Testimony on SB586HD2 relating to exempting gmo and large agribusiness infrastructure – Oops! Must have been a freudian slip…the actual title is Relating to Agricultural Building Permits

Posted on April 18, 2013 by garyhooser

This measure SB586HD2 is scheduled for today Thursday April 18th. I am supporting the HD1 because it allows the Counties discretion to exempt only small structures on small farms.

Aloha Conference Committee Members and Legislators,

I respectfully ask you to look closely at SB586HD2 that exempts agricultural structures regardless of the nature of their purpose or their location, from complying with County building codes and permits.

Yes, this measure is framed around helping small farmers install green houses, shade house, small sheds and indigenous Hawaiian Hale “which by their nature or location pose little risk to life or property”.

In reality though, SB586HD2 mandates that the Counties extend the exemption from building codes and permits to an extremely wide array of improvements that will include pesticide storage and delivery systems, facilities that house experimental genetically modified organisms and other large industrial agricultural infrastructure. These exemptions are broad based and translate to mean that multimillion dollar agrochemical corporations will not only be exempted from obtaining building permits, but will not even be required to comply with County building codes.

While existing language states “storage of hazardous materials shall comply with any and all applicable statutes, regulations, and codes” – It is unclear whether this means “all other codes and statutes except County building codes and permits”.

In addition, this provision does not apply to the storage or deliver systems of pesticides, nor does it apply to experimental genetically modified organisms or imported non-native species of algae, fish or other marine species that may be involved in aquaculture activities. Structures and infrastructure serving these operations would be exempt from County building permits and code, regardless of the nature or location of their operations.

SB586HD2 does not provide any discretion whatsoever to the Counties. So whether or not a proposed structure will pose a risk to life or property – it does not matter as the structure will be exempt without any oversight that would normally occur via the County building permit process.

Please review closely SB586HD2 and consider adopting the HD1 instead. The HD1 supports the intent and directs the Counties to adopt an exemption list, but allows the counties discretion in determining what type of structures are to be included and in fact unlike the HD2 does allow the Counties to craft specific exemptions so they will protect “life and property”.

In conclusion, I must formally object to the lack of public notice given by the House CPC Committee on 4/3/2013. The record indicates that after deferring the measure on 4/01/13 SB586HD1 was scheduled for re-consideration of decision making at 2:15pm on 4/3/13. I am signed up for the online “automatic hearing notifications” and received my electronic notification only minutes prior to the 2:15pm meeting. It is my understanding that this lack public notice does not meet the State of Hawaii constitutional requirement for public decision making by a legislative body.

Gary Hooser

Councilmember – Kauai County

http://www.garyhooser.com

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An open letter to friends and former colleagues in the Senate:

Posted on March 13, 2013 by garyhooser

March 13, 2013

Aloha Friends and Former Senate Colleagues,

Good policy plus good politics – that elusive holy grail each of us who serve in public office seeks every day. What can we do that will make our communities better and that the people will love? What can we do that is meaningful, that is more than just grinding through the minutiae that is the sausage factory of lawmaking?

Being first in the nation to take a bold step on the important issue of food labeling is that win-win that is so hard to find in lawmaking.

Yes, 5 agrochemical companies will be disappointed. But, the sky will not fall, the industry will not collapse, the people will love you for it and it’s the right thing to do.

I write today to respectfully ask that you give positive consideration to hearing and ultimately passing into law HB174, thus allowing Hawaii residents the opportunity to make informed decisions about the foods they eat.

HB174, like so many Bills now in the pipeline, is acknowledged to be imperfect and a work in progress. As we all know however, the measure could be easily amended and made whole.

A majority of people clearly want an opportunity to choose. While the debate over health aspects of GMOs will no doubt continue, the fundamental question today is not whether transgenic foods are healthy or harmful, but whether people are entitled to make an informed choice.

The agrochemical companies are fond of saying that GMO foods are “nutritionally substantially equivalent”. Horse meat may very well be “nutritionally substantially equivalent” to beef, but I still don’t want to eat it.

Adding the letters GMO just ahead of MSG and Red Dye #3 will cost nothing.

