Felicia for Mayor of Kaua’i & Ni’ihau

Keeping our people housed is #1

I will continue the Kawakami administration’s work in providing the much-needed affordable housing communities that we have underway.

Structuring temporary Safety Zones will help to humanely move unhoused people off the sidewalks and out of the bushes into areas of greater stability and lowered impacts to our public spaces.

Long-term market rate rentals directed at our working people requires a restructuring of what is now prohibitive taxation on market rate, that creates unaffordable rent for our gap working community.

Upgrading our infrastructure is essential to reclaim our stability which includes roads, water, sewer and solid waste.

Support county water system improvements through bonds backed by the County for matching grant funding. Water is essential for strengthening our communities.

Explore and embrace innovative technology for reducing our waste stream, both for solid waste and waste water. The structure for this process is underway.

Develop and reclaim evacuation routes for emergency response with a structure that holds potential for future additional road pathways to alleviate traffic congestion.

Remove the silos in government with bi-monthly department head meetings reviewing measurable and coordinated goals such that the public and council can understand and support the County’s improvement objectives,

From global to local, the ways of earning a living have shifted substantially where county policies need to adapt to support our people finding a way to build a life filled with purpose and stability.

Supporting agriculture at all levels is a high priority. Small scale diversified farms that feed Kauai and supply our farmers markets along with export value-added crops such as Koloa Rum, Kauai Coffee, produce from Aloun Farms, and cattle are important. Landscape and agricultural supportive businesses are another important vector.

The Visitor Industry will continue to be a primary economic driver, supporting of a wide range of small businesses, adventure businesses, health and wellness and amplifier of our sports industries from surfing to golfing and everything in between. I support the continued shift to Destination Management Action Planning in which our authentic cultural experiences and natural environment are highlighted rather than exploited. This sector continues to be an employer of many people, amplifies our arts, and the highest tax contributor to support our county government..

Brick-and-mortar businesses keep Kauai strong and resilient. They are an essential part of the functioning of our communities. County needs to partner to help retain this important presence.

Large shifts are happening with the internet and gig economies. The Amazon distribution center is moving to Kauai as a reflection of people’s shopping habits. Our economic development policies need to adapt to changing work patterns. A most resilient economy is a circular economy where production and consumption occurs locally.

A clear gap in our workforce is in the trades and needed for our construction industry. Active partnership with the college and trade unions are of value to inspire and train more basic trades people as their skills are essential to building and maintaining the physical environment that sustain us.

On the individual level, micro businesses are on the rise and providing opportunities to more home-centered people from crafts building on-line businesses and at the pop-up markets, to those running TikTok shops, lyft drivers, Instacart, and a whole range of economic opportunities.

Caring for our natural environment is essential for

• healthy aquifer and watersheds

• reducing floods, fires and natural disasters

• control of invasive species

• preservation of indigenous plants and animals

• healthy food production from the mountain to the sea

• retaining our beautiful vistas, open space and natural beauty

As mayor, it is important to serve all of our island people working to honor what unites us and amplify how our different populations can strengthen us all.

Our Hawaiian culture is the foundation of what makes us Hawaii and carries the wisdom and knowledge of how to successfully care for the environment and live in isolation. Perpetuating our Hawaiian culture and recognizing the practitioners as essential to a healthy, functioning Kauai will be integrated in policy development, board appointments, consideration for fishing and hunting access, new street names, and more. We will continue to nourish canoe clubs, protect and amplify cultural sites, keiki and kupuna programs, hula halau, customary rights for loi kalo, olelo, our charter schools and cultural celebrations.

Partnership with cultural, and non-profit groups reflecting the range of people groups that have brought their knowledge and heritage to Hawaii over the past couple centuries will continue in importance.

Service groups, food providers, shelters, churches, mental health, youth, sports and justice advocacy organizations are essential partners for a healthy community..

Recognized inclusion of our newer residents with their gifts of talent, capacity and volunteerism will be welcomed to strengthen the island that they call home. We also embrace the valued support that has come for decades, even generations, from our part-time families. We are all better together, undivided and helping one another.