Jason (Jack) Schwartz w/ Cullan Bell for Maui MAYOR
Summary & Full Transcript below
Summary
The video features an in-depth interview between Jason Schwartz, host of The Neutral Zone on Maui, and Cullen Bell, a candidate running for mayor of Maui County in the 2022 election. Cullen Bell passionately discusses his motivations for running, focusing primarily on protecting children and youth, addressing the COVID-19 pandemic policies, and tackling long-standing issues such as food security, housing, homelessness, and local economic development. Bell emphasizes the importance of community unity, transparency in government, and sustainable local solutions rather than reliance on tourism and large corporations. He critiques the handling of pandemic mandates, particularly mask and vaccine policies for children, highlighting their mental and physical impacts. Cullen also advocates for local food production, efficient government, addressing homelessness as an emergency, and infrastructural improvements. Throughout the interview, Bell stresses his commitment to listening to expert advice, involving the community in decision-making, and fostering aloha spirit to heal divisions within Maui. He expresses deep roots in Maui, a strong desire to remain and improve his home island, and a determination to bring practical, inclusive leadership if elected mayor.
Highlights
- [02:00] Cullen Bell cites his children as the key motivation to run for mayor, concerned about youth being sidelined.
- [05:57] Bell criticizes mask mandates for children, citing mental health harms and the lack of alternatives offered by authorities.
- [18:41] Cullen highlights the critical issue of food security, urging more local sustainable agriculture to reduce Maui’s 90% food import reliance.
- [27:09] Housing affordability is a major concern, with many properties used as vacation rentals, pushing locals out.
- [29:15] ⚠️ Bell warns about impending crises including fuel shortages and food supply disruptions, emphasizing the need for community preparedness.
- [34:35] He stresses the need to “clean house” in government by removing ineffective employees and improving departmental efficiency.
- [42:07] Cullen calls for bridging divides between government and Native Hawaiians and reducing dependency on tourism.
Key Insights
- [02:00] Family-Centered Leadership: Cullen Bell’s decision to run is deeply personal, driven by his experience as a father witnessing the impacts of policy decisions on children. This perspective grounds his political platform in protecting youth rights and wellbeing, especially regarding education and pandemic measures. His emphasis on children signals a leadership style that prioritizes future generations and community roots.
- [05:57] Pandemic Policy Critique: Bell offers a strong critique of the COVID-19 response, particularly the prolonged mask mandates for children in schools, which he argues caused significant mental health damage. He highlights the lack of parental choice and alternative treatments, framing the situation as fear-driven and overly authoritarian. This insight underscores the tension between public health policies and individual freedoms, a core issue in Maui’s local politics.
- [18:41] Food Security as a Strategic Priority: Bell identifies the island’s heavy dependence on imported food (about 90%) as a critical vulnerability. He advocates for rejuvenating local agriculture through both traditional Hawaiian and modern sustainable practices, promoting food sovereignty as essential for Maui’s resilience. This insight aligns with broader global trends emphasizing local supply chains and climate-smart agriculture.
- [27:09] ️ Housing Crisis Complexity: The discussion reveals the multifaceted nature of Maui’s housing crisis, with many properties converted to short-term rentals, driving up prices and limiting affordable options for residents. Bell’s acknowledgment of the issue suggests that solutions require innovative housing policies, potentially including equity sharing and incentivizing affordable housing development to stabilize the local community.
- [29:15] ⛽ Preparedness for Future Crises: Bell warns of looming economic and resource challenges such as fuel shortages and disruptions in food processing. His call for community preparedness reflects a realistic and urgent approach to governance that anticipates systemic shocks and prioritizes sustainability and local autonomy. This foresight is critical for an island economy vulnerable to external supply chain disruptions.
- [34:35] ️ Government Reform and Accountability: Bell stresses the need for systemic government reforms, including auditing department efficiency and replacing entrenched personnel who are not performing. His focus on accountability, transparency, and open communication with the public signals a commitment to restoring trust in local government, which is essential for effective leadership and community engagement.
- [42:07] Community Unity and Inclusive Governance: A major theme is bridging the divide between Native Hawaiians and government, as well as reducing overdependence on tourism. Bell’s call for inclusive dialogue and mutual respect aims to heal community rifts and foster a more sustainable and culturally sensitive local economy. This approach highlights the importance of recognizing indigenous rights and values in political leadership on Maui.
Extended Analysis
Cullen Bell’s candidacy represents a grassroots-driven, values-oriented leadership approach focused on tangible, community-centered solutions. His personal narrative as a father shapes a platform that prioritizes children’s rights and mental health, especially in response to controversial public health policies. This positions him as a candidate advocating for increased parental choice and skepticism of top-down mandates without alternatives.