63 countries around the world including all of Europe, Russia, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand already require mandatory labeling of GMO products.

The grocery chain Whole Foods has just announced it’s requiring suppliers to label all GMO products by 2018.

Hawaii should do the same. Put the onus on the industry to label within reasonable parameters as have been done elsewhere. Set out a reasonably effective date that will allow the GMO foods now on the shelf to be eaten and replaced by those properly labeled.

Good policy and good politics; it’s a rare combination.

I encourage you to go for it 

Respectfully. Gh

Gary Hooser
State Senator (2002 – 2010)
Kauai County Council (present)
Chair Agriculture/Sustainability Committee

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It’s Not About Eating The Corn

Posted on February 21, 2013 by garyhooser

It’s not about eating the corn

Not for me anyway.  The decision to eat or not eat the corn is only a small reason I support the labeling of genetically modified foods and hold deep reservations about the industry as a whole.

People on my island are getting sick. Many believe their sickness is being caused by the secondary and cumulative impacts connected to the growing of genetically modified organisms. 

Yet when I’ve asked these companies directly and officially in writing to disclose what chemicals and in what quantities they are spraying, the industrial agrochemical GMO companies on Kauai have refused to do so. 

For me, that alone is enough to keep me from buying their products or supporting their industry,  and to support full labeling requirements.

63 countries around the world including all of Europe, Russia, Japan, Australia and New Zealand require mandatory labeling of GMO products. Some countries have banned these products completely. 

Many questions exist and many doubts persist. There are valid health concerns ranging from allergen sensitivities to hormonal disruption to cancer, related to the GMO’s and to the pesticide spraying that accompanies them. 

There are concerns about the globalization and corporate ownership of the worlds food supply.  There are ethical and moral questions pertaining to the concept of corporations owning patents on living organisms both plant and animal, and to the increased diminishment of bio-diversity.  All valid reasons consumers may not want to buy these products and thus the need to require labeling.

For me, it’s personal.

Kauai is ground zero in the GMO industry.  These industrial agrochemical operations dominate the landscape of Kauai’s west side and are now moving into the southern and eastern land as well.  The fields of mostly genetically modified corn not intended for human consumption grow on approximately 12,000 acres of prime farmland stretching from the base of the mountains down to within just feet of the pristine ocean waters. 

These crops are subject to spraying with toxic pesticides up to 6 days a week.

Over 200 residents of WaimeaValley have filed suit claiming negative impacts from pesticide laden dust blowing into their homes and onto their bodies.  Biologists estimate over 50,000 sea urchins died last year in near shore west-side waters. 

People in all parts of Kauai County are growing increasingly concerned about the impacts that result from these companies spraying their fields with toxic and experimental chemicals that then flow into streams and near shore waters and cling to the dust which blows daily into neighborhoods and schools.

Yet these agrochemical companies, who are required by law to keep records of their pesticide use, tell me blithely to go elsewhere for the data. 

About half the land used for GMO production on Kauai are public lands upon which zero property tax is paid.  But they refuse to disclose to the public what they are growing or what they are spraying on these public lands.  These large transnational corporations transfer their end products to related subsidiaries, benefit from Enterprise Zone and other GET exemptions and consequently pay zero GET tax on the products they produce.

State law and terms of the public lands lease/license require compliance with Hawaii’s environmental review law Chapter 343HRS, yet no documentation demonstrating compliance exists; no exemption declaration, no environmental assessment and no environmental impact statement. 

Growing genetically modified organisms, using experimental pesticides and spraying a wide array of restricted and non restricted pesticides on a mass scale have impacts on our island, our health and our environment.  There are direct impacts, secondary impacts and cumulative impacts but we don’t know what those impacts are because they have never been properly evaluated – and the companies in question won’t even give us the information needed to make a proper evaluation.

 So yes, I support labeling. Absolutely.

Labeling, mandatory disclosure and a permitting process that requires a comprehensive review of the significant environmental and health impacts to our island and our community caused by this industry – I support them all, because as you can see this is about much more than just eating the corn.

