LIHU’E – Billy Swain was born and raised on Kaua`i. The 44-year-old, first-term County Council member is no stranger to politics, either. Prior to being elected to the council in 1998, Swain was a state representative for one two-year term.
LIHU’E – Billy Swain was born and raised on Kaua`i. The 44-year-old, first-term
County Council member is no stranger to politics, either.
Prior to being
elected to the council in 1998, Swain was a state representative for one
two-year term.
The father of four (his wife Lorrie is a nurse at Wilcox
Memorial Hospital) said his main motivation for staying in politics at a local
level is “the community aspect. I want to help make our island as good as it
can be.”
He said the biggest difference between serving in the Legislature
and on the council is the media.
“Here, we’re on (local access) TV so much.
Everyone gets to see the issue at hand quickly. In a grocery store, I go 15
feet and somebody says, ‘Why did you decide this?’ Go another 15 feet and get a
different opinion,” he said.
Swain, who hopes voters this fall give him a
second two-year council term, feels good about his first one.
“I had a
couple of goals: Dealing with abandoned vehicles and the lifeguard situation.
And I got a bill passed on each of them” in the Legislature, he said.
More
money will be available for handling abandoned vehicles, and that issue will be
addressed in the next fiscal year.
Swain’s attempt to get indemnity for
lifeguards passed but was vetoed by Governor Ben Cayetano. But, according to
Swain, the bill will be retooled and once again presented to the
governor.
As for what’s next, Swain said, “The traffic is a major problem.
We have to work closely with the state Department of Transportation. Every time
we build a new road, by the time it’s done we’re five or 10 years
behind.”
Swain also mentioned control of Kaua`i Electric and the
solid-waste disposal situation as major issues.
“I use the whole Kaua`i
Electric issue as a model for how a process can work. We studied the issue,
brought in the experts and the community also brought in experts. Decisions
were made. It’s a model of how to deal with major issues,” he said.
His job
as a council member, he said, consists of “three steps. One, listen well. Two,
study hard. And three, make a good decision.”
Staff writer Dennis
Wilken can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) and [
HREF=”mailto:dwilken@pulitzer.net”>dwilken@pulitzer.net]
