Mel Rapozo
• Age: 57
• Residence: Wailua
• Occupation: Special investigator
• Prior experience: Kaua‘i County Councilmember 2002-08, 2010-14; Council chair 2014-18
Q: The median price of a single-family home on Kaua‘i is over $1 million, and the county’s 2018 General Plan reported 44% of all households are cost-burdened. How will you address the affordable housing crisis in Kaua‘i County?
We need to redefine the term “affordable housing” and focus on removing cost barriers for developers to be able to provide housing units that are truly affordable. $600,000 IS NOT affordable. Providing land and sharing the cost of infrastructure is one way to lower costs. While Kaua‘i County doesn’t have an inventory of available lands, we must work with the state to allow the use of state lands for the purpose of developing truly affordable housing. The county needs to streamline the permitting for truly affordable housing. Delays in permitting only add cost to projects. We must also strictly enforce laws that regulate illegal vacation rentals. These illegal operations reduce the supply of long-term rental housing, which increases the rent for our residents.
Q: The County Council sets real-property-tax rates as part of the county budget process. What changes, if any, would you make to the way that property is taxed on-island?
Real-property taxes are necessary to fund the operations of the county, both operating expenses and capital-improvement projects, and should be fair and consistent. We must focus on making sure that our county operations are functioning as efficiently as possible. Audits are a basic tool for any business operation, and should be used to identify areas that can be more efficient. We need to hire our county auditor to ensure that we have the most-efficient government possible. Our resident taxpayers should not be responsible for funding inefficient operations and wasteful spending. Also, nonresident and vacant homeowners that use our county for investment purposes should be paying a higher tax rate. This would reduce the tax burden on our local residents. Also, the 3% tax cap on homeowners should be used for the benefit of the homeowner. In other words, if the county has an unexpected increase in revenues, as we saw with COVID funding, the tax cap should be adjusted down. If the additional funding is significant, the tax rates should be lowered.
Q: Kaua‘i continues to look for a new landfill site, years after its search began.The clock is ticking: The Kekaha landfill is currently projected to reach capacity in January 2027. What is your preferred solution?
We are already in a solid waste crisis. We don’t have enough time left on the current landfill to deal with the siting and construction of a new landfill. We need to start the process to bring waste to energy technology to Kauaʻi. We have a finite inventory of lands and simply cannot rely on landfills for future generations. Waste to energy is a clean and safe way to get rid of our trash and create energy. Waste diversion is also key in reducing the amount of waste going to the landfill. I believe curbside recycling needs to be implemented immediately. We need to make recycling convenient for our residents in order to increase waste diversion.
Q: The coronavirus pandemic decimated the tourism industry Kaua‘i – and the state – is so reliant upon. Should Kaua‘i County make economic diversity a priority, and if so, how?
First of all, the County of Kauaʻi has a carrying capacity for our existing infrastructure. I think it is safe to say that our infrastructure cannot safely and efficiently handle the current number of users of our public resources. Tourism is the major economic driver for the state and counties. We need determine what our capacity is and adjust accordingly. We cannot continue to increase visitor arrivals and not provide the adequate infrastructure to safely accommodate them. Economic diversity should always be a priority for the County. We must work with our State and Federal counterparts to provide incentives to encourage industries such as agriculture and high-tech to consider our County as a viable option to pursue.
Q: What is driving you to seek election and why should voters give you their vote?
Government transparency and community engagement are critical to providing effective and efficient government. I have never been afraid to speak up for the people of our county, and I hope to continue to ensure that the people have a say in the future of our islands. Every issue deserves to be heard in the open, not behind closed doors. I am committed to making sure that every voice is heard. I believe in accountability, and that the people deserve to hear from our decision makers and understand why policies are made or changed. I believe that people should actively participate in government, and not find out after the fact. If the people elect me to the County Council, I will continue to be a voice for the people.