 Gary Hooser

Member Kauai County Council – Former Director of the Office of Environmental Quality Control for State of Hawaii – Former Hawaii State Senator and Majority Leader

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PLDC – Bad Process, Bad Policy, Bad Politics

Posted on February 8, 2013 by garyhooser

Testimony in Strong Support of a complete and full repeal of the PLDC

RE:  Applies to all items on the 9am agenda I’m supporting HB 1133 and HB 589 as the two bills that would repeal the PLDC. I’m also opposing HB 942, HB 219, HB 593, and HB 1134 because they don’t repeal the PLDC. 

Aloha Chair Evans, Chair Luke, Vice Chair’s and Members,

My name is Gary Hooser.  I am an elected member of the Kauai County Council testifying on my own behalf but also presenting Resolution 2012-52 from the Kauai County Council who voted unanimously in support of a complete repeal of Act 55 establishing the Public Land Development Corporation.  

I urge you today to vote unanimously in support of a complete and full repeal of the PLDC.

The process, the policy and the politics of this issue have been so severely tainted that the only good option is a complete repeal – attempts to morph, amend or simply change the name are insufficient remedies and will not heal, repair or re-instill the public confidence which is what needs to happen now.

The process that created Act 55 and the PLDC and the subsequent process attempting  to salvage and assuage public concerns, range from unconstitutional to insulting. 

SB1555 was passed into law without the requisite three readings in each House and there was never a proper public hearing on the substance of the major amendments that significantly altered the content of the Bill. Clearly giving the public less than two hours public notice does not meet any reasonable standard that would satisfy the constitutional requirement. 

Since then the process has continued to go awry as the PLDC stuttered through the rule-making process and attempted to convince the public that rules, policies, plans and good intentions would be sufficient to protect them from bad law.

In addition to the serious errors and mistakes made in the process that has led us to this point, the fundamental policy and the law supporting that policy is also seriously flawed.

Starting the conversation with a premise that public lands are a resource that should be developed as quickly and as profitably as possible and that we should set aside environmental and public interest protections in the interest of expediency – is a set up for a true tragedy of the commons.  If anything, the opposite is true – our public lands should be held to the highest standard in terms of environmental and public interest protections and should be developed slowly if at all and then based only upon a long term community based vision rather than on short term profits.

While 80% of the potentially impacted lands are located on neighbor-islands, no neighbor-island representation was included on the PLDC Board and most of the meetings have been held on Oahu.

Many of the concerns about the PLDC also extend to all of the offered replacement Bills being heard today focused on a similar agenda – the lack of specificity, the lack of accountability, the vagueness of their mission and the concentration of control and decision making.

Of course the most obvious policy travesty with regards to the PLDC is that it is “exempt from all statutes, ordinances, charter provisions, and rules of any government agency relating to special improvement district assessments or requirements; land use, zoning, and construction standards for subdivisions, development, and improvement of land; and the construction, improvement, and sale of homes thereon”.

The PLDC gets rid of all of these rules and basically says “trust me”.

In addition, it is my understanding that virtually all of the projects mentioned as examples of why we need the PLDC or similar entities can be accomplished without these exemptions, without the elimination of the public protections and without any new public/private development entity.

Bad process, bad policy and bad politics – Many in our community, especially our young people are increasingly distrustful and disengaged from the public process, and from government. The creation of the PLDC and all that that has followed since, has further alienated large numbers of our residents from all walks of life and on every island.  These are good people who want to believe in the Democratic process and who we need to believe and to engage in our process – but who are now even more angry and more distrustful than ever. 

Bad process, bad policy and bad politics have combined to make the perfect storm and the only way to calm this storm and to right the canoe that we always hear so much about – is to pass a complete and full repeal of the PLDC.  No morphing or amending or name changing – the public wants to know that our lawmakers listen to them.  The public believes that the “fix is in” and has little confidence in us or in the institutions in which we serve.

Please.  Pass a full and complete repeal today and help restore the faith and confidence of the people of our State in their government and in the leaders whom they elect to serve.

