Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Monday, November 25, 2024 71° Today's Paper


Election

Keith A. Regan

Full Name: Keith Allen Regan

Name on Ballot: Keith A. Regan

Age: 44

District: County Council – Wailuku, Waihee, Waikapu District

Email Address: info@regan2016.com

Current Job:

Managing director for Maui County

Place of birth: Lawrence, Mass.

Campaign website: www.regan2016.com

Job history past 10 years:

County of Maui’s managing director overseeing the 15 various departments

Ever run for public office? If so, when? Outcome?

No

Other civic experience or community service?

Cub Scouts Pack 40, immediate past cubmaster

Japanese Cultural Society of Maui, board member, past president

Kiwanis International, past distinguished president and past distinguished lieutenant governor for Division 22

100 Men Who Care, Maui Chapter, founder

The Aloha Initiative, co-founder

Maui Memorial Medical Center Foundation, past board member

Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce, member

Haleakala Waldorf School, past board member

American Heart Association (Maui Division – past chairman of the board (2002–2004)

State of Hawaii Board of Public Accountancy – member – 2008 – 2015

Boy Scouts of America: Maui County Council – board member – 2014 –

Present

March of Dimes’ March for Babies 2006 Ambassador Family of the Year

Maui Chamber of Commerce, Government Action Committee – 2007 – 2008

Maui Young Business Roundtable – past director, past president

Pacific Century Fellow, Class of 2006

Tri-Isle Resource Conservation and Development Council – Past Director

Anything else you’d like voters to know about you?

I am a Maui resident for the past 27 years, and am married to Lynn Araki-Regan, a fourth-generation Maui girl, and together we have a son Riley (11 years old), along with a dog (Chacha) & three cats (Christy, Morris, & Garfield).

What makes you qualified to be a Council member?

In addition to being involved with a variety of nonprofit organizations over nearly 20 years, having served the public as the county’s finance director and managing director has allowed me to deal with a broad range of complex issues and develop solutions that are both sensible and achievable.

What are your top five priorities for the county?

Top priorities: Infrastructure, affordable workforce housing, environmental protection, fiscal responsibility and economic development

We must develop policy that is based on common sense, that is forward thinking, that incorporates and considers new ideas, and most importantly that cuts through the bureaucracy that has negatively impacted our community for much too long.

What is your one big idea?

The current council budgeting process is time consuming, inefficient, and places the legislative process on hold for months putting important policy issues on the back burner. This is unacceptable. I propose moving away from the existing annual budgeting process to a more progressive biennial budget for the county.

What do you think about the proposal to go from a mayor/council form of government to a manager/council form?

While the current system isn’t perfect, I support having checks & balances. If changed completely, all power will be concentrated in the elected council to hire/fire the professional manager.

Perhaps we should modify the current system. To address concerns, perhaps we could increase the minimum qualifications of appointees.

What can the Council do to deal with the economic impact from the end of sugar on Maui?

I would advocate for the lands to be devoted to food crops, ranching and energy crops such as sorghum. We must strengthen agricultural infrastructure and work with the state and federal government to provide for food safety, pest prevention & control, training, research & extension services and policy & organizational support.

Affordable housing is in short supply on Maui. How would you suggest increasing the inventory of affordable housing?

The supply of workforce housing is not keeping up with demand. Our population continues to grow, and so does our demand for affordable housing options. We must encourage the development of workforce housing through incentives, streamlined permitting, and public-private partnerships.

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