Tough Times Ahead for the County

As I stated on the council floor during the budget hearings, I feel that the county is already feeling the effects of the economic downturn. The soaring price of gas and food have already started to affect household budgets. Many businesses, construction companies, and hotels have started to notify employees of pending cuts or layoffs.

How does this affect the county? The county has to be prepared with some sort of stimulus package to help our local economy. The private sector is so vital in making sure that jobs and local money are flowing and maintaining our economy. The county has to really look at how efficient we are running, and do what ever it takes to make sure that the services available to the public are maintained without adding to our government. It will take a strong and decisive leader to carry us through these difficult times. I anticipate more social agencies and non profits will be in financial need, as they try and help the many people that may be in distress. I anticipate county revenue will be impacted by less support from the Federal and State, the money realized from our tourism industry I believe will be lessened, and I also think that county tax revenue will not be any where near what we have grown accustomed to. Tough times are upon us.

My work on the council has prepared me to understand how to deal with these tough times. Please contact me or come to one of my talk story sessions that we are putting on around the island in the next few weeks. I look forward to sharing my vision and and hearing some of your ideas or concerns. Working together, One Island and One Vision.

Thinking "Big Island"

Aloha,

In my May newsletter I talk about why a leader needs to be equally attentive to both sides of the island.

I don't subscribe to the East Side-West Side mentality and I'm committed to giving equal attention, equal importance to all areas of the island. If elected Mayor I pledge to spend at least 1 in 10 working days in West Hawaii to learn hands-on about issues affecting an area and to help bring government to the people.

A PDF version is available at http://stacyhiga.com/_library/documents/may08.pdf.

-- Stacy Higa

Creative Solutions, Decisive Action

I wanted to thank the members of the Community Enterprises Kona Town Meeting last night who invited me to speak at the Mayoral Forum. It was the first chance for many people to finally meet me in person, and I appreciate the large turnout of support.

Kona is a special place for me. My mother Rose grew up with the Charles Nahale family on the grounds of Kahalu`u, and my earliest memories are of playing where the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort stands today. So I understand the changes that are affecting Kona. Unfortunately, many of those changes have brought rapid and unplanned growth.

This is why I am still fighting to complete the Mamalahoa Bypass. Last night I announced that I am going to propose the Hokulia property be designated as a special Community Facilities District (CFD), which will give a taxing authority to the County and will finance the Mamalahoa Bypass road. My preliminary conversations with the county and the developers have been favorable and I am optimistic this is the type of creative solution and decisive action that will help alleviate Kona’s traffic issues. A good mayor needs to get out there and find the best solution. It’s a hands on job. Let’s tackle it and get this off the board.

-- Stacy Higa

P.S. Learn more about how I will improve county roadways at http://stacyhiga.com/traffic.asp

Response to a Concerned Taxpayer

I recently received an e-mail from a “Concerned Taxpayer” asking why a court has allegedly ruled in favor of a plaintiff who has made false and baseless accusations. This is a very important question, and I’d like to address it.

The case in question is far from over. No one knows if any judgment has been made. If there were any rulings then I can say that they do not involve me and would not be the result of my actions. Although a judge has sealed the case, it is a matter of public record that the County has not written any checks to anyone. When people look into this Plaintiff’s history, there will be some startling information. I think that is the reason why the case was sealed. It is very common for people to sue the County for frivolous reasons. They are hoping for easy money during an election year. It won’t happen this time. This claim has no merit, and I am fighting to get this corrected. As an elected official, I have always fought to protect the County, and I still am trying to do that.

I welcome the opportunity to answer any additional questions posted here.

-- Stacy Higa

Open Letter to the People of the County of Hawaii

The past several days have been a mixture of emotions for me, my family and supporters. Shock and disbelief are just some of the feelings we've had in response to recent news articles. I feel it is very important to correct the misinformation and distortion of facts that have been printed in the newspaper.

Here are the facts:

1. I have not been charged with any wrong doing; neither have I been named as a defendant or party to any lawsuit.

2. My attorneys were not allowed to participate in the lawsuit, because I was not a defendant named in the lawsuit.

3. I have done nothing wrong, the allegations made are false and baseless, and I welcome the opportunity to defend myself in a court of law.

4. I was called ONLY as a witness in this lawsuit.

5. The Administrative Law Judge sealed all proceedings of this lawsuit at the request of the complainant.

6. The newspapers have reported numerous times that the hearing has been sealed by a Federal order, yet the newspapers have quoted information using an "anonymous" source, and willfully violated the Judge's order.

I call upon the newspapers to divulge their sources so that everyone can validate the reliability of this information. Our system is based on equal due process to both sides which clearly hasn't happened. You cannot imagine the frustration of being accused of something and not having the opportunity to defend yourself.

I knew about these allegations for almost a year. If these allegations had any validity, do you think that I would have announced a mayoral campaign? I have the utmost respect for all the people of our county, and that is why I will continue to campaign and deal with the many real and important issues facing all of us. I have the greatest wife and son whom I love and cherish. I will not let these false allegations harm my family. I ask for your continued support in finding ways to create a better quality of life for the entire Big Island. To resign or allow these allegations to overwhelm me is contradictory to every belief or value that I stand for.

