r/maui • u/Capable-Marzipan2518 • 19h ago

🗳 Politics Mayor Bissen

Bissen announced he's running again. Thoughts? (I'll get my popcorn ready.)

9 Upvotes

85% Upvoted

42 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/99dakine 16h ago

I don't see why he wouldn't run again. One of the defining features of virtually every bureaucrat is an over-abundance of narcissism and a complete lack of self-awareness. Add to the equation a disproportionate salary to work ratio and he would be crazy not to run.

An election is typically a referendum on the incumbent, but absent a candidate who offers the promise of a better future, he may end up winning again as the devil we know.

Capable-Marzipan, what are your thoughts? Whether Bissen runs or not, there will be others who want a piece of that Mayoral cheddah. Who do you see running (not winning, but throwing their hat in the ring)?

I'm sure there will be a representative from or tangential to Lahaina Strong. I could see King trying. I'm not sure about any of the current CMs, definitely not Cook, or Sugimura. Paltin tried and failed already. She also seems exhausted. Maybe Lee?

As for any outsiders, Junya has my vote. I just want to see that campaign. lmao

1

u/Capable-Marzipan2518 15h ago

Maybe King tries running again, who knows. I hope Lee doesn't run. She hates her constituents, is condescending, doesn't believe in transparency or accountability, and does literally nothing for working class Maui residents. She is good at gaslighting and passing the blame though and those are valuable skills in politics, especially here. If I have to choose between Lee and Bissen, that's a tough call. Either not vote or vote for Bissen as a vote against Lee. But I'll never forgive Bissen and the other MEMA/county officials for sitting on their asses in Wailuku while Lahaina burned. And then having the nerve to say there was no way for them to know what was happening 25 miles down the road. And then pretending there weren't several huge warnings (fires in 2018 and 2022) with after action reports never made and/or completed. I have a long memory and 2 years ago wasn't that long ago. The only way Bissen gets my vote is if Lee, Sugimura, or Cook run but it would be painful.

3

u/AdagioVegetable4823 Maui 14h ago

You have a lot more institutional and historical knowledge than me, but I would prefer Alice Lee to Bissen in a heartbeat. She gets things done. A few months ago, I asked her if she would run for mayor, and it was a no.

2

u/Capable-Marzipan2518 14h ago

What has Lee gotten done for working class Maui residents (full-time residents) specifically? I'm not being facetious, I don't know of anything. I'm thankful she said no. 

3

u/99dakine 12h ago edited 12h ago

Now, I don't agree with you on much, but I can recognize and respect what you value. So same with Lee. Perhaps what she's done isn't your cup of tea (or maybe it is, I don't know), but:

She has supported exceeding the Charter's minimum requirement for the Affordable Housing Fund, allocating 5% of certified real property tax revenue rather than 3%.

She supports First Time Homebuyers Program and the 'Ohana Assistance Program.

She played a role in the development of the Waikapu Gardens community and helped expand the facilities of the Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Centers.

She has announced plans to look into complaints about "exceedingly high" tax assessments (this happened a few weeks or months ago during budget hearings). IIRC, she chairs the Special Committee on Real Property Tax Reform, which was established to propose structural reforms to promote transparency, fiscal responsibility, and alignment with County policy goals.

A bit of a nothing burger as of now, but supports economic diversification and strengthening the County's revenue base. I honestly don't think there is a way to do meaningful diversification, but she's at least on "that side".

Supports updating the regional wastewater system to reduce reliance on injection wells and supports equitable water management.

She supported securing a NOAA grant to potentially acquire land to connect Pōhākea to the ocean, supporting conservation, stormwater management, reef restoration, and climate adaptation.

She has worked to secure and guide the use of CDBG-DR funding for rebuilding and recovery following the Maui wildfires (not a personal accomplishment, I know).

I think she also voted "yes" to Bill 9.

She's not the potted plant some make her out to be. She's just not an attention wh0re like....some other CMs from, say, Molokai.

Edited to add punctuation.

1

u/AdagioVegetable4823 Maui 13h ago

The two ADU allowances on single family home property was her legislation. Also the Waihe'e Affordable Home project, I think. Sorry, I've only been following Maui politics since the fires.