2018 General Election Candidates
Name on ballot:
SPINDT, Milo K.F.
Running for:
Kauai County Council
District (if applicable):
N/A
Political party:
Democrat
Campaign website:
www.MiloSpindt.com
Current occupation:
Real Estate Broker/ Part time EMT
Age:
41
Previous job history:
-Real Estate Broker, 2002-Current
-American Medical Response, Part Time EMT, 2010-current
-DLNR, Kaua'i District Land Office, District Land Agent (District Manager) 2012-14 -Firefighter, County of Kaua'i, 2014-2017
-Board of Directors, Hawaii Housing Fina
Previous elected office, if any:
N/A
What qualifies you to represent the people of Hawaii?
My representation is centered around a deep love of the island where I grew up. Along with that, I bring a combination of experience as both a State and a County employee and years of volunteer activity on Boards and Committees related to government, affordable housing, and unions. With my connection to the island combined with my practical experience, it is my hope that the people of Hawaii find me a worthy representative.
What are the top three challenges facing the voters you seek to represent?
Affordable Housing continues to be issue number one for Kauai and the entire State. In talks with unions, business owners and trade associations, it is clear how the cost of housing is affecting employment, traffic, and productivity of people who have to work three jobs to pay for rent.
Traffic is probably issue number two that we hear from members of our community. This is a tremendous challenge because of the staggering cost to maintain existing roadways without considering the cost of adding additional road capacity. We can find creative and economically viable ways to work within the existing roadway footprint.
And the third challenge facing our community seems to be in the headlines once a month: the cost of living in paradise. From eggs to gas, we have to pay more just to survive in Hawaii and finding the balance of tourism and a self sufficient economy is a battle with complicated solutions.
If elected, what will be your highest legislative priority?
Through a variety of experience, but primarily through lessons learned on the Board of HHFDC, it has become clear that infrastructure is the largest impediment to building more affordable housing. My priority is to focus on funding large sewer capacity, water delivery, and road improvement projects to serve the development of Affordable Housing within the urban cores of our Kaua'i towns. Through these infrastructure projects, the goal will be to build partnerships between the State, County, and private landowners to build smart, transportation oriented Affordable Housing close to jobs and schools. By creating these opportunities in the urban core, we can preserve the rural beauty of Kaua'i, increase housing options that don't require as much driving (reducing traffic) and we can help reduce the cost of living.
If elected, what can you do to improve the lives of your constituents?
By focusing on the cost of affordable housing development and providing more housing options, we can help lower the cost of living on Kaua'i. Providing housing options closer to jobs and encouraging economic development of jobs near current housing centers will reduce traffic issues because people won't have to drive as much to get to school or work. So, if we don't have to work three jobs to pay for our housing and don't spend hours in traffic every day, then we can have more time to spend with our families, playing on this beautiful island that we call home.
Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?
While talking to people in our Kaua'i community, there is a clear desire for Council Members with a variety of experience and a willingness to negotiate with others for actionable policies that will benefit our community.
My background includes working as a private business owner, a district manager for the State, a firefighter for the County, volunteering as a Union Board Member for the Kauai Paramedics Association, and serving on the Board of the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation. This combination of experience has provided incredible mentors and learning opportunities as a private business person, hands on experiences in State and County employment, and strong fiscal and policy skills as the Chairperson of a Board that is responsible for Affordable Housing funding for multi-million dollar projects throughout the State.
It is my goal to take the lessons learned from my mentors and experiences and apply them to our work on the County Council. As a man born on Kaua'i and wanting to build a future Kaua'i that my children will be proud to call home, I humbly ask for your support and your Vote! We can "Build our Community Together."