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Editor’s note: For Hawaii’s Aug. 10 Primary Election, Civil Beat asked candidates to answer some questions about where they stand on various issues and what their priorities will be if elected.

The following came from Edward Codelia, candidate for Maui County Council Upcountry District. His primary opponents are Jocelyn Cruz and Yuki Lei Sugimura.

Go to Civil Beat’s Election Guide for general information, and check out other candidates on the Primary Election Ballot.

1. Clearly, Maui County faces big issues related to the fires. What’s the primary thing Maui needs to do now to recover from the fires?

Despite the county, state and federal governments implementing recovery plans to address immediate needs, additional measures are crucial for long-term recovery from the recent fires.

The county should halt future development, limit tourism, prioritize capital improvement programs for residents, enhance public safety and conduct comprehensive infrastructure repairs and upgrades.

With approximately 170,000 full-time residents in Maui County, it is evident that the island lacks the resources and housing units to accommodate the current population. Continuing development without addressing these issues risks exacerbating the challenges Maui faces.

2. What should Maui do to encourage people to stay? What can the county do to ensure that families aren’t priced out?

Over the past two decades, Maui County has failed to address rising real estate prices and the limited inventory of homes. They have not implemented programs to keep real estate prices reasonable for local residents or create effective strategies to retain the local population.

Instead, they have allowed the full-time resident population to increase, pushing local residents out due to job losses, low wages, high living costs and inadequate housing. After the fires, the county’s efforts to create incentives for people to stay overlook those who left for better economic opportunities before Aug. 8, 2023.

The root cause of residents leaving lies in low wages, limited job opportunities, high living costs and soaring real estate prices. Despite claims of promoting workforce housing and better job opportunities for blue-collar workers, the county often outsources blue-collar work and fails to support local residents. This highlights the need for genuine efforts to address these long-standing issues.

The current conditions in Maui County can no longer be accepted. The county, state and federal governments have prioritized tourism and development over the well-being of Maui’s residents, devaluing the island, its people and its culture. The residents of Maui deserve better than to be sold out for special interests and tourism.

3. Do you support the new state law that allows counties to regulate and even shut down short-term rentals? Why or why not?

I support the state law allowing counties to regulate and potentially shut down short-term rentals. Decisions regarding zoning laws and rental licenses should primarily be within the county’s purview, ensuring compliance with community needs and preferences.

4. What’s your vision for Lahaina? How should it be rebuilt and who should decide?

My vision for Lahaina involves a modernized town built with safer materials by licensed local contractors and workers.

Desired improvements include underground utilities, wider roads, sidewalks, better parking, safer pedestrian and bike paths, additional police and fire substations, completion of the West Maui Hospital, more water storage facilities and more green space. Zoning laws and building requirements must be reviewed and adjusted to prevent Lahaina from remaining one of the island’s most expensive housing markets.

The redevelopment of Lahaina should be shaped through collaboration between the County of Maui, utility companies, business owners, engineers, architects, planners and island residents. Ample opportunities for community input in decision-making processes are essential.

It is concerning that the county has repeatedly failed to address the needs of its residents, prioritizing special interests and tourism over sustainable, affordable living conditions. Lahaina deserves a future where local residents’ needs are met, and the community can thrive without enduring such economic hardship.

5. What should elected officials do to restore trust in county government?

Restoring trust in county government requires immediate and tangible actions.

Given the persistent failures in addressing the needs of local residents, immediate resignations of responsible officials would be a significant first step toward accountability and rebuilding public trust.

6. Do you think Maui County should do more to manage water resources? Why or why not?

Yes, Maui County must prioritize improvements to its water system, which failed in August 2023.

This is crucial for the county’s future sustainability, especially considering the unregulated developments the state and county are proceeding with under the wildfire emergency.

7. What is the first thing Maui County should do to get in front of climate change rather than just reacting to it?

Although it may be too late to completely get ahead of climate change, the county should undertake efforts to reduce emissions and congestion.

Measures could include reducing the daily tourist count and changing zoning laws to limit short-term rentals, thereby decreasing visitor numbers and associated environmental impacts.

8. Homelessness is becoming more of an issue on Maui. What do you think needs to be changed to help people get into housing and stay housed?

Addressing homelessness requires a multifaceted approach focusing on economic stability, mental health services and stricter regulations on accepting homeless transplants from other jurisdictions.

With approximately 170,000 full-time residents, it is clear that the current housing units are insufficient, and the homeless population strains resources that could better serve resident, tax-paying citizens. Building more institutions, including homeless shelters, mental health hospitals and facilities and a new prison (with the current prison converted into a homeless resource center), would be beneficial to the island based on the current economic and social conditions of Maui.

9. Traffic is getting worse on Maui, and different regions face different challenges. What would be your approach to improve Maui’s transportation problems?

Traffic congestion on Maui has been a significant issue for the past 25 years with little improvement.

The county must prioritize traffic enforcement and safety measures to address this growing problem. This includes increasing police patrols, addressing road safety violations and impounding vehicles for safety violations and failure to pay necessary fees.

Reducing the daily visitor count would limit the number of vehicles on the road and ease some traffic burdens as well.