Civil Beat has asked candidates for the Hawaiʻi General Election on Nov. 3 to answer a survey about where they stand on various issues and what their priorities will be if elected.

The following comes from Billy DeCosta, nonpartisan candidate for Kauaʻi County Council.

His opponents are Paul Noboru Applegate, Addison Bulosan, Trysten Fernandes Caberto, Mike Coots, Michelle Kaleiohi Correa, Jeremy Haupt, Fern Ānuenue Holland, Keola Kaiminaauao, Arryl Kaneshiro, James Langtad, Thomas Lindsay Jr., Umi Martin, John H. Mattos, John Montemayor, Nelson Mukai, Yelena Okhman, Todd Ozaki, Michael Poai, Cheree Rapozo, Rachel M. Secretario, Taylor H. Shigemoto, Dane Smith, James Trujillo, Herman K. Wilson and Skyler Workman.

Go to Civil Beat’s 2026 Elections Guide for general information, and check out the other candidates on Civil Beatʻs 2026 Hawaiʻi Primary Ballot.

Why are you best suited for the job of council member, and why do you want the job?

I am a fifth-generation family member whose ancestors built Hawaiʻi in the sugarcane industry. I have a bachelor’s degree in Business and four years of council experience. I want to make a better life for our future generations and to build Hawaiʻi into a strong economy where future generations can prosper. I want to bring back this type of optimism and prosperity for our children. I have some unfinished projects that I was not able to complete during my prior four years as a council member.

What is the biggest issue facing Kaua‘i County, and what is the first thing you would do to address it in the first six months after being elected?

Middle-class workforce housing for our gap group: Police, fire, teachers, construction and hotel workers, nurses, etc. I plan to encourage our council to draft a resolution to support our mayor in purchasing land from private landowners and work with a developer to bond this housing project and build out these homes in agricultural areas where electricity and roads are nearby. We now can use rain catchment for water and design sewer treatment plants to provide waste management.

Here’s one question from a constituent: How are we going to deal with wild cat colonies?

Wild cat colonies need to be removed to protect our native birds and wildlife species. We have our human society that provides a cat sanctuary, our county supports them with funding.

There are nearly 14,000 cesspools on Kaua‘i that must be removed by 2050. With an average cost of $15,000 to $30,000 to convert to septic, how can the county help jumpstart cesspool replacements?

First of all, the cost of converting from cesspool to septic is more like $40K to $60K depending on dirt and or rock. Our people, kūpuna and communities cannot bear the cost of this. We need to build out infrastructure to support sewer lines and wastewater treatment facilities within our county. County Council members have the ability to provide funding during our budget process to provide our communities with assistance.

The median price for a single-family home on Kaua‘i has topped $1 million. What would you do to address the shortage of affordable housing?

During my second term, I crafted a resolution during our council budget process that raised taxes on hotels and Transient Vacation Rentals. It passed unanimously and now my resolution generates $8 to $10 million-plus per year in a special housing fund that our mayor and housing director can access to buy land from large landowners, work with a developer and build out middle-class workforce housing. If I am reelected, I will encourage our mayor to purchase land for this housing project.

Kaua‘i’s landfill in Kekaha will soon run out of capacity. What should the county council do to address what could become a garbage crisis for the island?

Recycling and design and build a high heat to energy trash facility.

In recent years, Kaua‘i restructured property tax rates to widen the gap between rates for owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied property (i.e. vacation rentals, second homes) and dedicate a larger portion of those revenues to creating housing for residents. Do you support that move? Why or why not?

Yes.

What would you do to encourage more local food production on Kaua‘i, balancing the needs and challenges of both small and large farmers?

Make all the west side state ADC lands (those grass hills above Waimea to Kekaha) available for leasing to small 20- to-100-acre grazing land ranchers to raise cattle, sheep and goats for food security. Carve out 10-acre orchard plots to support all sorts of fruits that can thrive in the tropics. This would also support our grassland fire mitigation efforts with lands that burn at least once a year.

What is your assessment of programs combating invasive species on Kaua‘i and what other measures would you advocate for in office?

Support with funding and hold organizations and/or individuals liable for bringing these invasive species into our state. Work with our interisland shipping industry Young Brothers, Matson and any other shipping companies and hold our dock inspectors accountable for their work. Each container needs to be thoroughly inspected.

All of Hawai‘i has experienced damaging and dangerous weather events that have exposed weaknesses in our planning, preparation and response. Is Kaua‘i sufficiently prepared for the next Hurricane ʻIniki or Kona low system? Why or why not? What additional steps should the county take?

Any natural disaster is tough to be 100% prepared but having multiple evacuation routes open on old sugar cane roads is important, having heavy equipment and county manpower ready after the disaster and having our neighborhood centers well prepared with fresh large water bottles and water dispensers, warm blankets, propane cooking and lighting equipment, canned food, military grade MRE’s and freeze-dried food to weather out the storm effects for at least a week.

What should Kaua‘i County do to get in front of climate change rather than just reacting and adapting to it?

Climate change is a worldwide problem. No matter what we do, our impact on this problem will never change the world’s outcome. We are moving toward becoming solar efficient but we have not decided what to do with those expired lithium batteries that are toxic to our landfill. We burn invasive trees to create more energy but diesel is used to power up those large furnaces to burn those wood chips. And we pay $.21 per kilowatt to this company which is the highest cost of electricity in the nation.

What would you do to ensure transparency and accountability in county government?

I am the best example of transparency. I take no donations from anyone, not even $1 from individuals. I don’t take money from anyone so I don’t have to owe anyone specific favors when I get elected. I fund my own campaign and finally got elected in 2020 and again in 2022. I am extremely efficient and effective at my council position because I have no special interest in my ear telling me what to do and how to vote on issues facing our communities.