Maui County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Maui County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Structural reform of county boards and commissions
A messy meeting for the Independent Nomination Board process: Faith Chase's police commission bid failed, East Maui water authority nominees were disqualified over license-area rules, and the chair called for repealing the INB provision.
Public access to county meeting information
Testifier Jasee Law told the committee he couldn't even find out what the meeting was about, saying residents struggle to keep up with the number of meetings and lack of accessible information. He asked the county to fund public access points in next year's budget.
Taxicab fares and baggage charges
Taxi operators say Maui's baggage charges are the lowest in the state, and Bill 101 raises the fee to $10 for oversized bags, bikes, surfboards and big pet crates. Enforcement is murky — county code is technically enforced by police, and cruise-ship harbor disputes fall under state DOT and PUC jurisdiction.
Disclosure rules for county land bought with special funds (Bill 81)
When the county buys land with restricted money like the open space fund and later wants to use it for something else — like affordable housing — the bill would force the county to say so up front, including how the original fund gets made whole. It comes from the West Maui Kaulu Onapili deal, where open space land was partly redirected to housing.
Parks facilities excluded from FEMA declaration
The disaster declaration excluded parks facilities and hazard mitigation from FEMA reimbursement — a major gap since parks took real damage. The State has appealed in writing, and Oahu's stronger case may help overturn it; meanwhile the county is getting creative with categories, like treating the Kula gym as a building.
Cost of Government Commission term staggering
Four commission terms expire in 2028 and five in 2029, risking a gutted oversight board. The commission wants it fixed by county code, not a ballot question.
Johnson Controls Energy Performance Contract Phase 3 Expansion
The county wants to expand its energy-savings contract with a ~$9 million Phase 3 covering solar, roof replacements, and infrastructure — paid off over 20 years from guaranteed energy savings. Members probed what happens if the county backs out ($150,000 owed), who pays for solar panel disposal, and battery backup resilience.