His emphasis on food security taps into a critical sustainability issue for Maui and other islands. With 90% of food imported, Bell’s push for revitalizing local agriculture and reducing reliance on external supply chains is both an economic and environmental imperative. Linking this with support for local farmers and innovative agricultural technologies demonstrates a forward-thinking strategy to build resilience.
Housing and homelessness emerge as intertwined crises, exacerbated by the vacation rental market and unaffordable prices. Bell’s recognition of these challenges, alongside his openness to unconventional solutions like equity sharing, points to a willingness to innovate beyond traditional policies. His framing of homelessness as a local emergency calls for urgent, compassionate, and systematic intervention.
Bell’s critique of government inefficiency and calls for transparency and accountability resonate with widespread public frustration in Maui and beyond. His promise to “clean house” and engage experts suggests a managerial approach that values competence and community input. This is complemented by his vision of quarterly town halls and open-door policies, which aim to rebuild trust and foster collaboration.
Lastly, Bell’s acknowledgment of Maui’s cultural and political complexities—especially the need to bridge divides between Native Hawaiians and government authorities—reflects a nuanced understanding of island dynamics. His focus on aloha spirit, mutual respect, and sustainable economic development beyond tourism highlights a holistic vision for Maui’s future.
Overall, Cullen Bell’s platform is built on family values, community engagement, sustainability, and reform-minded leadership. His candidacy offers a compelling alternative that seeks to address long-term systemic issues while responding to immediate community needs.
Transcript
00:00
[Music] thank you Aloha out there in radio TV and internet land this is Jason Schwartz your host at the neutral zone mauynutralzone.com we’re now four years old isn’t that amazing as a show we’ve been doing shows a long time under different names but as a neutral zone we’ve been talking about values and I stayed away from elections so that we could have when I first started it was election season but giving equal time the candidates and I I decided to do values and but here now I’m a candidate
00:47
I thought I have an idea I can do TV shows without having to do equal time but radio may be equal time one or do a show I’ve even interviewed one of the people I’m running again so I am in a great space I am now in the 2022 election we almost are at the Starting Gate June 7th when we know who we’re running against but one man that has stepped up and has clearly stepped up and is out there now and um I’ve only seen one Forum at TA Community Association and the word is Cullen Bell has something to say and uh
01:23
outspoken and that’s our guest special guest Colin Aloha welcome to the show hello Jason thank you for having me on um I don’t know if you’ve uh uh been known to all our audience maybe you want to do an opening introduction of um who you are literally personal stuff and um what got you to decide that you want to run for mayor this time so many pressing pressing issues here on Maui and Maui County uh issues that have been going on for decades really and uh just in the past few years you know I’ve
02:00
I’ve really noticed I have three young kids uh nine-year-old five-year-old and a three-year-old and in the three few years I’ve really got to notice how our kids and our youth of these islands have been pushed through a back burner to big hotel corporations and you know other foreign interests coming in I I’m just uh been so saddened at how how their lives have been taken away fun has been taken away uh memories endless memories have been taken away from our youth and it’s just real disappointing
02:33
that we’ve come to this point in time uh we’re supposed to be the Aloha State we’re supposed to be a family-oriented place and our home is divided right now and it’s it’s a real visible divide you know and the separation it it it bothers me you know we’re supposed to be a real small tight-knit community but um as as for what pushed me to do what I’m doing as to to step up and throw my name in the pot for the Merrell race is is my kids you know and all the kids of Maui
03:06
um it’s Maui colony and it’s it’s real disheartening uh you know these kids have been masked for for two years straight over two years and it’s it’s totally unnecessary where the last state in the nation that has kids masked every day in school for seven hours you know like I said endless memories graduations proms uh you know for a lot of these kids I grew up playing sports here on Maui and I played baseball since I was five football since I was eight and for a lot of kids on
03:40
Maui football or Sports in general is is their ticket out their ticket for a higher education you know they take it off the rock and so many kids lost endless season two seasons in a row three for some and you know that that was their ticket off the rock their ticket for better opportunities and and you feel like the outside non-masked sports activities by being cut back really was a a blow to to these kids I get you so I obviously you’re seeing things for a long time may I ask are you Hawaiian
04:21
you are yes yes some reason I’m even bringing it up you know we’re all I guess it’s a non-partisan race but I’m green I used to be green when I was running before way back way back now I’m running again for Council I’m not running against Tasha Commons just by example I actually she’s a wonderful lady and she’s gone through some major challenges in the last couple of years but a lot of people don’t like her I’m 71 and I’m running I like you see a lot of things here that need to be
04:56
changed your ideas and things about the kids as mayor I’m not sure specifically I guess the mask mandates probably are still around now do we still have things in place now for kids in school because I don’t have Foods I don’t through summer how do the kids respond you know I I coach I coached three football teams three youth flag football teams and you know a majority of them hate it but some you know I’ve had some shop to practice with their mask on outside he’s like the the
