INCLUDING THE ISLANDS OF MAUI, LANAI AND MOLOKAI,   WITH ALL NINE COUNCILMEMBERS  ELECTED BY THE ENTIRE COUNTY.

THIS YEAR EVERY SEAT UP FOR GRABS NEXT INSIGHTS  ON PBS HAWAII, WE'LL HEAR FROM THE CANDIDATES   LOOKING TO REPRESENT KAHULUI AND UPCOUNTRY.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION AND MEET HOPEFULS SHAPING   THE FUTURE OF MAUI COUNTY.

NEXT ON INSIGHTS.

ALOHA AND WELCOME TO INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAII.

I’M YUNJI DE NIES.

WE’RE SPEAKING TONIGHT TO FOUR  CANDIDATES FOR MAUI COUNTY COUNCIL ‑ FIRST A LITTLE  BACKGROUND ON HOW THE COUNCIL IS ELECTED.

THE MAUI COUNTY COUNCIL IS MADE OF NINE SEATS.

COUNCILMEMBERS ARE ELECTED ON AN AT‑LARGE BASIS.

ALL COUNTY RESIDENTS CAN CAST VOTES FOR ALL NINE SEATS.

COUNCILMEMBERS SERVE TWO‑YEAR TERMS AND THIS YEAR, ALL NINE  SEATS ARE UP FOR GRABS.

TONIGHT WE WILL TALK WITH THE  CANDIDATES FOR THE KAHULUI AND UPCOUNTRY SEATS WHERE  NEWCOMERS ARE LOOKING TO UNSEAT THE INCUMBENTS.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PARTICIPATION IN TONIGHT'S  SHOW.

YOU CAN EMAIL OR CALL IN YOUR  QUESTIONS, AND YOU’LL FIND A LIVE STREAM OF THIS PROGRAM AT  PBSHAWAII.ORG AND THE PBS HAWAII YOUTUBE PAGE.

NOW, TO OUR GUESTS.

CAROL LEE KAMEKONA IS A  CANDIDATE FOR MAUI COUNTY COUNCIL REPRESENTING THE  KAHULUI RESIDENCY SEAT.

SHE SERVED IN THE NAVY AND  NAVY RESERVES FOR 22 YEARS AND IS A SINGLE MOTHER OF SEVEN.

TASHA KAMA IS THE CURRENT MAUI COUNTY COUNCILMEMBER FOR THE  KAHULUI SEAT.

SHE WAS ELECTED IN 2018.

SHE IS A RETIRED PASTOR AND HAS 11 CHILDREN, 33  GRANDCHILDREN, AND 5 GREAT‑GRANDCHILDREN.

JOCELYN CRUZ IS A CANDIDATE FOR THE MAUI COUNTY COUNCIL  UPCOUNTRY SEAT.

SHE HAS WORKED AS A FARM  PROJECT MANAGER AND LEAD THE PRODUCTION TEAM FOR THE  SUNFLOWER FARM MUSIC FESTIVAL WHICH BENEFITS LOCAL  NON‑PROFITS.

YUKI LEI KASHIWA SUGIMURA IS  THE CURRENT MAUI COUNTY COUNCILMEMBER FOR THE  UPCOUNTRY RESIDENCY SEAT.

SHE WAS ALSO ELECTED IN 2018.

PRIOR TO SERVING AS A COUNCILMEMBER, SHE WAS A FIELD  REPRESENTATIVE FOR SENATOR MAZIE HIRONO.

THANK YOU LADIES FOR HERE TONIGHT.

>> APPRECIATE YOU MAKING THE TRIP.

WE READ OUT A LITTLE BIO AT THE TOP THERE.

REALLY INTERESTED TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE   ABOUT EACH OF YOU AND WHAT IS MOTIVATING  YOU TO REPRESENT YOUR COMMUNITY.

WE'LL START WITH YOU.

>> WHAT MOTIVATES ME TO   RUN AS A CANDIDATE FOR COUNCIL?

RESIDENTS IS UTMOST PRIORITY.

I WANT TO ENSURE THAT THEIR VOICES ARE BEING HEARD  AND I WANT TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE AFFORDABLE   HOUSING, IN A KEEPS THEM IN MAUI AT HOME RATHER  THAN HAVING TO LEAVE AND BE OUTPRICED RESIDENTS.

>> THAT IS WHAT DRIVE ME.

>>Yunji: WHAT IS   MOTIVATING YOU TO SEEK RE‑ELECTION.

>> GREATEST MOTIVATIONS ARE MY CHILDREN.

THAT WHEN I THINK ABOUT THEM, AND I THOUGHT  ABOUT WHAT THEIR FUTURES WOULD BE LIKE WHEN   THEY WERE YOUNG, TOLD MYSELF THAT I WANTED  THEM TO HAVE A GREAT FUTURE HERE ON MAUI.

IN ORDER FOR TO HAPPY HAD  TO CONTINUE TO BE ENGAGED.

>> I WAS ENGAGED IN PRESCHOOLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS  INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS AND INTO THEIR HIGH SCHOOLS   SAW THINGS THEY BEGAN TO CHANGE AND REALIZED  IF I EXPECTED THAT MY CHILDREN'S LIVES HERE   ON MAUI WELCOME BACK GREAT AND FRUITFUL  I WOULD HAVE TO CONTINUE TO STAY ENGAGED.

THEY MOTIVATE ME.

HOUSING CRISIS TODAY WHAT'S   GOING ON, MY CHILDREN, MY GRANDCHILDREN,  OH, MY GOSH HALF THEM LIVE ON CONTENT.

THIS IS THEIR ROOTS IS PART OF  WHO THEY AS NATIVE HAWAIIANS.

>>Yunji: WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO STEP INTO POLITICS?

>> LIKE YOU SAID PROJECT MANAGER   FOR A FARM.

>> IN PAST WEEKEND,   THE HAWAII FARMERS UNION HAD THEIR 14TH  ANNUAL CONVENTION AND IT WAS AMAZING EVENT.

AND WE GOT TO LISTEN TO A LOT OF REALLY  INCREDIBLE SPEAKERS AND BREAKOUT GROUPS.

GOT TO LISTEN TO UNCLE WALTER REEDY  SPEAK, QUESTION FROM ANOTHER FARMER   ASKING, HOW DO WE GET THE GOVERNMENT TO  ENGAGE AND SUPPORT US MORE AS FARMERS?

AND UNCLE WALTER SAID, YOU HAVE TO BECOME  POLITICALLY AKAMAI IN ORDER TO SURVIVE.

THAT'S WHY I'M RUNNING TO HELP  US NOT JUST SURVIVE BUT THRIVE.

I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO  ON OUR ISLAND AND IN HAWAII IN GENERAL.

>>Yunji: MISS SUGIMURA WHAT IS MOTIVATING  YOU TO SEEK RE‑ELECTION THIS TERM.

>> RIGHT NOW FOURTH TERM  RUNNING FOR MY FIRST TERM.

THIS HAS BEEN MY LIFE JOURNEY.

I HAVE BEEN VERY CLOSELY WITH   U.S.

SENATOR DAN INOUYE.

STAFF FOR SENATOR AKAKA AND   ALSO MAZIE HIRONO UNTIL I TOOK THE SEAT.

ALWAYS BEEN INVOLVED WITH GOVERNMENT.

OFFICE OF REVITALIZATION COORDINATOR,  OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

THIS IS MY JOB.

>> HELP ME REVITALIZE   THIS TOWN.

EMPTY STOREFRONTS, EVERYBODY FROM  WAILUKU MOVED OUT TO KAHULUI WHEN SUGAR CHANGED.

SO THESE WERE THE KINDS OF CHALLENGES  THAT I WALKED INTO BUT I KNOW HOW TO   BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER VERY GOOD PERSON TO  HELP BRING FEDERAL FUNDING DOLLARS TO OUR   COUNTY AS I DID WORK ON THOSE PROJECTS.

>> SHARE SIMILAR CONCERNS ABOUT HOUSING.

VERY BAD HOUSING SITUATION THAT  WE'RE ALL WORKING HARD TO IMPROVE.

THEN OF COURSE THE BIGGEST THING  THAT WE ALL HAVE WILDFIRES.

MY DISTRICT UPCOUNTRY WE HAD 26 HOMES THAT BURNED.

LAHAINA WAS DEVASTATED.

SO WE NOW ARE SITTING WITH A BIG PROBLEM  AND HOW DO WE RESOLVE IT AND BRING IN   THE FEDERAL DOLLARS STATE DOLLARS TO  HELP THE COUNTY AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

>>Yunji: STAY WITH YOU ON THE FIRES.

>> WHAT SHOULD COUNTY COUNCIL DOING TO   PRIORITIZE RECOVERY FIRE VICTIMS AND COMMUNITY.

>> WE PROVIDE FUNDING PAST BUDGET, I GOT THE   BUDGET FROM MAYOR IN MARCH, HAPPENS EVERY  YEAR BY CHARTER, I'M THE BUDGET CHAIR.

