James Langtad
• Age: 42
• Town of residence: Kapa‘a
• Occupation: Handy man
• Prior experience in government/leadership: N/A
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?
To start, proper separation of our waste can help to slow what’s going in. I feel that can be made possible by acquiring help to separate usable from unusable trash. Research on how we can increase our recycling programs. Let manufacturers know that they need to reduce packaging waste or get it sent back to them. Lastly, if not already there charge big entities by weight on waste they make to help find ways to fix problems.
Q: The coronavirus pandemic decimated the tourism industry Kaua‘i that the state is so reliant upon. Should Kaua‘i County make economic diversity a priority, and if so, how?
Yes. I do feel that economic diversity should be a priority. A few examples that would help us make us self-sustainable and achieve that objective would be a methane dairy and looking into utilizing hemp as an export to generate revenue. It also can be utilized to its full extent from building materials, fuel, clothes, rope, etc. Its possibilities are endless. We just need to build the infrastructure and utilize old tech like water wheels.
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?
I will try to find a way to separate residential from non-residential owned taxes. If possible, put a cap on resident owned properties.
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 on Kaua‘i?
My approach to a solution would be to make different tiers of housing for the local community. The key would be government infrastructure and loans.
Q: What is driving you to seek election or re-election, and why should voters give you their vote?
Besides the housing crisis we are enduring, I see a lot of things that aren’t geared towards our best interest as people of the island. I would like to create safeguards if nothing else to help perpetuate a life that we can live. If our island represents one penny the United States alone represents 6,800 pennies. How are we to compete with what the world is doing to us. Something must be done to protect our resources for our future generations.
