on our County Councils — acting locally, but thinking globally.

Gary Hooser
Former Kaua`i County Councilmember
Former Hawai‘i State Senator – Majority Leader
Presently retired and looking for good trouble-maker