WE NEED TO FOCUS MORE ON THE WILDFIRES.

SO WE BASICALLY TOOK A LOT OF APART AND   WE PUT IN PROJECTS THAT WOULD THEN  HELP WITH THE LAHAINA FOUNDATION,   WHICH WAS ORGANIZATION THAT WAS STARTED FROM THE  COMMUNITY AND KEEP LAHAINA HOMES IN LAHAINA HANDS.

SO WE GAVE $10.5 MILLION FOR THAT PROJECT.

WE HELPED WITH HOUSING, AFFORDABLE HOUSING,   AND WE EVEN PUT IN $8 MILLION IN EMERGENCY  FUNDS, SPECIAL FOR THE WILDFIRES.

>> ANY WAY WE COULD, FISCALLY WE DID.

THE WAY THAT WE OPERATE IS THAT   WE DEVELOPED BUDGET.

WE DEVELOPED PROGRAMS.

PUT IN PROGRAMS WE THINK WOULD HELP.

BUT THE  MAYOR AND ADMINISTRATION DID ADMINISTERS WE   WORK HAND IN HAND IN ORDER TO HELP THE WILDFIRES.

IT'S A VERY BIG PROBLEM THAT WE NEED HELP FROM   FEDERAL, STATE AS WELL AS THINGS THAT WE CAN DO.

>>Yunji: WHAT DO YOU THINK THE COUNTY   SPECIFICALLY CAN DO TO HELP MAUI RECOVER?

>> A LOT CAN BE DONE AROUND WATER MANAGEMENT.

WATER MANAGEMENT IS A PUBLIC TRUST.

IN OUR STATE CONSTITUTION.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A LOT MORE OF THE WATER  BEING MANAGED BY THE ACTUAL PUBLIC OF OUR ISLAND.

I THINK 78% OF THE WATER IN WEST  MAUI IS MANAGED BY PRIVATE PURVEYORS.

AND I KNOW SEA WORM IS WHO WE'RE  GOING TO HAVE TO WORK WITH FOR THAT.

>> JUST GOT EAST MAUI WATER AUTHORITY  AFTER 2 YEARS FROM VOTING IT IN.

>> WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THAT  LIKE BEGIN TO TAKE FLIGHT.

SO I THINK GETTING MORE WATER MANAGEMENT BACK TO  THE PEOPLE AND THEN REALLY WORKING WITH INCUMBENT   TAMARA, INCREDIBLE AND WHOLE COMMUNITY.

HAD A LAHAINA STRONG FORUM ON MONDAY NIGHT   AND THERE'S SUPER RESILIENT COMMUNITY THERE'S  SUCH A, WORKING WITH THEM GETTING CLEAR ABOUT   THEIR EXACT NEEDS WORKING WITH AFFORDABLE  HOUSING DEVELOPERS AND THEN STREAMLINING   PROCESSES WITH SUBMITTING THEIR PERMITS  AND GETTING THOSE PUSHED THROUGH QUICKLY.

SUGIMURA WAS SAYING WORKING  WITH FEDERAL FUNDING TOO.

ONE THING THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO FEDERAL  FUNDING BUY CERTAIN STRs AND HOUSES, I THINK IT'S   600 RESIDENTS THAT STILL NEED LONGTERM HOUSING.

WORK WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO GET THAT   FUNDING BY THOSE HOUSES FOR THEM SO  THAT ARE SECURE AND LONGTERM HOUSING.

THEN GOING FROM THERE, I ALSO AM  REALLY INTO RESTORING MOKULUA.

ANYTHING WITH FARMING REALLY INTO BACKING SO  GETTING WATER TO THE TARO FARMERS LIKE PROMISED   IS REALLY BIG PASSION OF MINE.

>>Yunji: HEAR FROM YOU.

WE ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT TO DO COUNTY  SPECIFICALLY COUNTY COUNCIL SPECIFICALLY   SHOULD BE DOING TO HELP WILDFIRES SURVIVORS?

>> ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID THIS PAST YEAR   WAS TO PRIORITIZE LAHAINA.

SO WE DID, WE HAVE WHAT   WE CALL AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND.

>> AND THAT IS WHERE ALL OF OUR HOUSING   DEVELOPMENT MONIES, THAT WE COLLECT, WE COLLECT I  THINK 3% TAXES EVERY YEAR THAT GOES INTO THE FUND.

DECIDED THAT WE NEEDED TO GIVE AS MUCH OF THAT  MONEY INTO THE LAHAINA COMMUNITY FOR THEM TO DO   WITH WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY NEEDED TO DO.

PUT IN LAHAINA LANDS IN LAHAINA HANDS.

WHY WE FUNDED THE LAND TRUST.

IT'S THEIR JOB WAS TO PURCHASE   PROPERTIES LIVING IN LAHAINA HOLD ON TO.

>> NOT SELL IT TO ANYONE ELSE   UNLESS THEY WERE FROM THAT AREA.

>> THAT WAY, LAND STAYED AND IT WASN'T   GOING TO BE UP AND FOR SALE TO INVESTORS THAT DO  NOT LIVE HERE AND DO NOT CARE ABOUT OUR PEOPLE.

>>Yunji: WHAT IS YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT  THE COUNTY COUNCIL SPECIFICALLY SHOULD   BE DOING TO HELP WILDFIRE RECOVERY?

>> SO LIKE MEMBER SUGIMURA SAID,   COUNCIL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR BUDGET,  ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR POLICIES.

RESPONSIBLE FOR POLICIES NEED TO SET  LEGISLATION AND BIGGEST ONE FOR ME AGAIN,   LIKE JOCELYN SAID, HAS A LOT DO WITH  WATER AND THE PRIVATIZATION OF IT.

WATER IS A PUBLIC TRUST.

IT SHOULDN'T TREATED AS A COMMODITY TO   BE SOLD TO THE COUNCIL AND TO THE PEOPLE.

BY A PRIVATE OPENERSHIP.

ALSO, DOING POLICIES THAT WILL HELP TO  BE ABLE TO BUILD THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING,   AFFORDABLE HOUSING, FOR OUR PEOPLE.

THAT'S MY UTMOST GOAL.

OUR PEOPLE'S VOICES HAVE NOT BEEN HEARD FOR EONS.

THEY'RE CRYING.

WE HAD A HOUSING CRISIS PRIOR TO COVID.

THESE FIRES EXACERBATED OUR HOUSING.

NOW.

WITH THE FIRES,   WE LOST 4,000 OF OUR PEOPLE.

WE LOST 6,000 UNITS.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THAT BACK?

LET'S START DOING LEGISLATION THAT SAYS,   RENT STABILIZATION SOMETHING THAT I SWORE.

CONVERTING STRs THAT THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL   BROUGHT FORWARD.

THAT, I SUPPORT.

NEEDS MORE VETTING BUT I DO  AGREE WITH THE PART THAT SAYS,   YOU TAKE THE A1 AND A2 DISTRICT, CONVERT IT  TO LONGTERM AND PUT THE STRs IN HOTEL ZONE.

WHERE THEY BELONG.

>>Yunji: GET ALL OF YOU TO RESPOND TO THAT.

BACKGROUND VIEWERS.

MAYOR BISSEN RECENTLY   PROPOSED PERMANENTLY ELIMINATING ABOUT 7,000  SHORT‑TERM RENTAL UNITS BY JANUARY 1 OF 2026.

WHAT SPECIFICALLY DON'T YOU  LIKE ABOUT THAT PROPOSAL?

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT IT?

>> IN WEST MAUI, APPROXIMATELY 2300 STR UNITS.

NOT LOOKING TO ELIMINATE ALL.

THAT PROPOSAL DOES NEED MORE   VETTING IN ORDER TO BE SOMETHING THAT IS GOING  TO BE APPROVED AND BOUGHT BY OUR RESIDENTS.

GOING TO BUY INTO IT.

WHAT I WOULD LIKE DO IS   IMPLEMENT RESIDENCY TO BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN HEARING  OUR PEOPLE SAY, THEY HAVE STRs THAT THEY COUNT ON   FOR THEIR INCOMEMENT FOR THEIR RETIREMENT.

DOES THAT MEAN YOU'RE GOING TO GET   RID OF ALL OF THEM EVEN OURS?

LISTENING TO THEM I'M SAYING, LET'S DO   SOME KIND OF EXEMPTIONS FOR OUR RESIDENTS.

>> ALLOWING THEM TO KEEP THEIR STRs.

BUT AGAIN, RESIDENCY HAS TO COME INTO PLAY.

AMOUNTS OF STRS THAT YOU HAVE LIKE   YOU CAN'T OWN 20 OF THEM.

LIKE I HEAR SOME PEOPLE DO.

THAT'S COMMODIFYING, YOU CAN'T BUY MAUI.

>>Yunji: WHERE DO YOU STAND ON THE   SHORT‑TERM RENTAL ISSUE?

