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 Stevie Kathryn Chung, Nonpartisan candidate for Maui County Council Makawao–Haʻikū–Pāʻia District.

Her opponent is Nohe U’u-Hodgins.

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 seeking this position as someone who wishes only to answer to the people of the island who aren’t seeking self interest. I take the job title “public servant” very literally and am not in a position where personal gain is ever going to be a motivation. We need people in the community who care about the health of the ʻāina enough to make choices that are of a moral motivation rather than one of financial benefit to oneself.

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

Living on an island with several billionaires while children are living in the wilderness is devious. We need to tax the billionaires and use the money to help house, feed, educate and protect the communities that make Hawaiʻi the beautiful place that it is.

Here’s one question from a constituent: What is your position on upcountry speed humps? Would you remove them? Why or why not?

Oh, the speed-hump disaster that’s going on here is crazy. The worst part about removing the speed humps is how easy it is going to be because of how incorrect the installations were. People estimated it’s cost taxpayers $20,000 to $30,000 per hump when it could’ve been $6,000. That’s just shady.

The county now has a law on the books to effectively phase out several thousand vacation rentals in apartment-zoned districts starting in 2029. The companion measure to grandfather in more than half of those properties has since been rejected by all three planning commissions. What would you do as a council member about this?

This is a very in-depth discussion that will require deep, nuanced collaboration with community input.

Hawai‘i has a long-stated goal of growing more of its own food. What would you do to further that effort toward increased food sustainability?

Our current legislation on farming is outdated as it is set to the standards of a plantation era that is long gone. In collaboration with the farmers and home growers of Maui, we seek to put forward more contemporary legislation that protects current-day farming and food culture, as well as helping Maui to restore its Indigenous ecosystem to further nature’s ability to assist in times of natural disaster.

The county has been moving forward with plans to bring much more of Maui’s water supply under public ownership instead of private. What steps would you take to get a better handle on Maui’s water future?

Advocating for community stewardship of the island’s water is one of the biggest fights I’m looking to face. I want our creeks open, water tables protected from vacation rentals and hotels, and more native reforestation efforts to bring fresh natural water back into the soil. We have to bring the island into the timeline that will make future generations proud to know we fought hard for them to be on an island that stayed with its roots.

Overtourism can degrade the environment, contribute to wear and tear on infrastructure, generate traffic and disrupt neighborhoods. How well is Maui managing the tourism industry that drives its economy? What would you do differently?

I want to make moves that help to localise our economy in uncertain times. As stated, tourism can degrade environments, and with that I seek to get the island to a place where tourism is an option, not a dependency. So much of the money goes offshore through the big hotels while the natives who work there can barely keep a roof over their head.

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

Restoring the ʻāina and continuing the fight against invasives is the best way to protect the island. Restoring wetlands, and protecting the reefs are the best ways to keep the island strong against natural disasters. There are plants that will rebuild shorelines and survive tsunamis and floods alike. The island is resilient when we listen to what it’s asking of us.

Maui has been targeted for enforcement by ICE agents. What will be the position of your office to requests for more cooperation between county law enforcement and federal authorities?

Cooperating with a fascist regime doesn’t sound like the most fun. Honestly this is an island that is chock-full of cultural diversity and I think many of the immigrants here are what makes Maui a beautiful place. When an immigrant commits a crime, I would prefer that it be handled by people who had to reach certain qualifications to enforce the law.

The $1.6 billion federal Community Block Development Grant is the largest disaster loan in U.S. history, but it falls far short of the estimates for recovery from the 2023 wildfires. What would you do to make those dollars count?

If there’s one thing that we need, its mathematical savants, and luckily I am in the position of knowing quite a few. I grew up on the struggling at the end of the recession, I know how to work with what I have, and while it isn’t insane math skills, I’m smart enough to know that the hyper-wealthy billionaires here haven’t contributed even close to enough. I’m so sure if we allocate funds from taxing billionaires and tourists, we can get just about anything done while sparing the lesser privileged majority

The cost of living on Maui continues to remain high. How can county government help working and middle-class people buy homes, pay rent or otherwise afford to live and work on the island?

There needs to be laws in place that raise minimum wage to zero-out inflation, otherwise housing will continue to be unattainable for most people trying to make a living on Maui. Everyone deserves a feasible pathway toward having a roof over their head and food on your table, and right now those pathways are becoming fewer.

What is your assessment of programs combating invasive species in Maui Nui and what other measures would you advocate for you in office?

They’re a requirement in order to protect the Indigenous ecosystem. To not confront the invasive plants and animals that are killing our native ecosystem. Maui Invasive Species Committee and other groups that seek to remove invasives from the island are vital to our mission to protect the ʻāina.