LIHUE — All seven candidates for the Kauai Office of the Mayor were on hand Tuesday night at the Kauai Chamber of Commerce Mayor’s Forum at Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall.
LIHUE — All seven candidates for the Kauai Office of the Mayor were on hand Tuesday night at the Kauai Chamber of Commerce Mayor’s Forum at Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall.
More than 250 people filled the auditorium to hear the candidates — Derek Kawakami, Ana Mo Des, Debra Kekaualua, Clint Yago, Lenny Rapozo, JoAnn Yukimura, and Mel Rapozo — provide a three-minute introduction before settling down to answer individual questions set forth by moderator Chris Gampon.
Candidates’ fielded questions in several areas including affordable housing, traffic, tourism and agriculture.
Following the question-and-answer segment, candidates were provided time for a wrap up.
The next Kauai Chamber political forum will be July 19 at the Hanapepe Neighborhood Center when candidates for State Representative, District 16 take to the stage.
Candidates for the governor’s office will be in the limelight July 31 when the Kauai Chamber of Commerce hosts the Governor’s Forum at the Aqua Kauai Beach Resort from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Tourism: What can the mayor do? Improve UH football and build a new stadium on another Oahu site? This question has been around for 4 years now. Do you think the majority of people will buy into this idea? No. I know, get together with Mufi Hannemann.
Tourism: In the area of taxes. Most hotels will be forced to increase the hotel room tax by a certain amount. This means that the hotel guest will have to pick up the tab. The tax is for the increases in high tech included in the rooms and lobby areas. Wi-Fis. And other technological improvements such as newer machines to process the checks at check ins and outs and signs at the hotel to direct the tourist to their required check ins. These are necessary increases from the high technology industry, that the hotels wants to add to their environment. Do you feel these changes are necessary? Or still with the hut, and cut method of eating and dining in the restaurants at a hotel? More luxuries for the guest will be added therefore more cost to the room charges. What do you say if a guest at Sheraton Kaua’i hotel will now pay $725 dollars per night for a room stay? (average) This fits into the affordable housing question. I go on looks still. The mayors all look stupid to me.
Tourism: I am in the stands. I paid more bills than these county council members. Ross Kagawa, Mel Rapozo, Derek Kawakami, Bernard P. Carvalho jr., Lenny Rapozo, Mason Chock, Aurther Brun, Billy Decosta…and some others.
Why are they getting paid? If a solution is met for county projects or problems that arises, money from the state will be used up. I think they call it CIP. Why pay the candidates? (Big Island)
If Kauai wants to become a viable economic hub of activities, the mayor should turn the entire island into a gambling haven for tourists and locals alike, legalize prostitution and open up hundreds of massage parlors all taxed and regulated by medical staff.
Repave the entire two lane highway into 4 lanes, restrict recreation areas for fishermen and family use and restrict any useless people who end up being homeless to be shipped back to where they came from.
Affordable housing: Will they increase the food stamps to households? This is so that every year the families living in these condo style home complexes, if they wish to do so, can buy fireworks every year come New Year’s eve or July 4th time celebration. Let’s keep the tradition alive.
Affordable housing: Last question, do you see any of the candidates living in affordable housing. If so, are they allowed any food stamps? If they are not, how much money does the mayor make? I want to vote for Mel Rapozo. Do you give him a flat pay out rate of $130,000 dollars per year, so that he can continue what he is doing on the cable tv. Talk economics and problems. Collect from the other guy. civilians.
I have listened to the audio from this event that was put up by Kong Radio, and watched the video of the previous forum. What keeps popping up in my mind is Debra Kekaualua keeps saying she doesn’t know how to actually do anything regarding politics or running the local government. She keeps saying she would “hire smart people who know how to do these things”. Well, then what do we need you for? Why would we vote for you if you admit you don’t know what you are doing? Wouldn’t it be better just to vote for the people who already know? Or maybe vote for the people you would hire? I applaud your honesty, but you never seem to be able to provide any viable answer to any questions during the forums.