>> FEEL SIMILARLY.

I DON'T   THINK WE SHOULD GET RID OF ALL OF THEM THEY  PROVIDE NICE ALTERNATIVE TO HOTELS, A LOT OF   THEM ARE A LOT CHEAPER THAN THE HOTELS.

IF WE HAVE FRIEND AND FAMILY COMES TO   VISIT CHEAPER OPTION FOR THEM.

I DO THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT SOME   ZONING FOR SOME OF THEM AND I ALSO HAVE FRIENDS  AT THAT ARE ON ISLAND AND THEY HAVE STRs AND I   THINK IT'S NICE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO RENT IT OUT  MAKE MONEY AND THAT MONEY STAYS ON OUR ISLAND.

>> RATHER THAN HOTELS THEY MAKE ALL THE  THIS MONEY GOES OFF ISLAND VERY NEXT DAY.

SO I THINK JANUARY 1 OF 2026,  IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.

SO I THINK WE STILL NEED TO GO  BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD WITH   HOW THIS PROPOSAL WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN.

INFRASTRUCTURE IS A BIG ISSUE WITH THEM TOO.

I DON'T THINK THEY'RE NECESSARILY THE BEST  FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS TO MOVE INTO.

WHY I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO ELIMINATE THEM ALL.

IN FAIR, LOOK AT THEM ALL.

LOOKING WEST SAID   REALLY PRICED CITIZENS CAN AFFORD  THERE AND, LOOKING AT HOA FEES MAKING   SURE INSURANCE IS INCLUDED.

AND HOUSING PEOPLE ON THE   WEST SIDE LONGTERM IS HUGE PRIORITY.

I THINK IF WE WORK WITH FEMA, THERE'S A   POSSIBILITY WE COULD BUY JUST UNITS THAT WE NEED  AND LOOK AT REZONING SOME OF THE OTHER STR UNITS.

>>Yunji: WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON  MAYOR'S PROPOSAL TO TRANSITION THOSE STRs?

>> MY THOUGHT WAS DO A STUDY I.

SO I PROPOSE A STUDY.

COUNCIL PAID FOR IT.

AND SO WE DID AN RFP   AND THE RFP SUPPOSED TO BE I THINK, WHAT IS THERE?

I THINK SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN SOME RESPONSES BY NOW.

AND THEN THEY I THINK OFFICE OF COUNCIL  SERVICES WILL DECIDE ON WHO IT WILL BE TO.

MY WHOLE THOUGHT IS NOT EVERY STR IS  USEFUL IN TERMS OF WHAT FAMILIES NEED.

SOME STRs, THAT'S WHY WE HAD TO DO A SCOPE  OF SERVICE THAT SAYS, HOW MANY STRs ARE   REALLY GOOD FOR FAMILIES?

HOW MANY STRs ARE NOT?

AND SO ONES THAT WE CAN USE, FOR FAMILIES, LET'S  TAKE THEM AND BY ALL MEANS ALLOW OUR PEOPLE   TO UTILIZE THEM.

IF NOT, KEEP THE STRs IN THE  REVENUE MAKING STREAM THAT THEY ALREADY ARE IN.

BECAUSE STRs BRING LOT OF TAX DOLLARS.

BEFORE WE START GETTING READY OF TAX DOLLARS   PAY FOR SERVICES IN ON COUNTY, FIGURE OUT WHAT  CAN AND CANNOT BE USED AN USE THAT GOING FORWARD.

UNTIL STUDY COMES OUT, THAT TELLS US HOW  MANY UNITS CAN ACTUALLY BE USED FOR THIS   TIME OF HOUSING OR NO TYPE OF HOUSING, ONE  OF THE THINGS THAT CONCERNS ME THE MOST WAS   CAN OUR LOCAL PEOPLE AFFORD TO GET INTO STR  PAY HOA FEES UP TO A COUPLE THOUSAND DOLLARS,   SO LET'S TAKE A BETTER LOOK HOW CAN PROVIDE  HOUSING FOR OUR PEOPLE AND STILL ALLOW THE   TAX REVENUE TO CONTINUE TO FLOW INTO OUR COUNTY.

>>Yunji: WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ON MAYOR'S PROPOSAL?

>> MAYOR'S PROPOSAL WAS ANSWER TO THE  MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE FISHING FOR HOUSING.

AND I BELIEVE IT EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION  IN THE COMMUNITY PEOPLE FEELING CRUNCH OF   VISITORS IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND THEIR COMFORTS.

SO I BELIEVE THAT HE REACTED TO THAT AND WHAT   MEMBER KAMA TALKING ABOUT WE AS POLICYMAKERS  BEFORE WE WOULD MAKE A DECISION THIS IS OUR   RESPONSIBILITY TO GET THE FACTS AND DATA.

SO WE LOOKED AT THE 7100 UNITS.

AND ASKING   FOR WHERE IT ARE THEY LOCATED.

CAN PEOPLE AFFORD IT?

IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE RIGHT ON THE  OCEAN, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE   ARE LOCAL PEOPLE COULD AFFORD?

AND WE ARE THE ASSOCIATED FEES,   NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE A REPRESENT BUT HOA  AS WELL AS THEIR OLDER, SO THEY'RE SPECIAL   ASSESSMENT THAT IS WE'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT,  I JUST GOT EMAIL SAYING THAT I GOT THIS PERSON   RECEIVED $25,000 NOTICE FROM HOMEOWNERS  ASSOCIATION SAY NEED TO CHANGE THE ROOF.

THINGS LIKE THAT NEEDS TO BE REVEALED THAT I  REALLY APPRECIATED THE FORESIGHT OF MEMBER KAMA   TO KNOW WE NEED BIGGER DATA, UHERO CAME OUT WITH  GREAT ARTICLE SAYING WE SHOULD DO TAX THEM MORE.

WE TAX THEM MORE NOW RIGHT NOW.

SHORT‑TERM VACATION RENTALS PAY HIGHER TAX OF   PRIVILEGE OF USING THEIR UNITS AS A BUSINESS.

THEY ALSO PROVIDE A LOT OF JOBS TO   HOUSEKEEPER AND LANDSCAPERS.

JUST PEOPLE THAT WE HEAR FROM TOO.

DON'T TAKE AWAY MY JOBS.

AND OUR RESPONSIBILITY THEN IS TO LOOK AT WHAT IS   TOTAL SCOPE AND SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND HOW TO VOTE.

UHERO IS SAYING THAT TAX THEM MORE WE DO THE LAST   TAX POLICIES, LAST SESSION, WHAT THE  RESOURCE THAT I SAW IS THAT THEY BRING   ABOUT 200 MILLION INTO OUR REVENUE SOURCE.

SO THE OTHER BIG RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE HAVE   POLICYMAKERS IS IF YOU TAKE AWAY THAT KIND OF TAX  DOLLARS, WHAT IS IT GOING TO BE REPLACED WITH?

BECAUSE OF THE HOTELS AND THE SHORT‑TERM VACATION  RENTALS TRANSIENT VACATION RENTALS ALL OF THOSE   HAVE A TOUCH OF VISITORS, THEY GET TAXED MORE OR  THESE SECOND HOMES THEY GET TAXED MORE WITH US.

AND FOR THAT, WHAT HAPPENS IS I'M SURE YOU  ALL HEAR THAT MAUI COUNTY TAXES ARE VERY LOW.

AND THAT VERY LOW IN COMPARISON  TO MANY STATES ACROSS THE NATION.

REASON IT IS WHO PAYS OUR TAXES  THOSE PAYING HIGHER TAXES.

SO I SAY I HAD A MOTHER'S DAY BREAKFAST AND  SOMEBODY HAPPENED TO ASK ME WHAT DO I THINK?

AND I SAID, ALL OF YOU SITTING  AT THIS TABLE BE READY.

ONE DAY HAVE TO PAY MORE TAXES BECAUSE THESE  TAX, VISITORS AND SHORT‑TERM VACATION RENTALS,   IF WE TAKE AWAY THAT AND THERE'S NO LONGER  RECEIVE ANY BENEFITS FROM THEM, SOMEBODY WILL   HAVE TO MAKE UP THE BENEFITS OR LOSS, OR HAVE A  REDUCED SERVICES AND/OR SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE,   OBLIGATED TO SAFETY, FIRE, SAFETY, POLICE,  WATER AND CESSPOOLS, WASTEWATER SYSTEM,  ROADS, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE  BASIC SERVICES MAY GET IMPACT.

>>Yunji: I WANT TO ASK YOU BECAUSE ALL OF  FOUR OF YOU HAVE SAID HOUSING ONE WAY OR   ANOTHER REALLY TOP PRIORITY FOR YOU.

ONE OF  THE THINGS WE TALK TO POLICY EXPERTS THEY SAY   ZONING LAWS ON MAUI NEED TO BE REFORMED.

TOO STRINGENT NOT ALLOWING FOR KIND   OF DENSITY OR BUILDING WOULD REALLY BE  NECESSARY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF COMMUNITY.

