Council incumbents move ahead

LIHU‘E – Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho was poised to join incumbent Kaua‘i County Council candidates in the Nov. 2 General Election.

As of the second print-out of election results Saturday night, Iseri-Carvalho led incumbent Maurice “Joe” Munechika, a one-time Grove Farm Company executive and Vietnam veteran, for the coveted seventh slot in a council race, a run-off that boasted 17 non-partisan candidates.

As of the second election readout, with 38 percent of the vote and more than 13,000 votes cast, Iseri-Carvalho had garnered 5,637 votes to Munechika’s 5,609 votes.

The more than 13,000 votes represented those from all the Kaua‘i precincts, but not all the votes tallied, according to county election officials.

In past Kaua‘i elections, the primary election results generally have reflected the outcome of the general election results, political observers and island politicians have said.

Iseri-Carvalho had been anticipated to do well in the primary election because she has excelled as a Kaua‘i County deputy prosecuting attorney, and hails from Kawaihau District, the largest population area on Kaua‘i.

Iseri-Carvalho also has made it a point, along with her family and campaign team, to meet as many new supporters as possible.

Iseri-Carvalho was not immediately available for comment Saturday night.

Based on the second voter readout, the incumbents poised to enter into the November election were chairman Kaipo Asing, vice chair James Tokioka, councilmemers JoAnn Yukimura, Daryl Kaneshiro, Mel Rapozo and Jay Furfaro.

In general, Kaua‘i voters threw their support behind the incumbent council members because they have worked to resolve some of the gravest problems afflicting the island. They include the lack of affordable housing, property tax reform, and protection of public access.

As of the second ballot readout, Yukimura, a former mayor, garnered 8,334 votes, the most of any of the 14 candidates that will battle it out in the general election.

Three others, Peggy Field, Bob Cariffe and Marshall Turner failed to draw enough votes to advance to the November election, and were eliminated.

Asing came in second in the voting, with 7,689 votes; Rapozo came in third with 7,167 votes; Furfaro came in fourth with 6,553 votes; Daryl Kaneshiro came in fifth with 6,376 votes and Tokioka came in sixth with 6,196 votes.

Also poised to head into the general election were Munechika; who finished eighth; Tim Bynum, who finished ninth with 3,095; Johnnette Kauilani Kahalekai, who finished tenth with 2943 votes; Rhoda Libre, who finished 11th with 2836 votes; Bruce Miyashiro, who finished 12th with 1,844 votes; Rupert Rowe, who finished 13th with 1,387 and Bruce Pleas, who finished in the last spot, 14th, with 1,239 votes.

The primary election for the council race has, perhaps, drawn more public attention partly because of the large number of candidates vying for the seven-seat council.

A popular candidate, Rapozo, who was at the county’s election office last night with his wife, Patsy, and his 12-year-old son, Baron, said he was grateful for finishing so high in the race, and thanked supporters.

“I am glad the people appreciate what I tried to do,” said Rapozo, who successfully pushed for legislation, for one thing, that called for stiffer crimes against violators in a grading and grubbing ordinance he helped strengthened.

Rapozo said the number of votes he received was encouraging, noting that “we have a long way to go” and that “we will be working strong toward the general (election).”

The first vote tally readouts at 7:30 p.m. had all seven incumbent council members ahead.

With 5,444 votes cast, comprising all walk-in absentee ballot votes and mailed-in absentee ballots, with the exception of those not mailed in as of Saturday, Yukimura lead the way with 3,144 votes, followed by Asing with 3,022 votes and Rapozo with 2,949 votes.

Some critics of the council incumbents felt they could be replaced in this election year, contending they had not done enough to address solid waste issues and continual traffic congestion problems.

No concrete plan to resolve either of those two problems has been offered by incumbent council members, but they have formed strategies, through meetings with residents and discussion.

In the past two years, Yukimura proposed a resolution for an integrated land Transportation plan. The plan proposed to bring government, businesses and residents together to find ways to mitigate daily traffic congestion on Kaua‘i.

The rest of the council liked the idea in concept and approved the resolution.

The measure, which merely expresses the wish of the council, also asks that the state government play a major role in resolving traffic jams on state highways, which are under the jurisdiction of the state Department of Transportation.

The council acknowledges disposal of the island’s trash and debris is critical, because the life span of the Kekaha landfill, although it can be expanded, will be coming to a close in the near future.

But the council has not acted on a solid waste management plan that was developed in the early 1990s, when Yukimura was mayor.

The council members have said new ways of disposing trash exists today, and would like to see them incorporated in the plan before it is implemented.

Council members have pointed proudly to progress in these areas:

• Restructuring the county tax system so that longtime residents won’t be taxed of their land.

• Strengthening the county and grading ordinance to prevent environmental hazards.

• Planning for the day when more affordable housing can be built. Yukimura has said implementation of a limited equity housing program is a workable option.

The program has worked in some Mainland communities, and if implemented on Kaua‘i, would enable moderate-income folks to get into housing as island market prices skyrocket, Yukimura has said.

Furfaro, meanwhile, has asked the council to consider a resolution to establish a policy to acquire land for the development of affordable housing.

• Funding an audit of government services. Rapozo said he wants to bring back efficiency and accountability to the county government.

• Rezoning of land for a 1002-acre residential, resort and commercial development at Kukui‘ula in Po‘ipu.

The council imposed conditions requiring the developer, Kukuiula Development Co. Hawaii, LLC., to build some housing for employees at the resort, including those with income restrictions, and employees of Kaua‘i County.

Yukimura strongly supported the requirement, saying having employees work and live in and around the resort would mean less daily traffic on state and county roads.

• Approving a balanced $102.5-million county operating budget this fiscal year that provides nearly $4 million in property tax revenue relief.

• Developing strategy to help Kaua‘i seniors who live alone. A county report noted many Kaua‘i elderly residents have diabetes, and that their numbers are growing faster than the state average.

• A review of the county’s response to a July 15 chemical fire at the Lihu‘e refuge station to help with better coordination of emergency county services.

• Creating a commission to set up a priority list as part of a county plan to acquire land to preserve public access for future generations of residents and visitors.

Funding also was set aside by the council to hire an open space/public access specialist to help facilitate the plan.

The county fund to allow for identifying and funding projects was established through a charter amendment that was approved by voters in 2002.

Lester Chang, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) and lchang@pulitzer.net