Sincerely,
Stacy K. Higa,
Council Member and candidate for Mayor

Two Big Issues

There has been a lot of attention on the Mamalahoa Bypass and the Wheelabrator waste-to-energy proposal that is before the County for consideration. I would like to talk about both those issues here.

Wheelabrator's Waste-to-Energy Facility:
There has been a lot of misinformation regarding the Wheelabrator contract that the council finance committee is looking at. I asked County Finance Director Bill Takaba to help explain the terms of the contract.

I have not made up my mind regarding the proposal, as I would like to see more information on what the actual and true price will be. Looking at the letter, the council in the inital development period would be requiring the vendor to perform certain tasks that would get the council more information. This development period stretches from 1-6 months.

All during this time, as Mr. Takaba states, there will be time for the council to terminate the process at no cost to the county. Mr. Takaba's comments of should not exceed 1 million dollars is very important in understanding the million dollar cap that is included in the contract. If the cost does exceed one million dollars, then we are responsible for the difference above the one million dollars.

The bottom line, The initial development period is the 6 months, and the balance of development period will be after the sixth month. The real decision which is probably binding will be if we agree and vote to continue into the balance development period. I hope that people will understand what is involved in the process. If there are any questions, please post a comment, and I will respond to your questions. I would just like to get more information, especially if it will not cost the county anymore money.

Mamalahoa Bypass:
I submitted a resolution a few weeks ago to proceed with construction over the former Richards/Coupe property. The land became property of the County on Dec. 3, 2007.

I am against the idea of diverting traffic through Halekii Street because of safety and community issues. Halekii was not designed to handle the traffic of Mâmalahoa Highway. Besides the safety issues, the costs for the County's Dept. of Public Works to implement safety and mitigation measures would more than quadruple costs for that portion of the project. And the County has also made agreements with the community 8 or 9 years ago which say Halekii will not become a major thoroughfare.

I am glad the County is trying to solve the bypass, but routing traffic to Halekii Street is not the answer. I am concerned the County is recklessly rushing things along for Halekii Street without fully understanding the implications. The bypass solution needs to be the correct one, done the right way, in the right order.

My resolution to proceed with construction of the Bypass has been approved at the committee level and should be placed on the agenda to be voted on by the full Council at the April 9th Council Meeting.

Aloha,

Stacy Higa

Hokulia Bypass Resolution

Six months ago, the Third Circuit Court ruled the County of Hawaii had the legal right to use a small piece of land owned by the Coupes as part of a larger road that would greatly improve the quality of life for all. Since then, the previous owners have filed an appeal because they disagree with this ruling.

I have submitted a non-binding resolution to the County Council to urge the Dept. of Public Works to move forward and build the 1,000 feet of road over the Coupe property so the last 2.05 miles of the Hokulia bypass can be finished. I am doing this for several reasons:

First, no matter how the courts rule, the County will be financially responsible for this road. That’s because if Hokulia builds the road, then Hokulia will have the County issue a “Hold Harmless Indemnification,” which would protect them from any liability. In other words, the County would be forced to pay if the courts find in favor of the Coupes. My resolution tries to simplify the process by leaving Hokulia out of the court issue. The resolution will also make the County's court case stronger when the appeal is heard. Therefore, this seems to be the best solution for our County and for our citizens.

Another reason I am proposing this is because this road affects everyone living in Hawaii County, not just people living in Kona. I think about all the people who live and work in District 4 who have to commute to Kona for business and personal errands. I personally have family and friends in Kona, as do many people living in Hilo. I am just one of many Hilo residents who have to drive back and forth across this island.

A third reason I came up with this idea is because people were telling me they didn’t like any of the other alternatives. When I mentioned this idea, everyone seemed to really like it and said it had the best chance of working.

I think to solve our County’s problems we have to stop thinking about just our own districts. We have to be willing to reach out and work with others. Our problems have become too big and too complex. We can’t just think about our own neighborhoods anymore. That might have worked 20 years ago, but we are growing and we are all connected.

As Mayor, I will continue to listen, no matter how difficult things become. I hope you will join me in coming up with creative solutions that will get the job done. Please let me know what you think about this idea.

Stacy Higa

Blessings in Disguise

One of the best things about being a candidate for Mayor is getting to meet so many people from all around the island.

Folks are excited about all the new possibilities. I was at the bank recently and somehow got to speak to six people about the experience I would bring to the Mayor's office and the changes I think we need to move our island forward. The group spent 45 minutes talking about various issues, and then someone asked me about a negative article they saw in the newspaper.

Then I realized something -- unfortunate circumstances can be a blessing. It is only thru difficult times that people can get a glimpse of how I handle issues, and will continue to handle issues if I am elected mayor. I don't try to avoid issues, even though they may be uncomfortable and filled with misinformation and untrue allegations. But I handle those things like I handle everything else -- truthfully, honestly and openly.

If you happen to have a question or concern or there is one issue in particular that you care about, please send me a message at "stacyhiga4mayor@yahoo.com" Give me the chance to respond to you directly and openly.