TIME AND AGAIN, COUNCIL HAS NOT CHANGED  ZONING REGULATION, A LOT OF OPPOSITION   TO NOT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS THE SENTIMENT  THAT IS EXPRESSED, WE DON'T SEE ANY CHANGE.

START WITH YOU.

DO YOU THINK THAT ZONING   LAWS NEED TO BE REFORMED TO ALLOW FOR MORE  DENSITY AND MORE BUILDING TO MEET CHALLENGES?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> RIGHT ABOUT NOT IN MY BACKYARD.

DENSITY WE NEED.

NOT IN MY BACKYARD.

WHENEVER WE WANT TO PUT SOME NEW DEVELOPMENT,  COMMUNITY ALWAYS COMPLAINS ABOUT TOO MUCH TRAFFIC.

SCHOOL BURSTING AT ITS SEAMS,  NOT WANTING TO HAVE DEVELOPMENT.

DENSITY, HAVE TO HAVE.

WE HAVE GO VERTICAL.

SO IN MAUI COUNTY, WE CAN GO VERTICAL BUT  WE CAN'T GO MORE THAN FOUR STORIES HIGH.

SEE IF THE FUTURE A LOT OF FOUR STORY BUILDINGS   ALL OVER MAUI COUNTY BECAUSE HOW  DO YOU MEET NEEDS OF OUR PEOPLE?

IF YOU DON'T GO VERTICAL?

>>Yunji: FOUR STORIES IS ENOUGH?

SHOULD IT BE HIGHER THAN FOUR STORIES.

>> MIGHT HAVE TO BE.

TWO OR THREE YEARS WE DID THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE FELT  LIKE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO BE LIKE OTHER CITIES.

>>Yunji: ONE WE'RE IN TONIGHT.

>> I GOT IT.

YOUR THOUGHT?

DO THOSE HOUSING RESTRICTIONS   NEED TO BE REFORMED TO ALLOW MORE DENSITY?

THERE WILL BE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T   WANT THAT KIND OF BUILDING IN THEIR COMMUNITY.

>> IT'S INTERESTING THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT.

EACH OF US HAVE TALKED ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

AND WHAT MATTERS.

BUT I THINK WHAT MAKES ME DIFFERENT THAN  MY COLLEAGUES IS HOW I WANT TO APPROACH   THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

ZONING IS ONE WAY.

VERTICAL IS ANOTHER WAY.

DENSITY IS ANOTHER WAY.

BUT WE HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING  PLAN THAT WAS DRAFTED AND PROPOSED AND PAID FOR BY   COUNCIL, BEEN SITTING ON THE SHELF FOR 3 YEARS.

SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED.

THERE'S A LOT OF   THINGS IN THERE THAT WE CAN DO.

COUNSEL CAN UTILIZE BONDS IN ORDER   TO PROVIDE INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO MY BIGGEST THING I WOULD WANT TO IMPLEMENT   THAT COMPREHENSIVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PLAN.

>> TALK TO STATE LEDGE ON IT.

NOT SOMETHING COUNCIL CAN HANDLE.

WAGES.

WE NEED TO UP THE MINIMUM WAGES  FASTER THAN WHAT THE STATE LEDGE   IS DOING NOW IN ORDER FOR OUR PEOPLE  TO KEEP UP WITH THE COST OF HOUSING.

1.4 WITH SOMEBODY THAT ONLY MAKES LIKE 16 OR  $18 AN HOUR, HOW IS THAT GOING TO BE ACHIEVABLE?

IT'S NOT.

IT'S NOT EVEN AFFORDABLE.

SO WAGES WOULD BE ONE THING THAT I  WOULD WANT TO TALK TO STATE LEDGE ABOUT.

WHICH HELPS WITH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND  HELPS OUR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD THAT.

AND I ALSO SUPPORT RENT STABILIZATION.

>>Yunji: LET'S TALK ABOUT ZONING LAWS.

DO YOU THINK THERE SHOULD BE SOME REFORMS THERE?

DO YOU THINK THAT WE CAN GO HIGHER THAN   FOUR STORIES AND WHAT ABOUT THE DENSITY ISSUE?

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING IS REUSE.

QUEEN KAAHUMANU CENTER TO HER CREDIT.

SURPRISED SHE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT IT.

BIG SHOPPING CENTER ON MAUI, AND AS MANY  OF THE SHOPPING CENTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY,   BEEN HAVING BECAUSE OF PEOPLE SHOPPING ON AMAZON  OR WHATEVER IT IS, SO A LOT OF EMPTY STOREFRONTS.

QUEEN KAAHUMANU CENTER CHANGED THAT ZONING  TO ALLOW THEM TO HAVE LIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT.

AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT HAPPENING.

>> ONE OF HER PROJECTS THAT SHE DID.

AND IT'S THOSE KINDS OF CREATIVE THINGS THAT  WE CAN DO WHERE YOU TAKE EXISTING BUILDINGS AND   FIGURE OUT A WAY TO REUSE IT.

THAT'S NUMBER ONE.

WE NEED TO BUILD MORE HOMES.

>> WE NEED TO BUILD MORE RENTALS.

>> YOUR EXAMPLE OF PAYING PEOPLE MORE.

PEOPLE CAN'T JUST GO FROM WHAT YOUR EXAMPLE WAS.

18 OR WHATEVER DOLLARS PER HOUR.

>> YOU HAVE TO GRADUALLY GET   UP THERE IN YOUR LIFE.

SO TAKES TIME BUT IN ORDER   TO SUPPORT THEM, TAKES TIME, AFFORDABLE HOUSING  WHEN WE DO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND I DON'T KNOW   IF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND, BUT WHEN HOUSE IS MADE  AVAILABLE, REASON WHY IT'S AFFORDABLE IS COST   OF THE HOUSE MAY BE STILL $500,000 TO BUILD IT.

BUT SOMEBODY HAVE TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE UP WHICH   IS FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, STATE GOVERNMENT, COUNTY  GOVERNMENT, WE HAVE OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND,   WHICH WITH PUT 8% WE PUT 8% FUNDS IN  FROM OUR REAL PROPERTY TAX INTO THAT.

SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE $46 MILLION  THAT WE COULD DO PROJECTS FOR.

SO IF OUR BUDGET OF PROJECTS ONE WAS IKAIKA  OHANA APARTMENT BURNED FROM THE WILDFIRE.

BOUGHT LAND.

PAID $3.5 MILLION AND WE GAVE THE  DEVELOPER MR. BIGLY $36 MILLION   FROM THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND.

AND WE ARE HELPING THEM REBUILD.

IT'S THOSE KIND OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO.

SO YES, SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND.

BUT REASON WHY WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE HOUSES THAT  ARE CHEAPER IS BECAUSE SUPPLEMENTED BY STATE   AND FEDERAL DOLLARS AND COUNTY OF MAUI.

THOSE KINDS THINGS WE NEED TO DO MORE OF.

>>Yunji: WE ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT HOW WE COULD  BUILD MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT QUICKER PACE?

IT CHANGE ZONING, THEREBY CHANGE DENSITY.

ALLOWING FOR HIGHER BUILDS?

WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS.

>> FAVOR OF RENT STABILIZATION ALREADY.

DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO NECESSARILY  COMPLETE BUILD OUR WAY OUT.

ECHO AUNTY CARROL SAYING WE SHOULD REVISIT THE  MAUI COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PLAN   AND LOOK AT SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS THERE.

WE WILL HAVE TO PIVOT BECAUSE IT WAS   WRITTEN BEFORE THE FIRES.

SO ZONING IS ONE THING.

BUT RENT STABILIZATION I THINK WOULD ACTUALLY  BE VERY HELPFUL AND THE A LITTLE DISHEARTENING   THAT I FEEL LIKE OUR PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY  HAVEN'T BEEN HEARD COMPLETELY ON THAT ISSUE.

A LOT OF TESTIMONY WRITTEN IN AND RECENTLY JUST  FEELS LIKE WE'VE BEEN KIND OF CAST ASIDE AND   IN LIGHT OF BIG DEVELOPERS.

KELLY KING'S OFFICE  ABLE TO BUILD SOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING DIVISION,   WE TALK TO THE DEVELOPERS THAT EITHER SHE KNOWS  OR SOME LIKE THEM, THERE ARE DEVELOPERS WHO WANT   TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THOSE ARE THE  DEVELOPERS THAT WE WANT TO WORK WITH ON MAUI.

>> NOT THE ONES THAT ARE NOT  OF TAKING CARE OF OUR PEOPLE.

>>Yunji: ALL OF YOU HAVE ALSO  TALKED ABOUT JUST AFFORDABILITY   AND TALKING ABOUT RENT STABILIZATION.

>> WE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS TO YOU THINK   THE COUNCIL COULD DO TO HELP  WITH THE HIGH COST OF LIVING?

