Mike Coots

Economy Tourism that benefits the community. More visitors does not automatically mean a better Kauaʻi. I support a carrying-capacity study to determine sustainable visitor levels, exploring limits on rental-car availability to ease road congestion, expanding managed-destination models like the successful Hāʻena/Keʻe approach, and advocating for more hotel shuttles to beaches and high-traffic areas. Environment / Energy Solve the Kekaha landfill crisis. The westside has shouldered the burden of the island’s waste for too long — that is not fair, and it cannot continue indefinitely. I’ll pursue three parallel solutions: an on-island construction & demolition reclamation center (the single largest category of landfill waste), curbside recycling countywide, and active investment in emerging waste-reduction technologies that can serve generations to come. Housing Push the Mayor to declare a Housing Emergency Proclamation. Use it to prioritize the actions below with the urgency the crisis demands. Housing Tiny homes and pre-approved package homes on agricultural land. Adopt Hawaiʻi Island’s policy allowing tiny homes that don’t require a solid foundation. Advocate for alternative waste solutions like composting toilets and water-catchment systems on ag land. Rubber-stamp permitting for pre-approved package-home designs from local companies like Honsador and HPM, and expedite the process. Social Services Houselessness met with structure and dignity. Support a Puʻuhonua o Waiʻanae-style community — nonprofit-led, community-governed, with a clear pathway to permanent, affordable housing. For unhoused individuals not from Kauaʻi, offer a one-way return ticket home as a compassionate and practical option. Environment / Energy Open space and beach access. Keep wild Kauaʻi wild and accessible. Strong supporter of the Hawaiʻi Land Trust’s conservation easements and community preserves; strict enforcement of shoreline setback laws and accountability for those in violation. Infrastructure / Transportation Modernize our water infrastructure. It is a profound irony that one of the most water-rich places on Earth struggles to provide adequate water access for affordable housing. I’ll support the Kauaʻi Water Department in aggressively pursuing State and Federal grant funding to repair and modernize aging systems. Housing ʻĀina Kupuna-style property tax relief. Mirror Maui’s ʻĀina Kupuna program: property tax exemptions for owner-occupied, non-commercial land that has been in a family since statehood — protecting generational kuleana from being priced out. Government Reform End the jurisdictional buck-passing between county and state. Roadways, airports, harbors, parks — too many issues get scapegoated as “not our jurisdiction.” I’ll push for genuine synergy and accountability so our civil workforce can take pride in their work, and our infrastructure can be the pride of Hawaiʻi. Drug Policy An adolescent drug treatment center on island. Kauaʻi urgently needs a dedicated adolescent drug treatment center. Our youth deserve local, accessible care — not a plane ride away from their families. Environment / Energy Beach parks worthy of the beaches. Create dedicated two-person beautification teams for each side of the island, ensuring our park facilities are consistently clean, safe, and the finest in the country. Environment / Energy Food security through local agriculture. Establish food hubs with retail locations on each side of the island, modeled on ʻĀina Hoʻokupu O Kīlauea: locally grown produce, meat, island-caught fish, and value-added products at a price point that beats mainland grocery chains — lower overhead, more revenue to farmers and fishers. Housing Workforce housing in core communities. Develop additional workforce housing in Kauaʻi’s central population areas to support the people who keep our island running. Housing Fast-track permitting for PAL and Kauaʻi Habitat for Humanity. Streamline the building permit process for trusted local housing nonprofits so projects move from paper to foundation faster.