Respectfully,

Gary Hooser

Councilmember, Kauai County Council

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Testimony on HB97 New GMO – Permit Required

Posted on February 3, 2013 by garyhooser

Testimony from: Kauai County Councilmember Gary Hooser

Re: HB97 Agriculture; Genetically Modified Organisms: Quarantine

Hearing: Monday February 4, 2013 Committee on Agriculture

Position: Strong Support – Suggest Amendments

My name is Gary Hooser, I am an elected member of the Kauai County Council and am speaking today on my own behalf as an individual.

I am in strong support of this measure which requires a permit prior to the importation, introduction or development of a new genetically modified organism into the State of Hawaii.

It is important to point out that this measure if passed into law impacts only “new” genetically modified organisms and thus will not significantly affect the existing operations of companies now operating in Hawaii. 

The importation, introduction and development of new transgenic life forms into Hawaii’s fragile and unique environment deserve the highest level of scrutiny.  The jobs and economic activity generated are important components in the decision making however the health and welfare of Hawaii’s people and environment must take precedence.

It is a given that lobbyists for the GMO industry and supporters of industrial farming will be submitting testimony claiming that “the sky is falling” and that passage of HB97 will severely and negatively impact their business, cost jobs and drive these companies to other friendlier locations –  

However, the requirement of obtaining a permit and undergoing a basic level of review by a State regulatory agency that includes a single public hearing is by no stretch of the imagination an onerous or excessive requirement.  Given the potential severity of the consequences should there be accidental release of a new plant or animal transgenic species mutation into our natural environment; I do not believe a single public hearing is too much to ask.

While I strongly support HB97, I also strongly suggest that the measure be amended to explicitly state that as a condition of a permits approval the department shall require a HRS Chapter 343 environmental review demonstrating that there will be no significant environmental impacts and/or recommending adequate mitigation measures to ensure proper environmental protections.

The potential impacts that could result from the importation, introduction and development of new transgenic life forms into Hawaii include impacts on existing endangered species, existing conventional and organic agricultural operations and the health impacts on local residents that may arise from increased use and related testing of pesticides/herbicides.

On Kauai there are presently 4 major companies engaged in the importation, introduction and/or development and propagation of genetically modified organisms.  These companies utilize over 12,000 acres for their industrial farming operations focused on the development of transgenic crops, 80% of which are not intended for human consumption.  Much of the land in which this activity occurs is in close proximity to the homes of residents and along sensitive coastal areas.  The impacts from these industrial farming operations on local residents and on Hawaii’s environment has never been properly studied or evaluated.  No one really knows the totality of what is being grown or what is being sprayed into the air, onto the soil or what is being washed into our streams and water systems.  As a council member on Kauai I am presently asking these questions and though I have been told the information is available and is forthcoming, I have yet to receive anything.

* There are currently two lawsuits pending on Kauai representing over 200 west-side residents alleging negative health impacts from the pesticide laden dust caused by companies engaged in the development of these transgenic crops.

* Less than one year ago there was a “sea urchin die-off” estimated to include over 52,000 sea urchins that occurred in near shore waters that receive the run-off from these operations. 

* Students and teachers from the Waimea Canyon School have become ill and been transported by ambulance to nearby hospitals on several occasions. Though no scientific evidence has proved that the illness was a result of the industrial farming of genetically modified organisms, the lands adjacent to the school were at the time of the incidents under the management of these companies.

* The coral reefs surrounding Kauai are presently “sick” and scientific experts are clear that Kauai’s near shore water quality is severely degraded with the consensus being it is from a combination of factors that include pesticide and fertilizer run-off.

A growing number of residents from around the state believe that their health and the natural environment of our state is being negatively impacted by the importation, introduction and development of genetically modified organisms and the industrial farming operations that accompany their development.

It is governments’ role and fundamental responsibility to protect the health and welfare of the people and of the aina.

The passage of HB97 is a small but significant step toward fulfilling this role and responsibility and I urge the committee to pass this measure and consider the amendment as suggested.

Respectfully,

Gary Hooser

Councilmember, Kauai County

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Why I Do What I Do

Posted on January 31, 2013 by garyhooser

Why I Do What I Do

Many people ask me “Why I do what I do”.  Below is one of the big reasons why.

