For Maui County Council
For Maui County Council
Shane Sinenci is the current Chair of the Agriculture and Public Trust Committee. His work includes the water-use planning and development of our local water resources for Maui County, for the next 30 years. E 'Ola I Ka Wai!
I introduced a bill prohibiting single-use plastic foodware. We had opposition from the plastic industry who said there were no affordable or workable options, but the ban went into effect effortlessly and proving that we can do more to protect the environment and sea life from plastic pollution.
I introduced one of the strongest public lands organic policy in the nation. Starting next year, chemical pesticides and fertilizers will no longer be used in parks where children play and at beaches where our visitors sunbathe.
I introduced a charter amendment to create the first-ever County Department of Agriculture. The department will build a regional agriculture system focused on boosting the island's food security through sustainable agriculture practices.
Aloha I’m Shane Sinenci, your East Maui County representative and I live in one of the wettest places in Hawaii. The windward slopes of Haleakala crater receives one of the largest amount of rainfall throughout the year.
Here, A two-lane road traverses 128 kilometers of native rainforests, ocean cliffs and spectacular waterfalls, and the road may host up to 600 rental cars on any given day. However during the world pandemic, local residents delighted in driving on an empty road as 20 thousand rental cars suddenly stopped driving on Maui, and an economy dependent of tourism was devastated.
Since then, we are experiencing a return of world visitors and over-tourism on the popular highway. Our countywide plan has established a visitor goal of one visitor to every 3 resident ratio, however that number has almost reached one visitor to every 2 residents and we are now seeing its impacts on the quality of life, for residents on Maui.
Our dilemma is the lack of control of the Airline industry. Although hotel prices have skyrocketed, airline ticket prices are at an all-time low and visitors consider that a compromise to increased accommodations’ prices. Our county council has appropriated funding to lobby the FAA in Washington; to decrease seating capacity, include safety videos on their flights and to re-route their airplane paths away from over heavily-populated neighborhoods. We tried to institute additional impact fees to airline tickets but that too falls out of our local jurisdiction.
The East Maui watershed provides billions of gallons of water to the rest of the island, including the resort areas of South Maui. However, as we see climate change effects and more drought conditions instituted, many resorts are unaffected by these restrictions and continue to enjoy these luxuries. This practice is simply not sustainable for our future island survival, as we begin to see more and more of our residents move to the US mainland for cheaper places to live.
On an island that imports 90% of its’ food, we are scrambling to create more food sovereignty on the island and save our land and precious resources for food production and limit our dependence on tourism
The East Maui Watershed is over 100,000 acres and home to over 100 rare and native species. See the latest efforts to rid the watershed of invasive species.
Read an excerpt by Reporter Deborah Caulfield Rybak, as she successfully portrays how local politics are influenced by powerful local corporations.
Maui County boasts one of the lowest residential tax rates in the nation. Tax fairness ensures that all stakeholders pay their fair share toward infrastructure maintenance.
Our natural environment is one of our greatest resources. It is critical that we invest in the protection of it, including maintaining open spaces for the general public.
Volunteerism is honorable work! By donating personal time and energy to community boards and commissions, only ensures that our local voices are heard.
We are a grassroots campaign. Your donation is an opportunity to be part of something bigger. Your kokua today ensures that the people are represented in local government!
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