>> WE HAVE TO PIVOT FROM OUR  CURRENT, THIS WILL TAKE TIME.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S NOT  GOING TO HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.

BUT RELYING SOLELY OR VIRTUALLY SOLELY  ON JUST TOURISM IS NOT BENEFICIAL FOR US.

WE SAW THAT ESPECIALLY AFTER THE FIRES.

EVEN DURING COVID.

I THINK WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT  SOME NEW STREAMS OF REVENUE.

ONE THAT I THINK WOULD BE BENEFICIAL  FOR US IS ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY.

WE HAWAII HAS PRETTY GOOD TAX BREAKS FOR FILMING.

AND I KNOW A LOT OF IT HAPPENS ON OAHU   AND THERE'S ALSO I BELIEVE UNIONS ON OAHU.

ONE THING INHIBITING PEOPLE FROM MAUI HIRING.

TEAMSTERS WILL STILL GET HIRED FROM OAHU  LEGISLATION OUR PEOPLE FROM MAUI WILL BE HIRED   FOR THESE PRODUCTION AND ALSO ECOTOURISM.

HAVE TOURISTS, WE WANT TO DRAW   IN A SPECIFIC TYPE OF TOURISTS.

ECOTOURISM, AGRITOURISM IS HUGE IN THE WORLD.

IN ITALY, IT'S HUGE.

IN MEXICO IT'S HUGE.

I THINK WE NEED TO PIVOT JUST FROM OUR BASIC  INCOME OF TOURISM AND EXPLORE DIFFERENT AVENUES,   GENERATE NEW FORMS OF INCOME AND AUNTY WAS  SAYING HOPEFULLY RAISE MINIMUM WAGE FOR A LOT   OF PEOPLE BECAUSE IT'S JUST THE LIVABLE  WAGE, I HAD TO FIND HOUSING LAST YEAR   AND IT LEGITIMATELY MADE ME WANT TO CRY, THE  PLACE I WAS LOOKING FOR THAT I COULD AFFORD.

>>Yunji: VIEWER ASKED ABOUT AFFORDABILITY  AND COUNCIL CAN ESPECIALLY DO VIEWER   UPCOUNTRY WHAT REQUEST YOUR IDEAS TO  DIVERSIFY ECONOMY AWAY FROM TOURISM.

DIVERSIFY A WAY?

BROADLY, HOW THE   COUNCIL CAN HELP AFFORDABILITY ISSUES ON MAUI?

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COUNCIL DOES A LOT   OF IS WE GIVE A LOT MONEY TO HELPING UP STARTS.

I THINK COUPLE YEARS AGO, WE HAVE ORGANIZATION   MAUI CALLED MAUI ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.

>> THEY HAVE THESE CORE PROGRAMS TEACH   AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM AND I WAS  FUNDING I THINK 8 STUDENTS EVERY YEAR   TO DO THAT FOR A COUPLE YEARS.

>> THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

NEED TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT OUR PEOPLE, OUR PEOPLE,   AND SEE WHAT KIND OF THINGS THAT THEY  ARE PASSIONED ABOUT AND WHAT IS THE THING   THAT THEY WANT DO AND HOW CAN WE HELP ELEVATE  THEIR PASSION INTO ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR THEM.

HELPING THEM GO THROUGH CLASSES.

>> AND ACTUALLY HAVING THE BANKER   COME ALONGSIDE WITH THEM IN TERMS OF HELPING  THEM UNDERSTAND HOW TO WRITE THE BUSINESS PLAN.

HOW TO GET THE FUNDING FOR THE  PLAN, AND FOLLOWING THEM THROUGH.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP, YOU KNOW, ON MAUI, I'VE NEVER  SEEN SO MANY FOOD TRUCKS ALL OVER THE PLACE.

THAT IS ENTREPRENEURSHIP THAT  THAT HAPPENED DURING COVID.

WEREN'T GOING TO WORK BUT HAD TO DO OTHER STUFF.

WE SAW ONE FOOD TRUCK ANOTHER FOOD TRUCK.

WE HAVE FOOD TRUCKS.

TO ME, THAT WAS WONDERFUL THAT   WE CAN HAVE NOW A SUNDAY MARKET OF JUST A WHOLE  BUNCH OF FOOD TRUCKS ON THE CORNER WHERE I LIVE,   TAMBAYAN CORNER, IN ILOCANO MEANS TALK STORY.

GROUP OF FOOD TRUCKS, A LOT OF FOOD TABLES,   PEOPLE COME, THEY TALK STORY.

>> THEY EAT.

ORDER FOOD.

AND IT'S WONDERFUL.

BUT THAT'S THE KIND OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP  THAT I THINK WE NEED TO INVEST MONEY.

WE INVEST MONEY THAT TOURISTS INDUSTRY FROM  LIKE IN THE EARLY LATE 40'S EARLY FIFTIES   AND ALL OF THAT MONEY FOR TOURISM HAS GONE  INTO EVEN UP TO MAYBE FOUR OR FIVE YEAR AGO.

DIDN'T GET AS MUCH MONEY AS WE DID BEFORE.

ANY NEW PROGRAM SUCH AS FILM INDUSTRY,   THAT I TOTALLY SUPPORT, I AM SO MUCH BEHIND  IT, THAT THAT WAS ONE OF MY GOALS IN TERMS OF   WHEN I LOOKED AT FILM INDUSTRY AND HOW TO SUPPORT  THAT, I WAS SUPPORTING FILM INDUSTRY ON MAUI BY   GIVING THEM FUNDING SO THEY CAN PROMOTE I THINK  MOST RECENT ONE, DID A BEAUTIFUL VIDEO ON THAT.

THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS I THINK  WE NEED TO SUPPORT ENTREPRENEURSHIP,   FILM INDUSTRY, AND ANY OTHER THINGS  THAT PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT THEY COULD DO.

I THINK ALSO TALKED ABOUT  I CAN'T REMEMBER THE WORD.

>> INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES.

CAPITALIZING ON THOSE THINGS.

>>Yunji: I KNOW THAT YOU HAD  SAID RAISING MINIMUM WAGE.

WHAT ABOUT THE BUSINESS OWNER WHO IS  GOING TO SAY, I'M RUNNING THIS FOOD   TRUCK AND I CAN'T AFFORD TO THIS PERSON  ANY MORE THAN I'M ALREADY PAYING THEM.

ALSO, ANSWERING THIS QUESTION ABOUT  DIVERSIFYING LOCAL ECONOMY AWAY FROM TOURISM.

TWO PART ECONOMY QUESTION.

YES, I UNDERSTAND THAT 16 TO 18,   WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS NOT ENOUGH.

ESPECIALLY WITH THE RENTS AS HIGH AS THEY ARE.

WHERE YOU LIVE.

BUT THAT SAID, A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES   WHO WILL SAY, I CAN'T AFFORD THAT.

>> VERY MUCH SO.

THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

I JUST WANTED TO TOUCH ON WHAT   COUNCILMEMBER SAID.

PROGRAM THAT SHE  WAS TALKING ABOUT MEO CORE 4 PROGRAM.

>> PUSHED THROUGH ENTREPRENEURSHIP.

SO DIVERSIFYING OUR ECONOMY MEANS WORKING   ON BUILDING OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.

SO THE COUNTY CAN SUBSIDIZE.

UTILIZING BONDS, THEY CAN SUBSIDIZE WHATEVER  IS NECESSARY TO EXTENT, FOR SMALL BUSINESSES   FOR HOMEOWNERS, BUT ALSO, DIVERSIFYING  OUR ECONOMY TO BRING IN TECH INDUSTRIES,   TO BRING IN FILM INDUSTRY, HEALTH CARE WORKERS  WE NEED TO BUILD ON OUR HEALTH CARE WORKERS.

ONLY HAVE ONE HOSPITAL THAT SERVICES ALL  OF MAUI COUNTY.

WE NEED THE HEALTH CARE.

BECAUSE HAVING HEALTH CARE WORKERS AND TAKING  CARE OF THEM, MEANS WE HAVE A HEALTHIER MAUI.

HAVING A DIVERSIFIED ECONOMY,  MEANS WE HAVE A RESILIENT ECONOMY.

SO YES, MAKING 12 AND $14 FLIPPING BURGERS  FAST FOOD RESTAURANT IS NOT GOING TO ALLOW   STUDENT SHOULD I SAY, THAT IS JUST STARTING OFF  IN THE WORK FORCE TO BE ABLE TO EVEN RENT A UNIT.

FOR THEM TO MOVE OUTSIDE.

OF THE HOUSING OF FAMILY.

SO UNLESS THE WAGES ARE RAISED, SO THAT  OUR FAMILIES AND OUR CHILDREN CAN AFFORD   AT LEAST GO OUT ON THEIR OWN.

YES, OUR CULTURE DEALS A   LOT WITH GENERATIONAL HOUSING.

AND THAT HAS A LOT DO WITH CULTURE.