This is an email received a few days ago from a young man I met while having a Mai Tai at the Tahiti Nui with visiting friends and family.  This was a random conversation that occurred over the space of about 15 minutes with this young man whom it is likely that I will never see again.

Sometimes I speak of being caught in a “positive feedback loop”.  This is a wonderful example of that loop.  Little does this young man know that his comments to me, are perhaps as motivating to me as mine were to him.  gh

************************************************************
1/29/12

Senator Hooser,

I meant to write you sooner but have been pretty busy since I hit the mainland…

I know you’re just a state senator, just kidding, but as a veteran and disgruntled American it was truly an honor to meet you and the company you kept. It’s not every day someone like me gets to have Mai Thais with a politician.

I joined the U.S. Army Infantry in 2004, deployed to Afghanistan in 2006 and Iraq in 2008 finally was honorably discharged in 2009. Now I’m a full time student majoring in photojournalism and documentary film, graduating in April with a baby on the way, man how things change. When I decided to join the service I had every intention of becoming a career officer and possibly pursuing politics, I still have the copy of my career plan from the sixth grade saying I wanted to be a distract attorney, I watched a lot of Law & Order as a child. I digress.

Over the years my love for country and service faded. Once I got out of the Army it all but disappeared. My fiancé can attest to my distrust and frustration with our democratic and legislative process. Even after having served in the United States Military I chose not to vote on anything this year, a decision I deeply regretted after our encounter, as brief as it was. I made this decision out of frustration, that’s the way young minds work I guess, and the feeling that I and so many other veterans have been used by the system; in turn I didn’t want to take part in the system.

What our conversation and listening to you talk taught me was pretty simple; Our system of democracy will only get worse if we don’t exercise our rights and our communities are one of the most important places to do so. As you said ‘It takes a majority’ and ‘serve the people where you were elected’ (paraphrase).

So I wanted to write you and say thank you. Thank you for listening and taking the time to talk with us, I needed it. My father has always told me never to trust a politician, now I think there might be a few out there worth trusting. Thank you to Mrs. Hooser as well, I can tell you’re the brains behind the operation.

Hope to meet again someday.

Best Regards,
XXXXXX  XXXXXX (I did not ask him for permission to print his name)

Note: I explained to him that I was a former Senator now serving on the County Council but he apparently did not catch that early part of the conversation or chose to still refer to me as Senator, which many people do.

—
Gary Hooser
GaryHooser.com

808-652-4279
Gary Hooser’s Blog https://garyhooser.wordpress.com/

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A Million Little Fists – January 16, 9:30am Hawaii State Capitol

Posted on January 6, 2013 by garyhooser

Facebook message conversation with a friend a few months ago:

10:18am
Friend
I am pissed with the current state of our government.

11:59am
Gary Hooser
Then…what you gonna do about it?

1:53pm
Friend
Wave my little fist.
5:11pm
Gary Hooser
🙂
7:13am
Gary Hooser
A million little fists waving in unison can have a huge impact. Keep it waving. When you get tired of waving, pound it against governments door. Pound it in the face of corporate greed and abuse. A million fists pounding on governments door and in the face of corporate greed and abuse can perhaps change the world.

***Please friend, join with me in waving our little fists together and sending a message that is loud and clear on January 16 at 9:30am at the State Capitol. It is opening day of the Hawaii State Legislature and the most important day of the year to send a message to all lawmakers.

Please, show up.

Show up to send a message that it is not ok to pass laws that take away the publics right to participate in the process.

Show up to send a message that the PLDC must be repealed, that environmental and public interest laws must be embraced, not circumvented.

Show up to support the labeling of GMO products and to show that this movement is real and is not going away.

Show up for Hawaii and for Hawaiians.
Bring the keiki and kupuna too. Call in sick. Skip class. Hitch-hike, car pool, ride the bus, scrape together the airfare if you are able but please show physically, if at all possible. Neighbor-islanders who are unable to fly over, please call and email your lawmakers in support at the same time. Email Senators at sens@capitol.hawaii.gov and Representatives at reps@capitol.hawaii.gov

No excuses please. We are all busy. We all have other jobs and other responsibilities.

This is important.

