Thursday, January 30, 2014

Musings: On Local Control

The buzzword these days is “local control,” with The Garden Island's newbie editor weighing in on its importance, in opposition to the “right to farm bills” now before the state Legislature.

While I also highly value the concepts of local control and home rule, and wholeheartedly agree that "Kauai should have a say on local matters," I think we need to stop for a moment and define exactly what that means.

Does "local control" include people like Sun City resident Sandy Calhoun Scanlan and possible prospective resident Ronald John, who published a letter and guest commentary, respectively, trashing the new dairy?

Does it include the Los Angeles transplant Biotech Babe who threatened to launch an impeachment drive against our mayor when he vetoed Bill 2491? Paid political activist Jennifer Ruggles, who cast nasty, unfounded aspersions on county officials before jetting back to the mainland? Brent Norris, a rabidly anti-GMO Big Islander who participated in a meeting setting rules for the implementation of our Ordinance 960?
Does it include the Center for Food Safety, Pesticide Action Network, Earthjustice and the other mainland-based organizations that played a big role in drafting Bill 2491 and financing its passage?

Does it include all the mainland signatures in support of Bill 2491 collected by Food Democracy Now and other unverifiable internet petitions and email drives? The mainland signatures in opposition to 2491 collected by the chem corps?

Does it include Maui attorney Lance Collins, who is now protesting our pro bono procurement process and interpretation of the County Charter, as it pertains to defending Bill 2491?

Should all of these non-Kauai people continue to have power and influence over what happens on our island? Or is it just the Legislature we want to exclude?

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

uneasy parallels?

http://kauaieclectic.blogspot.com/2010/05/musings-uneasy-parallels.html

Anonymous said...

Joan were you born and raised on Kauai? FYI - Jen Ruggles "jetted off" to the Big Island where she grew up. Checking sources is now optional for this one time respected reporter

Joan Conrow said...

The Facebook post I saw, after Jen's farewell party, said she was headed for the mainland. At any rate, she is not a resident of Kauai, which is my point.

Anonymous said...

"Does it include the Los Angeles transplant Biotech Babe?..."

Joan, didn't you move here from somewhere else too? Why is okay for you to have an opinion on this but not her?

Anonymous said...

Joan, do you consider yourself to be a local to Kauai? In fact, most of us are transplants----my great grandparents from Japan, my grandchildren's ancestors from China, etc. Where do you draw the line? How long have you been here? We have some local greedy, scumbags who trash, destroy this place---just like the ones you talk about who are haole. Many times we ask for expertise help from people who are not residents of Kauai---they have the tools that we sometimes so desperately need to get things going. And yes, the rich somehow can do so much more than us middle class people and it sucks, especially when they take and never give back!

Anonymous said...

So, she's not a resident of Kauai. Were the brave 1960's Freedom Riders residents of the Southern States they were trying to end discrimination in?

Joan Conrow said...

That's precisely my point. If you allow people who don't even live here to have a say haven't you already relinquished local control?

Anonymous said...

Should "outside" organizations like the ACLU be allowed to voice an opinion in a local court case that has national ramifications? Should PETA get involved in a Kauai animal abuse case? Should the Peace Corps get "involved" in a foreign county? Should the federal gov't or the state of Hawaii have any influence in Kauai? Of course - so why can't a few anti-GMO activists get involved too? Non-residents don't have a right to vote, but if they want to write letters to the editor, or organize a protest, or otherwise influence local outcomes - well, I think it's pretty well established that they do, for good and for bad. Happens everywhere.

Anonymous said...

I think we're missing the big picture..... Sandy Scanlan thrashed the dairy and she may know something that we don't. Opinions are healthy and all is deserving of one. But since reading Scanlans plea to stop the dairy all it did is raise a flag of awareness. That doesn't mean we should all run out and start protesting a dairy. I am not a protester and believe in logical thinking. I personally would like to know what the adverse reaction will be and am responsible enough to do my own homework and analogy before having or stating an opinion.

Anonymous said...

Spot on Joan. AGAIN!! Keep up your great work.

Anonymous said...

Methinks, as soon as someone is on Kauai they have the same rights as everyone else. One day, one year or decades, we be all equal.
Provocateurs are soon found out and their opinions may not have as much weight as long term residents.
Local control is usually in Land Use. The State many years ago, and in many cases arbitrarily snapped lines on Kauai County and designated Land Use. Many Land Uses are impacted by foreign entities, Hotels, Businesses Government "experts"
Local (County) control on land use has been a long battle. Many land uses must go thru State (Land Use Commission, then County Council and finally Planning Commission).
The fear of giving local control of land and water to the Counties is that if you get a bunch of whack jobs in office, they may do schtupid things.
Kauai currently has a Council that acts with emotionalism and fanaticism. The Council's skewed judgement is threatening Kauai's financial stability and impacted the people's harmony.
Provocateurs have influenced our Council, fear has overcome judgement and negotiation with other points of view is strictly verboten.
Watching Gary's crazy chant at the legislature seems to prove evidence of mental derangement. But, Nuts or not? He is the Annette Funicello of the County and all eyes and ears or on him. How embarrassing for the island.

Anonymous said...

Is Gary's chant on line somewhere?

Anonymous said...