BUT STILL, YOU NEED THAT SENSE OF  PRIVACY AND SENSE OF BEING ON YOUR OWN.

SO THAT'S WHY I'M LOOKING AT RAISING.

>>Yunji: YOU'RE SUGGESTING   COUNTY WOULD SUBSIDIZE DINNERS.

>> COUNTY CAN DO SUBSIDIES WITH BONDS.

>>Yunji: TALK ABOUT VIEWER UPCOUNTRY.

QUESTION HERE, WHAT WERE YOUR IDEAS TO  DIVERSIFY LOCAL ECONOMY AWAY FROM TOURISM.

WHAT CAN THE COUNCIL DO.

>> WE'RE NOT READY GIVE UP TOURIST INDUSTRY.

SUCH A BIG PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.

>> WE NEED TO BALANCE IT.

AND THAT SOME OF THE INDUSTRIES  THAT I THINK ARE EXISTING ALREADY,   IS WE HAVE A LIVE ON HALEAKALA.

SO WE HAVE HALEAKALA OBSERVATORY.

AND THE DIFFERENT OBSERVATORY THAT IS ARE THERE  AND WORKING WITH THE MILITARY, SO THERE ARE JOBS   UP THERE THAT ARE HIGH PAYING JOBS THAT CAN BE  WE CAN WORK MORE BY GETTING OUR LOCAL PEOPLE   EMPLOYED THROUGH THAT INDUSTRY.

SO TECHNOLOGY, AND IN SOUTH MAUI,   WE HAVE A OPPORTUNITY I THINK THE AIR FORCE OR THE  MILITARY IS BUILDING A NOT TOO SURE HOW BIG IT IS.

THEY'RE EXPANDING THEIR REACH ON MAUI.

AND TO TRY TO GENERATE MORE JOBS.

>> SO OPPORTUNITIES LIKE  THAT THAT ARE COMING TO US.

THAT ARE I BELIEVE ARE IMPORTANT.

SO IT'S NOT ONLY VISITOR INDUSTRY.

I WAS RECENTLY AT THE HAWAII STATE ASSOCIATION OF  COUNTIES CONFERENCE, AND WE ALL KNOW WALTER DODS.

ONE OF THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER AND HE SAID,  I THINK HE HAD JUST DONATED I DON'T KNOW   HOW MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR ENTREPRENEUR  COLLEGE OR SCHOOL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII.

HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE ECONOMY.

AND HE LOOKED AT ALL OF US,   ALL POLICYMAKERS, HAWAII STATE ASSOCIATION OF  COUNTIES, ALL DIFFERENT COUNTIES AND HE SAID,   BEFORE YOU GET RID OF VISITORS, MAKE SURE  THAT YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO REPLACE IT.

WE'RE NOT THERE HE SAYS WOULD DAMAGE  OUR ECONOMY.

EVEN THE SHORT‑TERM   VACATION RENTALS IF WE'RE NOT GREAT, NOT  CAREFUL, WE'RE GOING TO DAMAGE OUR ECONOMY.

EVERY DECISION WE MAKE HAS A LOT OF  BIGGER DECISIONS THAT IMPACT OTHERS.

>> WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD FILM  COMMISSIONER THAT JUST STARTED WITH US.

AND I JUST SAW HIM.

GOING TO BE, WANTS TO BRING OVER REALLY BIG,   HE WOULDN'T TELL ME WHERE.

DO SOMETHING ON MAUI.

HE WANTS TO SHOW THAT MAUI IS OPEN.

MAUI IS NOT DEAD AFTER THE WILDFIRES.

SO THAT KIND OF ENERGY GOING ON.

THERE'S THE TECH INDUSTRY.

WE ALSO HAVE COUNCIL GIVES OUT $2 MILLION  GRANT PROGRAM THAT WE PUT INTO OUR BUDGET.

TO GIVE TO FARMERS, SO WE'RE TRYING  TO NURTURE FARMERS IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO APPLY.

THAT'S THROUGH MAUI ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.

APPLY THERE.

GET UP TO $25,000.

SO THESE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE DOING  TO SUPPORT TRYING TO BUILD OTHER INDUSTRIES.

>>Yunji: JUST ADDRESS, BRIEFLY  WANT TO MAKE SURE WE COVER LAHAINA.

ONLY HAVE ABOUT 20 MINUTES LEFT.

>> ONLY TO TOUCH ON THE JOBS   SHE MENTIONED HALEAKALA AND WHAT IS  COMING FORTH IN THE R&T PARK IN KIHEI.

KULA KAI.

THEY'RE NOT JOBS CREATED.

FOR OUR PEOPLE.

THOSE JOBS ARE FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL.

THEY'RE NOT FOR OUR PEOPLE.

THAT'S JUST WHAT WANTED TO CORRECT YOU  HAVE TO BE MEMBER TO WORK AT HALEAKALA   YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT EXPERTISE AND THAT  TRAINING AND HAVE THAT SECURITY CLEARANCE.

>> THEIR JOBS FOR LOCAL PEOPLE.

>> AND OF COURSE THERE'S A MILITARY.

HOW IT ALL COMES TOGETHER.

>> I WANT TO CORRECT THAT.

AND THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO BROADEN OUR  BASE, I ALWAYS SAY, WHEN SENATOR INOUYE WAS ALIVE   AND HELPED US BY BUILDING THE SUPERCOMPUTER WHICH  IS AT THAT LOCATION, RESEARCH TECHNOLOGY PARK,   THAT STRUCTURE IS STILL THERE.

AND STILL USING IT.

MILITARY IS FOR WHATEVER.

BUT FEDERAL DOLLARS COMING IN   AS WELL AS EMPLOYING LOCAL PEOPLE.

MY FRIEND'S DAUGHTER IS LIKE   A RECEPTIONIST OVER THERE.

>> NOT PART OF THE MILITARY.

THERE'S LOCAL JOBS THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND IT'S  NOT ONLY FOR YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE AN OFFICER.

>>Yunji: MOVE ON TO LAHAINA.

>> FOUR OF YOU ARE RUNNING   TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT REPRESENT KAHULUI UPCOUNTRY.

COUNCIL WILL HAVE TREMENDOUS ROLE RESHAPING WHAT   HAPPENS TO COMMUNITY AND GUIDING THAT PROCESS.

HEAR A LOT COMMUNITY SHOULD LEAD THE WAY.

EACH OF YOU SEEING THAT COME TO PASS SO  NOT MIRED IN YEARS AND YEARS OF DISCUSSION   WITHOUT PROGRESS BEING MADE.

INFRASTRUCTURE BEING BUILT.

AND PEOPLE ACTUALLY GETTING BACK INTO  HOUSING AND REBUILDING THEIR COMMUNITIES.

SO START WITH YOU.

HOW DO YOU THINK WE MAKE SURE THAT'S COMMUNITY   CAN LEAD THE WAY BUT AT THE SAME TIME, MAKE SURE  THAT WE'RE MOVING FAST ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE THE   NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE WOULD WANT TO MOVE HOME?

>> SO AS NATIVE HAWAIIAN, I WOULD SAY WHAT I   WOULD EXPRESS OR WANT TO HAVE EXPRESSED  IS FACT THAT LAHAINA WAS THE SEAT OF   GOVERNMENT FOR OUR HAWAIIAN KINGDOM.

SO IT HAS A LOT OF CULTURAL HISTORY TO   A LOT OF NATIVE HAWAIIANS THAT LIVE AND THEY  DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO LIVE IN LAHAINA.

IT'S JUST IF YOU HAVE THE KOKO  BLOOD, YOU ARE NATIVE HAWAIIAN.

>> A LOT OF HISTORY TO YOU.

MAX A LOT OF SENSE TO YOU.

THAT HAS TO BE REMEMBERED.

THERE ARE A LOT OF LOCAL EAS.

FISH PONDS, THAT WERE AROUND THE COMPOUND  OF KAMEHAMEHA III, WHICH IS MOKULUA I   WOULD WANT MOKULUA TO BE BROUGHT BACK.

EVIDENCE OF THE FISH PONDS COMING BACK IS   ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE TENNIS COURT,  MOKULUA AREA, THERE IS A PARKING GARAGE.

I WAS ABLE TO TOUR THE BURN ZONE IN THAT  PARKING GARAGE, THE WATER IS ALREADY UP.

AND THAT'S COMING FROM THE STREAMS.

THE FISH PONDS THAT EXISTED BEFORE, WATERS   COMING DOWN FROM MAUKA, BECAUSE THAT IS STREAMS  THAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING INSTEAD OF DIVERSION.

LOOK AT CULTURE, MAKE SURE THAT THE HAWAIIAN  CULTURE IS BROUGHT FORTH AT THE FOREFRONT,   BUT BEING ABLE TO BRING ALL THE  DIVERSIFIED, CULTURES THAT MAKE UP LAHAINA.

