Mike Victorino Archives - The Maui Independent

Betrayers of Maui Democracy Ask Voters to Re-Elect Them This November Arakawa, Victorino, Crivello, and Hokama Enabled Monsanto’s Historic Theft of Voter-Approved GMO Moratorium

Posted by Jonathan Greenberg - October 25, 2018

The public initiative system is a unique and magnificent tool for grassroots democracy. Four years ago, Maui’s GMO Moratorium made history in a number of significant ways. First, it made local history by becoming the first public initiative effort in Maui history to get on the ballot. It did this through the hard work of

Massive A&B Corporate Water Theft Faces Public Comment In Maui The aqueduct system and corporate water giveaway are rooted in century-old plantation-era water contracts

Posted by Jonathan Greenberg - February 23, 2017

On February 22 and 23, 2017, Maui citizens will have a chance to speak out against a 30-year extension of a rigged plantation-era water system that for more than a century has diverted the majority of all the water from vibrant streams on the island to benefit the Alexander & Baldwin Corporation for less than

Passage of Amendment 12 Scores Historic Win for Maui Water Rights For years plantation owner Alexander & Baldwin paid almost nothing to use majority of island’s water

Posted by Jonathan Greenberg - March 28, 2023

With the historic November 2022 passage of Charter Amendment 12, establishing the East Maui Community Water Authority, there is hope, for the first time in 145 years, that the people of Maui will finally gain control over the island’s largest public water source. “The water leases are up for grabs, and the DLNR (Department of Land

Endorsement: Yes on 12 & ‘Onipa‘a 2022 Candidates Vote to stop development money from buying control of Maui's County Council

Posted by Jonathan Greenberg - October 28, 2022

View the Maui Independent’s video endorsement, narrated by Alika Atay, or read the text version of the commentary below. Corporate America has a vision for Maui’s future. It is the same vision they have had for 130 years. It is a vision of ruthlessly exploiting our island’s bountiful environment and hard working people for their

Betrayers of Maui Democracy Ask Voters to Re-Elect Them This November Arakawa, Victorino, Crivello, and Hokama Enabled Monsanto’s Historic Theft of Voter-Approved GMO Moratorium

Posted by Jonathan Greenberg - October 25, 2018

The public initiative system is a unique and magnificent tool for grassroots democracy. Four years ago, Maui’s GMO Moratorium made history in a number of significant ways. First, it made local history by becoming the first public initiative effort in Maui history to get on the ballot. It did this through the hard work of

Hawai’i Will Become First State in USA to Ban Toxic Pesticide Chlorpyrifos Robust People-Powered Effort Pressures Lawmakers to Pass Historic Pesticide Bill That Includes Buffer Zones & Disclosure

Posted by Jon Woodhouse - April 30, 2018

In a victory for people power, Hawai’i is about to become the first state in the nation to ban the neurotoxic pesticide chlorpyrifos. The ban is part of a historic new pesticide regulation bill that had already passed the House, and on Friday, April 27, passed the Senate Conference Committee. The bill, after enormous opposition from

Landmark Case Puts Cancer Risk of Monsanto’s Roundup on Trial For The First Time in US Courtroom, Renowned Health Experts Link Popular Pesticide to Cancer

Posted by Jon Woodhouse - March 14, 2018

The most heavily used chemical weed killer in human history has been declared carcinogenic by a team of health experts testifying last week in San Francisco’s U.S. District Court. While government agencies have declared Roundup safe, based on corrupt science and flawed analysis (often drawing from Monsanto-funded studies), a lawsuit on behalf of farm workers

Maui County Council’s Proposed 2018 Budget Supports Tourism, Stiffs Locals Testify This Week or Call Budget Chair Hokama at 270-7768 to Express Yourself

Posted by Mark Sheehan - April 26, 2017

There was a character in a William Faulkner novel who learned early in life “that words go up in the air in a column of thin smoke, but doing goes along the ground.” The Maui County Council’s old guard talks about issues affecting residents: affordable housing and “solving the workforce housing crisis”, homelessness, water quality

