East Maui

Lucienne “Luci” de Naie

Age 60

Occupation

Small Business owner, researcher, author, grant writer

Educational Background

High School graduate, two years college a UC Irvine/UCLA

Community Involvement:

General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC);

Maui Coastal Land Trust;

Sustainable Living Institute of Maui;

Ha‘ikü Living Legacy Project;

Surfrider Foundation Maui Chapter;

Sierra Club Hawai‘i Chapter;

Focus Maui Nui Advisory Board;

Honoapi‘ilani Highway Realignment Task Force.

Political Experience

Elected Planning Commissioner 1980, San Diego, CA;

Executive Assistant, Councilmember Michelle Anderson;

Lost 2006 election for council seat.

1. Why are you running?

I care about people and want to help solve problems and find solutions. I’m well prepared to serve, with deep background in many fields councilmembers deal with, such as water, energy and land use. I’m a hands-on type of person who enjoys working with others and getting things done. I have served as an executive assistant to Councilmember Michelle Anderson and understand how county government functions. I am an independent candidate with no ties to the entrenched power structure. I am not concerned about salary raises or personal benefits, only about making sure Maui County’s residents have an efficient government and better life.

2. What is your personal vision for the future of Maui?

My personal vision of Maui is one that provides:

• More educational institutions;
• A thriving renewable energy job sector;
• More local food, medicinal and farm production;
• More water availability in rural areas;
• More small businesses;
• Reduction on reliance of imported goods;
• An efficient economy which updates our old systems of water and wastewater treatment;
• Site our housing and business centers to have minimal impact on oceans and other valuable water resources;
• A stable base of visitors who appreciate Maui.

3. Affordable housing has been an enduring concern for Maui County residents. What is your definition of “affordable” as it relates to affordable housing? While there is no “magic bullet” solution, do you have a strategy to provide more affordable housing options to island residents?

What we call affordable housing, needs to be based upon the income levels of the average worker. HUD guidelines seem to be set higher. Currently homes between $100,00 and $250,000 appear to be affordable to working families.

We need to pursue different solutions in each region, but in general, we have to have a system of accountability to get promised affordable units built. We have some real success stories like the Hale Mahaolu senior housing projects. This model needs to be expanded. I support making legitimate family subdivisions easier to process to allow families to create affordable housing opportunities for their children and grandchildren. I support strategies to lower land costs and make housing more affordable such as donation of land through the development entitlement process to the HALE land trust which then manages the land and partners with builders to create affordable homes. Housing on state-owned land may be the right solution in some communities. I would support expedited review for affordable projects that have community support and prioritization of water meters for affordable housing. The Workforce Housing bill could use some fine-tuning to give flexibility to small developers who are trying to provide affordable projects.

4. What is your official position on the transient vacation rentals (TVR) issue as it stands today? Should the council pass legislation to revive and regulate TVRs?

TVRs are another situation where one size does not fit all. A number of community plans, including Ha‘ikü-Pä‘ia and Häna have provisions asking that the community set guidelines for bed and breakfasts and TVRs in their regions and the intent of these adopted plans should be honored. Communities need to have a say in the matter of whether TVRs are permitted, where and how many. I support regulation of TVRs based upon a realistic view of the benefits and impacts they may present to existing neighborhoods.

5. How can Maui balance infrastructure needs versus demand for development?

Infrastructure should be prioritized in each Planning district and implemented according to those priorities. This method has been adopted in the community planning process. The new updated general plans for Maui, Moloka‘i and Läna‘i will set such priorities when they are sent to the next Council for review and approval.

It is also a fact that in a boom construction market, bid levels for the County projects are often too high to be met by the county budget. The County needs to look at investing in infrastructure during construction slow down periods to help stabilize the economy and use public funds wisely. There may also be better ways to make development pay for needed infrastructure. Some communities charge higher taxes, construction permit and impact fees to out of state property owners or prorate fees on the basis of the square footage of the proposed dwelling.

6. What can Maui County do to resolve the dispute over the ownership of water? With droughts occurring more frequently, what can the council do to ensure this resource is protected and available?