>>Yunji: HOW DO WE DO THAT AND ALSO, MEET  THE TIME LINES THAT ARE NECESSARY TO MAKE   SURE THAT LAHAINA IS REBUILT SO PEOPLE  CAN GO BACK, PEOPLE WANT GO BACK NOW.

RIGHT?

>> I REALLY   BELIEVE THAT COMMUNITY, THAT COMMUNITY IN ITSELF  HAVE TO DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES HOW TO REBUILD IT   BUT WE HAVE THE OFFICE OF RECOVERY THAT IS THERE  ALMOST EVERY WEEK TALKING TO THEM, HELPING THEM,   TO REBUILD, TO APPLY FOR PERMITS.

TO DO WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY NEED   TO HELP NAVIGATE THROUGH THAT WHOLE PROCESS OF  REBUILDING AND ALSO, PROCESS OF HEALING TOO.

IT'S IN ORDER REBUILD WHEN YOUR HEART  IS BREAKING, AND WHEN YOU CAN'T FOCUS   AND YOU CAN'T CONCENTRATE.

IN TERMS OF PEOPLE THEMSELVES,   HOW TO BEGIN DISCUSSION AND END THE  DISCUSSION WITH SOME DECISIONMAKING.

I ALWAYS THINK ABOUT COMMUNITIES  LIKE THAT AS NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND PEOPLE ON THE STREET ON ONE STREET OR  PEOPLE IN ONE NEIGHBORHOOD, ONE CUL‑DE‑SAC,   WHEN THEY START TO GET TOGETHER AND START  TO PLAN THINGS, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

WHEN THEY MEET WITH THE MAYOR AND  HIS TEAM EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

BIG PROPONENT THAT FOR THAT COMMUNITY,  THAT THEY GET TO DECIDE AND THEY TELL,   SHOULD BE TELLING WHAT IT IS THAT THEY WANT  TO BE ABLE TO REBUILD AND I CAN SUPPORT THAT.

WHATEVER IT IS, THAT THE PEOPLE WANT  AND HOW THEY WANT TO REBUILD, AND IF   THEY WANT TO TAKE THE ROUTE OF RESTORING  HISTORIC PLACES, MOKULUA A SUPPORT THAT.

MORE INTERESTED HOW DO I GET MY HOME BUILT?

GET THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS.

HOW DO I GET THE MONEY TO BUILD MY HOME THAT WHEN  I BOUGHT MY HOME FIRST PLACE, IT WAS $50,000.

NOW   I'M LOOKING AT SOMETIMES 100 TIMES MORE THAN THAT.

THOSE ARE THE CONCERNS OF PEOPLE HAVE AND   THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT FOCUSING ON NOW.

THAT'S THE KIND OF STUFF I WANT TO HELP THEM   GET THROUGH IMMEDIATELY SO THEY CAN GET BACK  INTO THE HOMES AND HAVE SOME SENSE OF PEACE.

>>Yunji: WE ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW THE COMMUNITY  VOICE CAN BE INCLUDED WHILE ALSO MAKING PROGRESS?

>> SO I THINK IT'S INTEGRAL PART HAVING  COMMUNITY'S VOICE BE A PART OF THE PROCESS BECAUSE   I BELIEVE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE.

FOR THE PEOPLE.

THAT'S IN OUR STATE CONSTITUTION.

>> ALSO, AND I JUST AGAIN AM HUGE   PROPONENT OF ALSO RESTORING MOKULUA A TALK  ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE AND OUR ENVIRONMENT IS   HUGE PART OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND THAT WILL HELP US TO MANAGE   SOME OF THE FIRE BREAKS BECAUSE LAND  THAT IS LIVING IS LESS LIKELY TO BURN.

AGAIN GOING BACK TO GOVERNMENT FOR  THE PEOPLE, I THINK IT SHOULD BE   COMMUNITY‑LED AND GOVERNMENT FUNDED.

>> BECAUSE WITH THE BYPASS THAT'S A   HUGE THING GETTING HOSPITAL OVER THERE.

I THINK WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SEEK,   LOOKED UP SOME GOVERNMENT GRANTS FOR THE BYPASS.

>> GRANTS FOR THE HOSPITALS.

SO YOU THINK WE ARE GOING TO HAVE  TAKE SOME FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THAT.

>> THEN AGAIN, STREAMLINING  THE PERMITTING PROCESS.

I THINK WE TALK WITH THE COMMUNITY.

WE TALK WITH DEVELOPERS.

INTERESTED IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

AND THEN WE CREATE A STREAMLINED   PERMITING PROCESS WHEREBY IT'S CENTRALIZED.

CAN GET THESE THINGS PASSED THROUGH AND GET   PEOPLE BACK HOME FEELING COMFORTABLE AND SAFER.

>>Yunji: WHAT DO YOU SEE COUNTY ROLE IN ALL   OF THIS AND MAKE SURE THERE  IS CONSENSUS IN COMMUNITY.

PEOPLE WILL DISAGREE WITH DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE.

BUT THINGS NEED TO HAPPEN.

INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS TO BUILT.

PEOPLE NEED TO GO HOME.

>> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT KIND OF STRUCTURE.

WHAT WE'RE SEEING.

WE SEE COUNTY GOVERNMENT   HAVING COMMUNITY MEETINGS, AND TAKING THAT  AND IN OCTOBER, HAVE A LONGTERM RECOVERY   PLAN WAITING FOR THAT TO BE GIVEN TO US.

IN THERE, WILL BE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM   THE COUNTY OF HOW WE'RE GOING MOVE FORWARD.

THE MAYOR HAS PUT TOGETHER A TEAM OF A THINK   SIX PEOPLE THAT HE MEETS WITH REGULARLY.

THEY'RE PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY AND  THEY TALK TO OTHER PEOPLE.

AND BRING INFORMATION FORWARD.

>> THAT'S ONE WAY.

THE OTHER WAY IS THE WEDNESDAY NIGHT MEETINGS  THAT HAPPEN WHERE THEY'RE TALKING TO WHATEVER   THE LATEST INFORMATION THAT PEOPLE NEED.

BUT REALLY NEED IS A STRUCTURE SO THAT IT CAN   BE A BODY OF LAHAINA PEOPLE, I BELIEVE.

KIND OF LIKE HAWAII COMMUNITY   DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

>> OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.

SO THAT THEY'LL BE A STRUCTURE  AND DECISIONS CAN BE MADE.

BUT I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE READY FOR THAT YET.

BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF HURT STILL.

LEGISLATURE COMING UP I KNOW THAT LEGISLATURE  TRIED TO IMPLEMENT AND SUGGEST HCDA OF DOING IT.

AS WELL AS I THINK SENATOR DELA CRUZ HAD ANOTHER   I THINK CALLED LEILEI VILLAGE.

I THINK ALL GOOD IDEAS.

WHAT THE LEGISLATURE IS SAYING  YOU NEED TO HAVE SOME STRUCTURE.

AND WE'RE GOING TO GET THERE.

I KNOW WE HAVE TO GET THERE.

BECAUSE WE NEED TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS.

LIKE WHAT WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT.

>> COUNTY I WANT TO SEE, IS WHAT WE'RE  DOING IS WE'RE DOING WHAT WE DO BEST.

WHICH IS INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO WATER, AND WASTEWATER,   ROADS, ALL THE THINGS THAT WERE DAMAGED  WITH THE FIRE GRADUALLY PUTTING BACK.

AFTER ONE WHOLE YEAR BY AUGUST 8, THE WATER  DEPARTMENT FINALLY SAID THERE'S WATER THAT   YOU CAN DRINK IN THE WHOLE LAHAINA AREA IN THE  BURN ZONE AREA WHEREAS YOU COULDN'T BEFORE.

EXPERIENCE THAT WITH UPCOUNTRY WHERE WE  DIDN'T HAVE ANY WATER THAT RESIDENTS COULD   DRINK FOR ONE MONTH.

>> THREE MONTHS.

SO UNTIL THE WATER IS PURE AND ABLE TO BE  CONSUMED, THAT'S THE ROLE COUNTY CAN DO.

GOT TO DO THE INFRASTRUCTURE THINGS AND I ALSO  WANT TO SEE BONDING, COUNTY CANNOT BOND PRIVATE.

WE CAN BOND OURSELVES BUT WE CANNOT  BOND A HOUSE SOMEBODY HAS OR WHATEVER.

>> CLARIFYING THAT WE WILL BOND THINGS  AND THIS FISCAL YEAR '25 BUDGET.

LIKE $200 MILLION OF CIP, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT  PROJECTS THAT DEPARTMENTS ARE DOING.

BUT WE NEED TO DO MORE FOCUSED  THINGS LIKE THAT SO THAT WE CAN   BRING LAHAINA BACK AND BRING IT BACK STRONGER.

>>Yunji: TWO OF YOU HAVE WORKED WITH MAYOR BISSEN.

>> TWO OF YOU HAVE NOT.

INTERESTED JUST BRIEFLY TO   GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON MAYOR AND HOW HE'S DONE HIS  JOB AND WHAT YOUR RELATIONSHIP IS LIKE WITH HIM.

