Strides toward affordable housing for local residents By Gabe Johnson As a former member of the working poor who’s lived on Lānaʻi in low-income housing as a single father, I know the struggle of trying to make ends meet in a housing crisis. That is why I have made it my mission during my first […]
Coastal erosion, large-wave impacts and sea-level rise are distinct and serious issues for our shorelines. In Kahana, nine condominium complexes are imminently threatened, and another building was deemed uninhabitable because of increasing coastal erosion cracking the foundation. Lower Honoapiʻilani Road, fronting Kaʻōpala Bay, is facing a similar threat. The road covers a charged waterline located […]
“Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves, and the only way they could do this is by not voting.”—President Franklin D. Roosevelt The right to vote has thankfully become deeply ingrained in our American psyche as an assumed right, one that is owed to us […]
Question of establishing community water authorities will be brought to voters on November 8 By Shane M. Sinenci Published in the Maui News August 27, 2022 On July 18, the county council passed a resolution bringing the option of local water control to voters on the Nov. 8 ballot. If approved, the charter amendment will […]
By Keani N.W. Rawlins Fernandez Shortly after joining the council, I noticed unfairness in the structure of our county’s potable water rates. A hotel or resort using over 35,000 gallons of water was charged a lower rate than a single-family dwelling using the same amount. This disparity was based on a technical defect in the […]
Promoting affordable housing in the Apartment Districts by Alice L. Lee Published in the Maui News June 18, 2022 Affordable housing is at the top of the list of what our residents and communities need and demand. The problem can seem intractable at times, with many complexities and underlying issues that defy easy solutions. There […]
Maui County 2023 Budget, a moral document to be proud of by Gabe Johnson For the fiscal year 2023 budget session, my focus was addressing our county’s biggest issues, the housing crisis and houselessness, diversifying our economy and caring for our kupuna. I’m proud to have worked with my council colleagues during the Budget, Finance […]
Budget balances fiscal resources with community needs By Tasha Kama As the Maui County Council is putting the final touches on its review of the mayor’s fiscal year 2023 budget, members have been busy weighing the county’s revenues and costs as well as the community’s needs for valuable services. Whether caring for our seniors, offering […]
Receiving community testimony in new hybrid model By Tamara Paltin My purpose in pursuing a role in government has always been to give a voice to local people and to collaborate toward solutions for a better quality of life for residents. I’m grateful my colleagues on the Maui County Council share this vision. Together, we’ve […]
Home Restoration Grant Program another tool to help long-term residents stay in their homes By Michael J. Molina We’ve all seen the news about housing prices reaching, once again, record levels in Maui County (“New year brings new high prices for Maui homes,” The Maui News, Feb. 18). But what’s less well known is that […]