In the meantime, thank you for visiting. I hope you will give me the chance to earn your vote in November.

Stacy Higa

Opposed to Gas Tax Increase

Some of you may have read the news about the need for County Council to hold a public meeting to re-authorize the 8.8 cent per gallon county tax on gasoline, which has been in place since 1988.

I have no problem keeping the current 8.8 cents, but I am absolutely opposed to any increase. In fact, I don’t think the County Council should even discuss an increase, as I believe there are other ways to raise the needed money to build and repair roads.

If you oppose an increase to the gasoline tax, then please support my position at the meeting, which is scheduled for 6 p.m. on March 11 in Kona. You can read more about the issue here: http://www.westhawaiitoday.com/articles/2008/02/07/local/local02.txt

There are many other ways to fund road repairs. Any increase in the gas tax would hurt the most rural areas of our island most. Communities like Pahala, Ka`u and Ocean View have to truck in gas, and that makes fuel much more expensive.

In general, raising the gas tax is unfair because our citizens have to drive much further than anyone else in the state. People from other islands do not drive as much as we do, or fill up their cars as much as we do, or buy as much fuel as we do. So of course our gasoline tax should be the lowest in the state! We already pay the highest gasoline taxes in the nation, and there is no justification for any increase.

Stacy Higa

Kung Hee Fat Choy

February 7th marks the beginning of a new Lunar year and the Year of the Rat.

In the Chinese tradition, a "Rat year" is a time of hard effort, productivity and new beginnings -- a great way to start an election year! People born under the Year of the Rat are considered to be clever and bright, sociable and family-minded.

I was born in 1963, which is the "Year of the Rabbit." It is considered to be the luckiest of the 12 animal signs. According to "The Handbook of Chinese Horoscopes," the rabbit is a symbol for "mercy and amiability." It says people born under this sign are kind and loving, and are often reserved with a love of arts and a strong sense of justice. I think that describes me. They also say that people born under this sign "understand what life really means." For me, that means family, community and giving back to the next generation.

May your family be blessed with happiness and prosperity during this time of new beginnings.

Stacy Higa

Malicious E-mail

Because our campaign is a small, grassroots effort, we have been using a free e-mail service to interact with our volunteers. Recently our campaign e-mail was attacked by a malicious piece of spam mailer software that hijacked our address book and sent suspicious messages asking people to join what appears to be a social networking site. I am in no way affiliated with this company, and did not authorize them to use my campaign's name or e-mail addresses. The campaign is looking into the matter, and are taking steps to improve the safety and security of our campaign communications.

If you received one of these messages, please accept my apologies and do not click on any of the links, not even the “unsubscribe” button. You can set your e-mail program to permanently block all mail from tagged.com and taggedmail.com. If you need help doing this, please contact me at stacyhiga4mayor@yahooo.com and a volunteer will assist you.

Stacy Higa

Queen Kaahumanu Highway

There has been a lot of coverage in West Hawaii Today about the delays associated with the widening of Queen Kaahumanu highway. I think poor communication has made things worse. If more people knew what was going on –- in other words, better communication from various people just explaining what the delays are -- then people would likely be more understanding. But the lack of communication has caused unnecessary anger and frustration, and that’s not fair to the people of Kona. So, here’s my explanation of what is going on with this project.

The main issue, I think, is a lack of coordinated planning between the County and the State. There was no conversation between the County and the State during the preliminary stages. One example of this is, it was only when the State came in and started to realign the highway that the County realized it needed to go in and upgrade the sewer system for the Kealakehe Waste Water Treatment Plant. The sewer upgrade, as well as the realignment of potable water pipes along the route, has caused the delays.

I understand the frustration caused by the delays and the lack of communication. However, in the long run I think it is better to have the delay now. Imagine what it would be like to go ahead with the project and then have to come back one year later, stop traffic, and re-dig and retrench a newly paved four-lane highway to put in wastewater pipes.

As mayor, I will make sure my administration not only follows up with the State on upcoming projects, but actually takes the initiative to push and prod the State to make sure everything is coordinated, finding out in advance -– before these large projects even begin -– what the related issues are or how the County can better plan to tie in its impending projects into the process.

Stacy Higa

Happy New Year

I recently took some time off with my family and friends to reflect on the past year and what the future might hold for our island. Now, more than ever, I think we are at a crossroads. I look at some of the issues before the County Council, and I’m disappointed with some of the direction and expenditures that are taking place. My wish for 2008 is that more people will take a hard look at the issues, and ask themselves if they like what’s happening at the Council level, at the Mayoral level, and what we can do to shape things at a local level.

As Council representative, I am also at a crossroads. I know I will not be coming back to the County Council; that is a decision I have made. I have decided the best way to serve Hawaii Island is from the Mayor's office, and I hope you will give me the chance to earn your vote. I don’t want this to be a popularity contest. I want you to decide who will give the best leadership, the best direction for our county government, the most opportunities for our County employees. I hope my experience, my energy, and my passion will earn your vote for a better island and a better future. With your support we will make a difference.

Stacy Higa