HAS TO WORK CLOSELY WITH COUNCIL.

>> WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP.

MOST IMPORTANT THING WE HAVE ALL LEARNED HOW TO  DO, I REALLY IMPORTANT, IS HOW DO YOU TAKE THIS,   NOBODY COULD EVER GUESS THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN.

THIS DISASTER.

AND IS IT WAS SO HURTFUL, IT WAS SO DEVASTATING.

AND OUR RELATIONSHIP WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING   WITH HIM AND WHAT PROJECTS HE NEEDS TO DO.

AFTER THE FIRE, I NEED TO HIRE 8 PEOPLE DONE.

CAME DOWN WITH BUDGET AMENDMENT.

SURE, WHATEVER WE CAN POLICYWISE,   THINGS WE NEED TO DO.

I'M LOOKING AT REAL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF AGAIN.

BECAUSE WE DID REAL PROPERTY TAX RELEASE  FOR THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN LAHAINA.

FROM THE TIME OF THE FIRE,  UP UNTIL END OF THIS YEAR.

I SHOULDN'T SAY WE HAVE TO STILL VOTE ON IT.

>> BUT EXTEND IT FOR YEAR.

WE NEED TO DO THINGS LIKE THAT TO SUPPORT  THE PEOPLE.

AS MEMBER KAMA TALKS ABOUT   TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO REBUILD,  HURT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH STEP BY STEP.

>>Yunji: WHAT IS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MAYOR?

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE JOB HE'S DONE?

>> REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MAYOR.

I CALL HIM, TEXT HIM ABOUT A WHOLE BUNCH OF STUFF.

HE RESPONDS BACK.

VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

I DON'T ALWAYS AGREE WITH A LOT OF THINGS  THAT HE DOES, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT I'M   NOT GOING SUPPORT HIM NEEDS SUPPORT.

>> I WILL ALWAYS SUPPORT HIM.

LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE.

>> WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE TOO SOMETIMES.

IT DOESN'T MATTER.

WHAT DOES MATTER THINGS WE CAN AGREE ON.

MOVE FORWARD ON THOSE.

DON'T AGREE, ON THE SIDE,   LET'S NOT ARGUE ABOUT IT.

>>Yunji: WHAT YOUR THOUGHT   ON MAYOR BISSEN LEADERSHIP?

>> I DON'T KNOW HIM PERSONALLY.

I WILL SAY MOST RECENT BACKING FOR THE  EAST MAUI WATER AUTHORITY, WAS REALLY   GRATEFUL THAT I STEPPED IN AND DID THAT FOR US.

I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO HAVE TO   BE A MAYOR AFTER THE TRAGEDY THAT HAPPENED.

I DO HAVE TO SAY THERE WERE PLANS  IN 2018 AFTER THE 2018 FIRE.

I KNOW WASN'T IN OFFICE THEN.

BUT SOME OF THE TRAGEDY WAS A   LITTLE BIT FORESEEABLE AND IT WOULD BE NICE IF  NOW THE COUNTY WE COME UP WITH MORE ACTION PLANS.

SO WHEN WE HAVE A PLAN, ASSIGN SOMEBODY TO A JOB.

ASSIGN DATES TO THAT HOLD PEOPLE MORE ACCOUNTABLE.

FOR TO SEE THE PROGRESS OF  WHERE THESE PLANS ARE AT.

SO THAT NOTHING LIKE THIS EVER HAPPENS AGAIN.

>>Yunji: JUST BRIEFLY BECAUSE   WE'RE ALMOST OUT OF TIME.

>> DO WANT TO GIVE YOU ALL CLOSING THOUGHT.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT  MAYOR BISSEN LEADERSHIP?

WORKING RELATIONSHIP I HAVE NO, NOT  WORKED WITH HIM REALLY DON'T KNOW.

PERSONAL LEVEL, I HAVE A HIGH REGARD FOR HIM.

WE'VE BEEN DIFFERENT ENTITIES TOGETHER.

SO I HAVE A HIGH REGARD AS FAR AS PERSONAL GOES.

I MUST SAY THOUGH THAT IN THIS JOB, IT WAS   A VERY MUCH LEARNING CURVE BECAUSE  WHAT HAS HAPPENED, YOU NEVER WOULD   HAVE EXPECTED EXPECTED TO DON'T PLAN FOR IT.

DON'T HAVE A BOOK, THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.

LEARNING CURVE FOR ALL OF US.

>> HE DID OKAY.

DON'T AGREE ON EVERYTHING.

BUT IF YOU DON'T  AGREE, YOU COME TOGETHER, YOU TALK ABOUT IT,   YOU COMPROMISE AND YOU HOLOMUA.

>>Yunji: WE'VE GOT ABOUT 3 MINUTES.

UNDER A MINUTE EACH IF I COULD  JUST GET A FINAL THOUGHT FROM YOU.

>> I WANT TO SEE THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO YOU AND  TO PBS FOR ALLOWING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.

AND TO AT LEAST SHARE OUR PLATFORM  AND OUR VISION FOR OUR PEOPLE.

JUST REMEMBER FOR ME, MY PLAN  PLATFORM, PEOPLE COME FIRST.

RESIDENTS COUNT.

>>Yunji: THANK YOU.

FINAL THOUGHT.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AGAIN FOR HAVING US.

I HAVE SAID THIS A LOT IN DIFFERENT FORUMS.

BELIEVE MAZLOW'S HIERARCHY OF  NEED: FOOD, WATER, SHELTER.

HUGE ADVOCATE FOR FARMERS ON ISLAND, THAT  AGRICULTURE CAN HELP US PIVOT TO MORE ECOTOURISM.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND GETTING THE  WATER TO THE FARMERS THAT NEED IT.

>> BECAUSE THAT IS HUGE.

I THINK OUR FARMERS SHOULD BE FIRST IN LINE TO GET   A LOT OF THE WATER OVER THESE PRIVATE DEVELOPERS.

BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO BE WOULD HELPS FEED OUR   ISLAND AND BECOME SOVEREIGN AGAIN.

>>Yunji: FINAL THOUGHT TONIGHT.

>> WHEN I WAS A KID GROWING UP  GRANDMA TAUGHT US SO MANY THINGS.

SOMETIMES THINGS SHE WAS WANTING TO TEACH  US I WOULD TELL HER, TUTU, TOO HARD.

SHE WOULD SAY HIKI NO.

CAN DO.

VERY GRATEFUL FOR BEING HERE IN THIS PLACE THAT  CAN DO AND COLLECTIVELY, I KNOW WE ALL CAN DO WHAT   IS THE BEST FOR ALL OF OUR PEOPLE.

WHETHER WE GET ELECTED.

RE‑ELECTED OR NOT ELECTED AT ALL, I KNOW THAT  WE CAN ALL DO IT BECAUSE WE LOVE OUR PEOPLE.

THANK YOU.

>>Yunji: THANK YOU.

YOU GET THE LAST WORD.

>> THANK YOU.

SO THE OTHER NIGHT, WE WERE  AT LAHAINA STRONG FORUM.

AND AS WE WERE ON THE OCEAN, CANOE  BEACH, RIGHT ON THE OCEAN DOING MY FORUM,   SEE THIS CANOE COMING IN.

THE KIDS OR WHATEVER THAT   WERE I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT?

WE ALL ARE PART OF THIS CANOE.

THAT YOU NEED THE MAYOR, YOU NEED US, YOU NEED BUT  LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY, VOICES OF THE COMMUNITY,   WE ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER, AND THAT IS THE  ROLE THAT WE HAVE TO PLAY AND TO BE SURE THAT   THE VOICES ARE HEARD AND THAT DECISIONS  ARE MADE SO THAT WE BUILD A BETTER FUTURE.

AND IT IS HARD BECAUSE OF THE DISASTER, REALLY  KIND OF DIFFERENT SITUATION, BUT WE CAN DO IT AND   WE ARE DOING IT SLOWLY, DAY BY DAY.

>>Yunji: THANK YOU.

THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.

MAHALO FOR JOINING US TONIGHT  AND WE THANK OUR GUESTS, THE CANDIDATES FOR MAUI COUNTY  COUNCIL KAHULUI AND UPCOUNTRY RESIDENCY SEATS:  CAROL LEE KAMEKONA FROM KAHULUI AND JOCELYN CRUZ FROM  UPCOUNTRY.

TASHA KAMA FROM KAHULUI AND  YUKI LEI KASHIWA SUGIMURA FROM UPCOUNTRY.

NEXT WEEK WE WILL FEATURE OUR LAST RACE FOR ELECTION 2024  AND WE WILL MEET WITH THE CANDIDATES FOR U.S. SENATE  DISTRICT 1, WHICH INCLUDES URBAN OAHU.

PLEASE JOIN US THEN.

I’M YUNJI DE NIES FOR INSIGHTS  ON PBS HAWAII.

ALOHA.