Where does your Councilperson Live?

 

YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS

Except for the Napali, People live all along the coast on Kaua`i from Ke`e in the North shore, to Kekaha on the West Side, and beyond out to PMRF. Where do you live on Kaua`i? 75% of our elected officials live in Lihue and Wailua. None live on the South or West side. Not even one. Could this be good for Kaua`i? It is hard to imagine how.

Who is looking out for the West side where what used to be a landfill has become "Pu`u Opala" a landrise that grows taller and taller? Which Council member said "not in my back yard" when all the trees were getting wripped to pieces and chopped down to make way for more shops in Koloa? As the Po`ipu and Kukuiula regions have been pulverised, flattened and dusted by hundreds of housing projects being built silmutaneously, which Councilpersons got fed up with the clouds of construction dust, and put a stop to it? And the keiki getting dosed with mysterious chemicals out in Kekaha that may or may not be related to GMO company pesticide spraying - where is the lightning fast response that would come if an elected official's child attended that school?

We are not suggesting the existing council members are bad people - they are not. We do not mean to suggest they do not care for this island, for surely they do. And yet, look at what is happening. So what is the problem? We are suggesting people are naturally better able to pay attention to, mitigate, and malama that which is right before them - and within arms reach. Kau`i can no longer afford 'out of sight - out of mind.'

 

IN MY BACK YARD!

If at least one council person lived in each part of the island, they would be that much better able to see and understand the issues of their neighborhood - and the entire island would benefit from this multitude of first hand direct experience. The flow of information would be smoother too - beacuse folks would know where to go with each districts issues... to your neighbor, the Moku District Council member!

Then, when matters came before the council, the wisdom of the entire island would be seated at the table to help make better choices. Unless you think things are fine the way they are, it is time to give Moku Districts a try.

 

WHERE DO MOKU DISTRICTS COME FROM?

The ancient Hawai`ians knew something about taking care of the `aina. Those ancestors wisely managed the island in a way that was sustainable and just. And they did they do it for over 1,000 years. How? They recognised the wisdom of land-based governance. To them, ahupua`a (watersheds) were the building blocks and foundation of their local economy and govenance. Moku (bio-regions or districts), were built up of several ahupua`a until they formed a larger, naturally defined sustainable part of the island. These were the structures that created a life in balance on these islands. We are not suggesting we go back to the old ways, however, there is still great wisdom in their basic approach - that we can learn from and apply to our situation today.

 

RESIDENCEY REQUIREMENTS

In order to qualify to run for each council seat, each candidate will have to live in the district they wich to serve. Voting will take place the same way it does today, with each of us having up to seven votes to cast in the primary and gneral elections. However, instead of one island-wide contest with the top seven being voted into office, there with be seperate contests for each district. All the residents of Puna (East side) will be contesting againt each other to represent Puna, and so on within each district. Voting will still be at-large across the island, so no matter where you live, you will have the chance to help select who represents Kona (West side), Halelea & Ko`olau (the North shore).

Would a residencey requirement that people from all over the island be on the county council be a panacea - a 'cure all' for Kaua`i in one fell swoop - not a chance. However, things could hardly be worse that we now have, where it feels like the lights are on, but no body is home.

 

SUSTAINABILITY AND TRADITION

There is a great benefit of increased sustainability derived from recognising regions based on watersheds, and then responding accordingly. Land management by watershed is infact long considered by environmental thinkers as perhaps the soundest approach to governance. Consider also how appropriate it is to restore and honor the traditional land divisions of our host Culture, the Polynesian Peoples of Kaua`i - governance by watershed was not just an environmental theory to them, it was a lived practice for more than 1,000 years.

What did this look like?

NaPali means 'The Cliffs'

Halelea means 'House of Pleasure'

Ko`olau mean 'Windward'

Puna means 'Springs(as of water)'

Kona means 'Leeward'

 

ACCOUNTABILITY

You and your neighbors would know exactly whom to go to when something is happening in your part of the island. Someone you have certainly seen around your home town, someone you might know - someone who definately knows your part of this island... because they live there, just like you. Someone you can meet with regularly at a district meeting close to your home, without having to drive into Lihue, and talk story on how they most recently voted... or how you feel they should have.

Some might call this accountability. Could be good for Kaua`i, eh?

 

WHERE TO GO FROM HERE

We think it's time to apply that wisdom to how we manage this island today - adapted slightly to match contemporary realities, to help us create a smooth transition to accountability in local self-governance and a more sustainable way of life on Kaua`i.  To spread the word coprehensively with an island wide educational and outreach campagn will take time.  If we begin now and spend the next two years building support, there will be broad grassroots backing in the next election cycle.  Then, when we place this item on the ballot in 2010, it will pass overwhelmingly. 

In 2010, Moku Districting will need around 10,000 votes to pass. Sound like alot? Not really - 49.6% of likely voters already supportted a similar ballot item in 2006, and the district measure was defeated by less than160 votes out of over 19,000 cast.  And no one was even campaigning for it!  If we roll up our sleeves now, and beging the long work of establishing an island-wide coalitionin support of moku districts, Kaua`i will overwhelmingly vote in brand new districts in 2010 based upon the tried and true methods of the past.  Moku!

Interested? Please let us know what you think - contact us to get involved !

Mahalo.