Local control means local people making decisions that affect our island and then putting them into action. We act intelligently if we consider all opinions, including those of people who do not live here. If a scientist in India offers us a study which enlightens us about our situation on Kaua'i, should we ignore them because they do not live on Kaua'i? I do not understand the intent of today's blog. Local control means creating, enacting and enforcing our own laws.....Joan, none of the people you mention in today's blog can vote in local elections, can they??...because they are not residents of Kaua'i. Why not stick to the real issue...pre-emption and taking away local control by the state or federal government? Today's blog does nothing whatsoever to bring us together in support of home rule. We can have home rule and still consider the opinions and assistance of those who do not live here....anything that supports aloha 'aina should be taken to heart...no matter who or where it comes from/

Anonymous said...

Kauai will never have local control, the State owns the water, beaches and controls all AG land over 20 acres (plus or minus), schools, airports, harbors, courts, main roads, shucks even elevators and septic tanks, etc.
We all wish for local control, but since Kauai can not even perform simple tasks like putting a roof on Kilauea Gym, maybe we are better off being supervised by others.
Yumpin' Yiminy Tinkerbell, Now Kauai has to re-write standard EPA standards for GMO/herbicides and even finger out a way to license a cat or two...Local control? Righto, let's herd cats as the hungry homeless lay in the cold wind.
We may have a million tiny flailing fistees and good drama. But, fistees and drama doth not good government make.

Anonymous said...

License the cats, then the rats, after the dogs, go after the frogs, then the trees or maybe the bees. Oh, puhleeze.

Anonymous said...

Dump JoAnn and any other who want us to license cats. You have lost your mind woman!

Anonymous said...

If the bill passed by JoAnn and Tim and Gary wasn't so poorly written, it would not be now able to be used to achieve pre emption. The new people highlighted in this post are some of the reasons pre emption will be achieved, so the goal of clean air and water will be harder to pursue because of their actions. We should all be mad as hell at them for blowin it big time.

Anonymous said...

I am born and raised kauaian. My perception of someone who is "kauai" local is someone that is born and raised here. That is just my personal opinion. To me it doesn't matter what nationality you are, as long as you are born and raised here, then you are a "kauai local". If you MOVED here 30 years ago or whatever, sorry, I still don't think you're "local".

As for the Maui attorney filing his complaint, he has every right to do so. I think as long as outsiders of Kauai DO NOT have a DIRECT role in making the decisions in our County, I am all for hearing what they have to say. To say "fuck off" to the neighbor island feedback we are getting is hypocritical because it was those very neighbor island people that the red shirts relied on for rallying efforts and testimony during the whole Bill 2491 debacle. I was against Bill 2491 but I still appreciated the feedback and information that was shared by EVERYONE for or against the bill that took the time to testify whether they were from the mainland, Oahu, Big Island, etc.

Once Kauai Council passed that bill it opened itself to scrutinization by ALL. So to those of you that say "screw everyone else mind your business" remember that in order to make an INFORMED decision and or personal opinion, you need to look at the subject from ALL PERSPECTIVES and not just your own inability to be openminded.

Think about it. If you don't agree with the Maui attorney, let it be and move on. Sometimes it's the opinion and expertise from the outside that shines light on other aspects you may not have thought about.

Anonymous said...

Don't be mad at JoAnn for wanting to license cats. If you listened to the council meeting and to all the councilmembers that voted for the fee, they're doing it for the REVENUE.

Guess why the County needs more REVENUE...

BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH BILL 2491 IS COSTING US!!!

DUH!

Anonymous said...

Joan IS NOT LOCAL. But she has acclimated to the Kauaian lifestyle and has done some fine reporting on Kauai's politics. Even though she's not local, it doesn't mean she's not an asset to the community. You don't have to be labeled a local to be appreciated.

-From a local born and raised on kauai

Anonymous said...

if 2491 is the reason for the cap licensing bill she voted for that bill too

Anonymous said...

So we have established that the title "local" only goes to those who were Born on your island.

Congratulations locals. You were born in a sleepy feuding hamlet without a college. What a great accomplishment. You should be so proud.

Anonymous said...

9:24 -- That's the kind of comment that distinguishes a local from a fucking haole.

Anonymous said...

KFC may not be Harvard but it is a college. You, on the other hand, are a dumbass.

Anonymous said...

Kauai is not known for it's educational system Graduating from high school is highly prized Ask anyone who attended Kapaa high Kauai however is famous for it's racism . Many "locals" believe that the racism is justified.

Anonymous said...

And so, apparently, do many haole newcomers.

Anonymous said...



Though Joan may not have been born on Kauai her thinking, creativity and her contributions are very well received. She has the heart of a local and wants what's best for Kauai. It' not about personal gain for Joan and I value her opinion and her local values.

Based on my impirical observation,
Born and raised local.

Joan Conrow said...

Thanks for your words of appreciation Anons 7:49 am and 7:07 pm

Anonymous said...

Joan,
Looks like you hit a nerve with this post. I trust you appreciated the irony of most of the early comments...whose authors completely missed your point.

Anyway, to comment on the content of your post. The State of Hawaii is sovereign, not the counties. The Legislature created them and can un-create them. They are simply convenient (or not) administrative entities of the state with only the powers that the Legislature decides to grant them.

Anonymous said...

Local control is a lifestyle that we the people (all people) of Kauai want too preserve. If you want a Malibu atmosphere on Kauai or you may want a ghetto where TVR's are stacked on one another then maybe you have no local values.

And I also appreciate Joan's perspective on local matters.
Hapa haole,
Local Haole born and raised.