Imua!

*For those that enjoy a nice morning stroll and do not want to hassle with parking. There will also be a contingent marching from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, departing UH at 8:30am and walking down Beretania Street.

More info is here: http://www.facebook.com/events/140220422800531/?suggestsessionid=13679335591357501966

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The Bike Path, The Beach And The Sunshine Law

Posted on December 13, 2012 by garyhooser

Interesting first week on the Council. Discovered some new interpretations and new twists and turns in Hawaii’s famous Sunshine Law. Yesterday I decided to put into writing to Mayor Carvalho, my objection to the County constructing a concrete pathway directly on to the beach at Wailua (see attached pdf letter below). The Mayor has announced his intent to start construction after the first of the year and so there is some urgency in expressing my opinion on the matter, especially since it is unlikely the Council will address the issue prior to the planned start date. Kauai’s multi-use bike/walking path presently stretches several miles down the coast from Lydgate Park to Kealia and beyond and the County administration is proposing to construct a “temporary” path way made up of concrete slabs, directly on the sand and adjecent to the existing highway. Needless to say the public opposition is loud and clear with reasons extending from possible social and cultural impacts to the certainty of sea-level rise.

So, sans the opportunity to express my concerns in a regular council meeting I drafted a formal letter to the Mayor with the intention of ccing my fellow council-members so that they would be informed of my action. I was promptly made aware that I could not cc my council collegues as that would be a violation of Hawaii’s Sunshine law and might be considered a form of “serial communication”. I argued that I was merely informing the other council-members of my action as a courtesy and was not discussing policy, nor asking for their opinion, nor asking them to take any action whatsoever. Nevertheless, I was told sending the other council-members a copy of my letter to the Mayor was forbidden. Rather than argue the point I acquiesced and agreed not to provide my colleagues with a copy of my letter.

But sadly, the plot now thickens further. Council staff then informed me that it was the established protocol that I transmit my letter to the Mayor “via the Council Chair”. When I asked further about this protocol, I was told it was the established procedure to avoid the Mayor being sent multiple sometimes duplicative requests by various council-members. I then pointed out by sending my letter via the Council Chair, it then precluded me from discussing the issue with any member of the Council other than the Chair because the Sunshine Law forbids “serial communications” between more than two members when discussing policy issues or County business.

“Yes, regretfully this is true”, I was told.

Needless to say, in the interest of time – I sent the letter according to protocol and according to the County Council interpretation of the Sunshine Law. My next letter is to the Office of Information Practices (OIP) to determine if in fact it is against the law for me to cc other members of the Council when I send out such a letter. If so, I guess I will have to just rely on this blog to keep council-members and the entire world, informed of letters that I write. 🙂 http://tinyurl.com/awbh2lw

HooserlettertoMayormultiusepath

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PLDC creation was a slap in the face of the public and state Constitution

Posted on November 25, 2012 by garyhooser

The Public Land Development Corporation (PLDC) was created by the legislature in a manner that at best was unprincipled and at worst corrupt and illegal.

Those responsible owe the people of our state, first an apology, and then a complete repeal.

SB1555, which became Act 55 and created the PLDC, was introduced in the Senate on January 26, 2011. Initially, while establishing a quasi-independent development corporation intended to maximize the development and revenue generation of public lands, SB1555 did not contain broad exemptions from land use laws. Also when first introduced the original PLDC Board included full neighbor-island representation.

As if by design, on March 18, 2011, after sailing through the Senate with only minor amendments and no controversy, the House Water, Land and Ocean Resources Committee (http://tinyurl.com/dyg32jn) inserted the exemption provisions and stripped away neighbor-island representation on the PLDC Board.

The only opportunity for public input in response to these critical amendments was on April 7, 2011 in the House Finance Committee (http://tinyurl.com/d4ujr97). It was here that Finance Chair Marcus Oshiro with the approval of Speaker of the House Calvin Say, waived the normal 48-hour public notice rule and gave Hawaii residents only 115 minutes public notice to offer their mana’o on a measure which could dramatically accelerate the development of public lands statewide.

