Growth a top issue on Kaua'i

LIHU'E, Kaua'i — The four candidates for the nonpartisan Kaua'i mayor's seat agree on many issues, and each suggests it's leadership style that differentiates them.

For Randal Valenciano, a 43-year-old six-term county councilman, it's his intent to bring the ideas of the community into the mayor's office.

"Our slogan speaks volumes: Every voice counts," he said.

Bryan Baptiste • Web: www.baptisteforkauai.com • Address: 331 Eggerking Road, Kapa'a • Occupation: Vice president, medical insurance firm; County Council member • Family: Married, four children. • Big Idea: A county department head would be appointed to serve as liaison to each community on the island, working with local leaders and community members in setting priorities and creating action plans. Ron Kouchi • Web: www.ronkouchi.com • Address: 4164 Hili St., Lihu'e • Occupation: Insurance agent; County Council chairman • Family: Married, two children • Big Idea: Supporting Kaua'i General Plan update. Growth has been the most divisive issue in the past 20 years, particularly when developments fail to provide benefits to the community. Dennis Nimkie • Web: www.nimkie.org • Address: 2961 Hoolako St., Lihu'e • Occupation: Accountant; small business owner • Family: Married, three children • Big Idea: Solid waste disposal problem is the biggest health issue on the island. Need to aggressively promote recycling, generate valuable byproducts from the refuse stream and incinerate the remaining portion. Randal Valenciano • Web: www.rvalenciano.org • Address: 2936 Pua Nani St., Lihu'e • Occupation: Attorney; County Council member • Family: Married, three children • Big Idea: Maintaining a balance between economic development and preservation of the island's natural qualities. "That balance is always a key."

"Collectively, the other three candidates have almost 50 years on the council, and we still have the same problems," he said. "I have no political ties. I bring no baggage into the race."

County Council chairman and insurance agent Ron Kouchi, 44, finishing 10 terms on the council, said his edge is broad experience and knowledge of county government, and years of lobbying the federal and state governments on behalf of the county.

"I understand the charter and how the county works, and I'm presenting solid, concrete ideas," he said.

Bryan Baptiste, 46, is a former small-business owner and executive of a medical insurance firm with three terms on the council. He said his experience at bringing people together is his key.

"It's time for everybody to come together and take responsibility for our island's future," he said.

The three council members are popular figures, and their decision to run for another office, along with that of Councilman Gary Hooser to run for the state Senate, ensures that a majority of the incoming council will be new. And that could give the new mayor a political edge.

Kaua'i has traditionally voted for Democrats, but before the county switched to nonpartisan local elections, outgoing Mayor Maryanne Kusaka, a Republican, broke the mold. Two of this year's mayoral candidates — Baptiste and Nimkie — have previously run as Republicans. Two — Kouchi and Valenciano — have previously run as Democrats. But Baptiste and Valenciano have been the highest vote-getters among the quartet in council races, suggesting that party may not carry much weight into the mayoral race.

If any of the four candidates gets more than half the vote, he will be automatically elected mayor in the primary election. Most people feel that's unlikely in this four-way race. If none wins outright, then the top two vote-getters will move on to a runoff in the general election.

Among the issues all four candidates discussed were solid waste and development. On solid waste, all are concerned about the county's nearly full landfill. Here are some of their thoughts.

• Baptiste: Would institute a flexible solid waste control scheme to include a mixture of recycling and composting, and alternative energy system using remaining solid waste materials as fuel.

• Kouchi: Likes a proposal of Gay & Robinson to build an incineration plant whose waste material would be converted to a glasslike substance that can be used on roads.

• Nimkie: Step up recycling and create byproducts from materials in the waste stream, aggressive county support for private curbside recycling operators, incinerate the rest.

• Valenciano: "We should do the diversion projects first, and then we should look at implementing incineration and composting."

The candidates all recognize a growing public distaste for developments aimed at providing expensive homesites for rich Mainlanders. All four believe that as it is proposed, a resort and high-end residential project on 460 acres in Hanama'ulu is a bad idea. The developer has withdrawn applications for the project, but has indicated he hopes to bring the project back — which could be within the four-year mayoral term of the winner of this election.

• Baptiste: "All the developments recently have not been for the people in the community, so there's a lot of rage in the community."

• Kouchi: "Over the 20 years that I've been in elective office, growth has been the most divisive and created the most passion in our people ... to change the General Plan, someone has to come up with significant community benefits."

• Nimkie: "Not all development is bad, but I have a problem with people with big money coming in and buying their way in." He said major General Plan changes should go to the voters as a referendum.

• Valenciano: "I have a gut feeling that the people of Kaua'i are opposed to projects when the lot size and lot prices are basically upper-class." He said he is particularly concerned about suggestions that some new developments include gated communities, which he opposes.

On other issues, Baptiste said he wants the communities to participate in deciding on their local priorities, as well as doing some of the improvements and maintenance of their regions: "We need to create a style of government that puts service back into community service."

He would assign each county department head a community, which he or she would serve as liaison between the community and the county government. They would work with local advisory groups made up of folks such as school officials, church leaders and interested citizens.

Valenciano has a similar proposal, in which he would establish four regional advisory panels — like Honolulu's neighborhood boards — that would help the county make decisions about regional issues. The regions: North Shore, Kapa'a-Wailua, Lihu'e area and West Kaua'i.

"With me, you have the opportunity to participate in local government," Valenciano said.

Kouchi would like to institute real property tax reform similar to California's Proposition 13, which would freeze residential property taxes.

He wants to improve maintenance at county parks and beaches, which he said are a major community concern. And he would move the county more quickly into technology, so existing staffing levels can be redirected to areas of need.

Nimkie said he brings accountability and an understanding of business to the job. He said he managed to keep his employees on salary and his accounting clients solvent after Hurricane 'Iniki in 1992, and would apply the same skills to the county.

"The biggest issue is accountability. It's about managing money, having a budget and having an accountability plan," Nimkie said. He is concerned that the county budget, at close to $90 million, provides for no reserves — meaning the county must float bonds or seek state or federal help for major projects.

Valenciano and Nimkie have both agreed to abide by the state campaign spending limit, which is $61,950 for the Kaua'i mayor's seat. Baptiste and Kouchi have not, and have both raised and spent considerably more than that.

Reach Jan TenBruggen cate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808)245-3074.