Vote Yes on Charter Revisions Passed By County Council Term limits & new Dept. of Agriculture for sustainable future to transition Maui out of plantation era policies on the ballot

Posted by Jon Woodhouse - October 8, 2020

Passed by a majority of the Maui County Council, the 7 charter amendments on the November ballot, were authored by Kelly King, Shane Sinenci, and Keani Rawlins-Fernandez. Only Yuki Lei Sugimura and Riki Hokama voted against putting any of the amendments on the ballot, while Tasha Kama voted no on four amendments, including those for

Mainland SuperPACs & Old Guard Try to Stop Important Charter Amendments Offshore money floods Maui to stoke fears and thwart people-powered Democracy

Posted by Jon Woodhouse - October 6, 2020

Banners urging Vote NO on all Maui County Charter Amendments are proliferating around Maui, while an off-island Super PAC is also disseminating more fear during this trying pandemic imploring support for the conservative old guard that has ruled Maui politics. The dubious Vote NO campaign has ramped up scare tactics alleging that 7 new amendments

Real Estate Money Floods Victorino, Arakawa and Lee Campaigns Developer Donations to Old Guard Seek to Stop Maui Ohana Candidates from Bringing Public Interest Government to Maui

Posted by Jon Woodhouse - November 3, 2018

With the Maui election just a few days away we’re turning the spotlight again on how some County candidates have their campaigns funded primarily by development and real estate interests, with major supporters on Oahu. Take mayoral candidate Mike Victorino, who has raised close to $400,000. While his campaign accountant proclaims his funding is coming

Q&A with Maui County Council’s People Powered Leader Alika Atay "We have the opportunity to wake everybody up and say what is important is keeping Maui Maui"

Posted by Jonathan Greenberg - October 31, 2018

What brought you to politics? I’ve been a community servant and leader for well over 35 years. My aloha for Maui has been well established. Then came the calling in 2013 and 2014 to be involved in the election involving GMO and pesticides. As a steward of the land I saw it as a duty

Can Elle Cochran Win Maui’s Mayoral Race and Send the Good Old Boys Packing? Q&A With the Most Outspoken Populist Reformer in County History

Posted by Jon Woodhouse - October 12, 2018

Council Member Elle Cochran, who was the top vote-getter in the 2016 Maui Council election, is running for mayor this November on a platform of revolutionizing County government to create a new culture of transparency and effective collaboration. “Elle,” as she is widely known, makes no secret of her intention of sweeping away a plantation-mentality

Will Maui’s Corporate Donor Swamp Buy This Election for Victorino and the Old Guard? Flood of Campaign Cash from Recipients of County Contracts Tries to Stop Maui Ohana Candidates from Advancing Public Interest Government

Posted by Jon Woodhouse - October 11, 2018

This November’s mayoral and Council election finds Maui at a critical crossroads. Voters could allow the old guard, in the pockets of major developers to continue to dominate our County government. Or we could welcome a breath of fresh air with high integrity progressive candidates who care for our environment, seek sustainable, smart growth, and

Maui’s People-Powered Candidates Poised to Take Majority in 2018 County’s Monsanto-Boosting Old Guard Establishment May Lose its Majority Stranglehold in Historic Election

Posted by Jon Woodhouse - July 26, 2018

The upcoming 2018 Maui election offers an extraordinary, historic opportunity to change the power structure that has limited progressive change on our island. The Maui Ohana wing of the County Council – Elle Cochran, Alika Atay and Kelly King – is poised to be joined by another wave of reformist candidates seeking to take Maui

Maui’s Sign Wars No Billboards Allowed But Political Campaign Signs Abound

Posted by Jon Woodhouse - May 26, 2018

Due to the diligent perseverance of a group of female environmentalists back in the 1920s, Hawaii’s beautiful landscape has remained free of the blight of endless roadside billboards. But come election time local neighborhoods become blanketed with prominent signs by competing political candidates. This “sign wars” as it’s become known was highlighted by Maui mayoral

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