These two maneuvers executed quite deftly by the House, enabled the measure to reach the all important joint conference committee without incurring any serious public scrutiny. Once in “conference” where public testimony is not allowed, the final work on the establishment of the PLDC was a fait accompli.

The full legislature passed out SB1555HD2CD1 on May 5, 20111, which created the PLDC, took away “home rule” from the Counties and granted the PLDC and its private partners extraordinary powers over the development of public lands. They made the development of public lands exempt from all County zoning, planning and land use laws, gave all of the power to control this development to three appointees of the governor and took away all neighbor-island representation on the PLDC Board. Along the way, the House Finance Committee said effectively “oh by the way if you don’t like it you have 115 minutes to get down to the capitol and provide testimony – and if you live in Puna, Hana or Kekaha…too bad.”

The Hawaii State Constitution states “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.”

The House Finance Committee essentially thumbed its nose at the constitution and at the general public – claiming it held a public meeting yet making it impossible for the majority of the public to attend, or in fact to even know that the meeting was being held.

The legislative history of the PLDC represents a shameful and incredibly arrogant attitude of entitlement by many at the legislature. The public is seen as a bothersome impediment and rules are seen as obstacles to be circumvented whenever possible.

PLDC proponents talk of the requirement to coordinate with Counties and gain approval from agencies. But they don’t talk about the pressure that will be applied should any County or agency oppose a project or resist “going along to get along”. Even now the Counties are being told to resist opposing the PLDC otherwise they risk a reduction in their Transient Accommodations Tax revenue.

In the halls of the capitol they call this leverage.

It is no wonder people are outraged and demanding a repeal.

The above was published in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser Sunday November 25, 2012

Gary Hooser is on leave as Director of the Office of Environmental Quality Control, formerly represented Kauai and Ni’ihau in the Hawaii State Senate and recently won election to the Kauai County Council. The above remarks are presented on his own behalf and do not represent any official position whatsoever.

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On plunking, block voting and other such Kauai County Council voting strategies

Posted on October 14, 2012 by garyhooser

The absentee ballots have been mailed, walk in voting starts on October 23 and emails and blog postings are already promoting strategies and suggestions on how to get your favorite Kauai County Council candidates elected.

I am compelled to explain the importance of block voting, plunking and in general resisting the urge to go “eeny, meeny, miney, moe” and expending on November 6 all seven Kauai County Council votes – some votes on candidates you really want to see in office and other votes on candidates that are “ok” or whom you are not really sure.

The fundamental rule of akamai Kauai voting is: Do not use all 7 votes when choosing your Kauai County Council candidates. Unless of course you feel equally supportive of all 7 candidates you choose…or perhaps have your own strategy you believe in.

The ballot will say “vote for up to 7” or similar language. Experienced Kauai voters will use their Council votes sparingly, selecting only those candidates whom they really and truly and positively want to get elected. These voters might cast one vote or perhaps up to 4 votes but rarely do they go beyond this number.

An example of how casting all 7 votes can work to the detriment of the candidate or candidates you are most interested in getting elected: There are 9 candidates running for the 7 Council seats. The council candidates’ mother goes to vote. She votes for her child (naturally) and then pauses and decides to vote for one other candidate who has been especially nice to good ol’ mom during the campaign.  Mom’s favorite candidate (her child) then loses the election by one vote to that other candidate and very nice person mom decided to vote for also. Bottom line is that in a Kauai Council election – mom’s, grandma’s, wives, husbands, sisters, brothers, children and other close friends of the candidate will only cast one vote in the Kauai County Council race. This is called “plunking”.

Block voting is an expanded variation of the one vote all powerful plunk. Block voting is usually a 2, 3 vote or 4 vote maximum but the same principal applies. The Kauai resident selects only those candidates whom they truly want to get elected, whom they believe truly represent their core values – and they vote for those candidates only and resist giving their remaining votes to candidates whom might as a result beat their favorites.

A fundamental rule of service in elective office: No matter how smart you are, no matter how hard you work, no matter how good you are in your heart – you cannot serve unless you get elected.

Please vote and yes, please cast one of your 7 county council votes for me, Gary Hooser.

Thank you, gh

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