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Sunday, December 8, 2024 70° Today's Paper


Election

Jerome V. Metcalfe (“Tiger”)

Full Name: Jerome V. Metcalfe

Name on Ballot: Jerome V. Metcalfe (“Tiger”)

Age: 57

District: South Maui

Email Address: jeromemetcalfe@yahoo.com

Current Job: President/CEO, Metcalfe Enterprises

Place of birth: Milwaukee

Campaign website: ElectJerryMetcalfe.Org

Job history past 10 years:

President/CEO of Metcalfe Enterprises

Retired owner of the Kahului Ale House

Owner, MauiCampingVans.com

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

Maui County Council, South Maui District 2014, Lost Primary

Other civic experience or community service?

Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commission, crew chief for solar energy, 2013-present

Pacific Whale Foundation, festival volunteer and 2010-present

Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, volunteer and fundraiser, 2009-present

Maui Classical Music Festival, volunteer and fundraiser, 2010-present

Maui Film Festival, ambassador, 2009-present

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

I am a TIGER and will fight for YOUR civic rights on the Council! Vote for me as the NEW Choice for YOUR Voice!

What makes you qualified to be a Council member?

I am an independent businessman, known for turning the Kahului Ale House from local dive bar to Maui’s No. 1 Sports Bar as voted by The Maui News. I know how to balance budgets and get things done on this island. I will bring this executive leadership to the Council.

What are your top five priorities for the county?

1. Equal pay and opportunity for women (including paid maternity leave)

2. Tax breaks and startup incubators to kickstart the Sustainable Agriculture Revolution

3. Fill the Affordable Housing backlog!

4. Modernize sewage treatment systems and ban injection wells

5. Higher pay for teachers—educate our keiki!

What is your one big idea?

Legislating equal pay and opportunity for women, including paid maternity leave. This is the No. 1 most efficient way to help working families get ahead, by putting more money in the hands of working moms, so they can better educate their keiki.

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

The logic is simple—do boards of directors ask their shareholders to vote on who should be CEO, and then are beholden to see out his contract even if he/she proves incompetent? Or does the board hire and fire the CEO based on his performance?

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

The county can implement tax breaks and set up startup incubators for new sustainable farming businesses to help them get established and grow, in addition to passing the Community Organic Farmland Initiative. A sustainable agricultural revolution is the only way to propel Maui’s growth forward in a responsible manner.

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

The Council should pass further legislation to force the derelict developers—who have left their mandates of over 10,000 affordable housing units go unfulfilled and unconstructed—to finish the backlog immediately! This is the gravest miscarriage of public duty by the Council and our mayor.

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