Schatz: ‘Right balance’ of tourism talks needed
KAHULUI — While tourism in Hawaii is not “primarily a federal question,” a recent study showed that the number of visitors to the islands is exceeding the ideal rate by two million people, said U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii.
by DAKOTA GROSSMAN dgrossman@mauinews.com
“We determined that the ideal number of tourists visiting the state would be eight million annually, but we’re now at 10 million,” Schatz said Tuesday after noon after a town hall meeting at Kahului Elementary School. “I think the broader community has to have a conversation about the right balance.
“We all understand that tourism drives our economy, but it has to work for local people, and I think that’s the balance that our state and county have to try and strike.”
Schatz, a Democrat, said that “generally speaking, I’m a supporter of the tourism industry because of the economic opportunity.”
“But the impact on traffic, on natural resources and on housing, they have to be taken very, very seriously,” he said.
U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz provides those who attended his town hall meeting with an update on tourism, education, medical care, immigration, affordable housing and climate change. The meeting with about 50 people was held Tuesday in the Kahului Elementary School cafeteria. The Maui News / DAKOTA GROSSMAN photo
With Hawaii’s dependence on tourism, Schatz suggested that the state needs to “create additional industries” and diversify the economy. Rather than replacing the state’s main economic driver, Maui County can seek opportunities in clean energy, health care, the arts and affordable housing, he said.
During the town hall gathering with about 50 people, Schatz also touched upon housing and climate change in response to questions from the audience.
While Schatz did not provide a direct solution to the housing shortage, he suggested that “we have to be comfortable with density” or building concentrated community housing.
“I think there is a way to make our peace with the local environmental movement and come to an overall understanding of ‘here’s where we are going to build and here’s where we are not going to build,’ ” he said. “There is not one particular thing that will solve the affordable housing problem, but I think if we are doing 15 to 20 things, they will collectively make a difference.”
Benefits of density include social equity, safety and location efficiency, he said. Stacked housing, such as apartments, also is less expensive to build and has a smaller environmental impact.
“I think we need further appropriations from the government, but I am a little worried about us just piling money into the various housing funds,” he continued. “First of all, if we wanted to build these units ourselves, in terms of taxpayers taking on the burden, it would cost about $35 to 40 billion. . . . It’s really hard to imagine that our tax base could be able to manage that.
“So I think, it’s not just about piling money into some state fund and throwing it at affordable housing. The more we do that, the further we fall behind.”
On the issue of the environment, Schatz said he was a leader in the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative, which aims to achieve 100 percent clean energy by 2045. The program focuses on developing ways to become less reliant on fossil fuels.
In the Senate, Schatz said he is the chairman of a Senate Democratic special committee, which includes a group of “geographically, politically and demographically diverse” individuals who discuss how to take action on the climate crisis.
“If we’re actually going to get to the point where we can take action, federally, then everybody across the country needs to understand that the cost of inaction is higher than the cost of action,” he said. “At the agency level, and certainly at the local level, there is tons of good news and lots of reasons for hope.”
Maui’s coral reefs, marine life and shorelines have been negatively impacted by rising sea levels and erosion. On a county and state level, Schatz said that “everybody has to rise” and work together.
To combat environmental degradation on a national level and to address economic concerns, Schatz is supportive of the Green New Deal, a Democratic-led congressional resolution that lays out a plan for handling climate change, as well as a carbon fee, which would impose a levy on the amount of carbon dioxide generated from fuel.
“I think what we need to do is continue to do the movement building around the rationale for climate action and not haggle with each other like we’re on the conference committee. We’re not,” he added. “I’m focused on ambition and urgency . . . I think the carbon fee is the quickest way to reduce greenhouse gases, and it’s also the most market friendly.”
In addition, Schatz said, it’s important for state leaders to understand and identify the signs of climate change, such as out-of-the ordinary floods and wildfires or when “their farmlands become much less productive.”
For more information or to send any questions, comments and concerns, visit schatz.senate.gov.
* Dakota Grossman can be reached at dgrossman@mauinews.com.