All water is protected, as a public trust under the state Constitution. Maui County has been advocating for the state Water Commission to follow its own laws and to end “disputes” over water “ownership.” The county should continue along this path. Half of Maui’s families depend upon the ‘Ïao and Waihe‘e aquifers for their water supplies. Scientific studies have shown that restoration of natural stream flows in these aquifers would help boost the aquifer’s capacity and continued healthy output. As a councilmember I would advocate strongly for these natural resources and protect our resident’s water supply. I would also put the water needs of local residents first, before new developments are approved.

It is important to keep in mind that global climate change could affect rainfall patterns over the next 50 years, reducing our easily available water supplies. We must plan to use and reuse water wisely. As the author of a 200 page research paper on Maui’s water resources, I would be prepared as a councilmember to use my knowledge to ensure that Maui residents, businesses and farmers are provided with a reliable supply of clean water that is wisely used. The mayor and council share responsibility for approving and investing in a plan to provide that water. Increased water storage and water efficiency is one of the best tools for reducing the impacts of frequent droughts. In areas with county sewer service, the county has the authority to set standards that allow reuse of “grey water”(water from showers, washing machines, sinks, etc.) for non-potable uses. This must be done, especially in our drier regions.

Maui’s water resource options would be greatly improved if the county was willing to research the areas where wells could be expected to produce a clean reliable supply of water and then acquire land for publicly owned and managed wells or water systems. Under current conditions, large landowners control most of the water decisions for the benefit of their stockholders. A more up to date system is needed to fairly distribute public trust assets like water and protect their long-term health. If elected, I would advocate for public management of public resources and use my extensive knowledge of Maui’s water resources to help guide our future water policies into a new era.

7. What do citizens say are the three biggest issues in the 2008 elections, and what can you do as a council member to address them?

1. Energy supplies and prices: The County of Maui County is the biggest energy consumer in Maui County. The transition to a new energy future is part of Maui’s much-needed economic shift. We need the council and Mayor to lead the way in converting all county facilities and systems to the cleanest, most energy efficient systems possible. This investment creates jobs, saves the taxpayer long-term costs and limits fee increases. By holding the county’s energy bill down, we can free up future funds for social programs, police, fire and other vitally needed services. This also helps the environment, since our energy mix currently is big on burning diesel fuel.

We also need to ease energy costs for the average citizen by offering more transportation alternatives to individuals who commute to school, work, shopping, etc. Work to run these vehicles on clean, locally produced energy sources. County and state governments also need to support clean, local energy generation systems and insist that they offer more affordable rates to the average customer. Programs to support more resorts, businesses and homeowners generating their own energy and selling the extra to a utility (raising net metering caps and allowing “wheeling”) also need more government muscle pushing them forward and increasing the consumer benefits

2. Economic uncertainties: As many sectors of our economy are affected by high fuel and food prices, we have an opportunity to step towards a new economy. We must invest in our infrastructure to ensure a better future, including expanded bus service. We must invest in energy efficiency for public facilities and utilities systems to hold future costs down and create job opportunities. The council can help support local businesses as they transition towards the growing national trend of offering “green collar jobs.” The council can work with the visitor industry to sponsor audits of energy and water use in our visitor facilities and look for cost saving measures that can be taken to create jobs and reduce overhead. The council can also promote local agricultural opportunities as has been done on other neighbor islands to reduce food costs, make extra food available to distribution programs like the Maui Food Bank and add income to local families. These include websites, cooperatives, farm product marketing and support service, certified kitchens for public use and other programs that allow more local food to be grown and distributed.

3. Affordable housing (See 3 above.)

8. Sound off... Anything you want to say?

We live in changing times. We need leadership for change. Vote for those who will be willing to ask the hard questions and look out for the public’s interest. It is too easy to find the spin version of every issue in our local media. Vote for leaders who are willing to do the independent research and represent the average citizen. Mahalo to Jo Anne Johnson, Wayne Nishiki, Sol Kaho‘ohalahala, Riki Hokama, Danny Mateo and Michelle Anderson for their dedicated past work on the council.