05:29
fear-mongering uh guilt-tripping that they have done to these kids you know it I think yeah the physical harm that the master doing are obvious but the thing that people don’t think about is is the mental harm that these masks are are doing to the kids and the amount of pressure that we’re putting on them don’t come home um and and spread the virus to Grandma you’re gonna kill grandma or this and that and you know the the propaganda that’s been pushed on on television on every single commercial
05:57
every news Outlet every media Outlet I even hear propaganda on Pandora now and it’s Hawaii state propaganda and it like I said it’s the mental side effects from the past two years for some of these kids is going to be irreversible and these kids are going to have issues growing up and this generation will will have so much mental health problems I mean it’s visible now the second leading cause of death in the past two years for for young adults and children or minors has been suicide you
06:28
know it’s it’s crazy so you would change that immediately and uh may I ask um when I said about Hawaiian the reason I even mentioned that is because I always wondered whether culturally there were any ways to get any exceptions created were any of those things created so because the masking ceremony I mean it’s I think it’s uh from what I’ve seen the natural healing from the Hawaiian culture I’ve watched you know I’m on again I’m off on a different tangent but the thing that I haven’t seen this covet
07:09
thing wasn’t a problem with respiratory and there is things like hydrogen and HHO which reduce inflammation it seems like we’re told about this thing and made for fear but given no home treatment methods no plan except what even now within this and now things are rising the fear thing is just horrible and the education needs to be greater I don’t know how many people doctors steam doctors I don’t know who’s watching what when you’ve been making these rules that masks maybe
07:49
or if anything 30 by the size of the the particles involved it’s it’s totally wasted so it’s like it’s compound errors upon errors upon hiding the truth and forcing things and um I don’t like that method it sounds like you like it either I don’t know yeah it was they offered a one solution which is wear your mask and get the shot you know I had myself as well as a few friends of mine actually got a sit-down meeting with Josh green and mayor Victorino back in 2020 I believe and we had a
08:27
world-renowned Pediatric Cardiologist I don’t know if you know who Dr Kirk millhone is but we had him sitting on that meeting and he was our expert um the day before I I was called by the mediator and we were told we only had a minute each so we actually started giving our minutes to Dr Kirk because he had all the information he had you know um he had all everything he had a sticker stack of papers like this uh proving you know uh the side effects the adverse reactions in in young men especially but
08:59
in youth in general of the shot and and even the mask as well and the the detriments of what the mass should do but another thing he was doing was um providing information on early treatments and not a one solution fits all and that’s that’s the problem and you know throughout the past two and a half plus years I’ve actually spoken with doctors who have been in the hospital here on Maui uh nurses who’ve been in the hospital on Maui as well as paramedics who were called to homes when
09:29
like you said it was a respiratory virus and people couldn’t breathe but they were told to leave them unless they were you know basically deathly ill so that’s that’s another big issue is the early treatments weren’t provided no other Solutions except there’s um the you know CDC the Doh acceptors were were told to people that worked you know I mean so from the nurses and doctors that work in Maui Memorial Hospital I was being told I was told on many occasions I have documentation of it
10:03
that you know they were waiting until people were deathly ill they would come in there they would slap them on the respirator on the ventilator and uh pump them went Rim disorder which was nationally it was a national thing every hospital was told that that was the procedure they were to follow and I mean I don’t know if you’ve researched REM disaver but it causes chronic kidney failure well I’m all in the shopping because I haven’t been talking much about it but right I didn’t I didn’t
10:33
have a shot I haven’t had a booster I’ve been following safe practices and staying distant and I haven’t been in social situations and those that are in social situations if they chose to get the shot I know lots of people that stopped after one and didn’t get boosters I’ve seen now people getting sick with boosters non-boosters now I have a partner who’s 79 years old who also chose not to get into it why I don’t know Dr Kirk but I can tell you I’ve listened to doctors from all sides
11:10
and when I first heard the word SARS and covet I looked on the internet and I saw a 1990 and I said patenting a virus what’s this and that was my first hit before and you know I’m involved with people that are working on HHO taking electrolysis of water to create uh hydrogen in a configuration it’s an anti-inflammatory things that could bring the dollars in for tourism without increasing numbers of tourists who’s looked at people aren’t looking here I always wondered like there’s this Focus here
11:48
that is just not listening like I would like and that’s what makes me run besides this because you know that’s an issue for sure there’s so many sides to that it’s created like you said polarization of people when we’re one Community the Aloha from everyone seems to be retreating into Pockets that are unhealthy when in fact a lot of love and Aloha and caring might solve a lot of problems there’s a strong arm approach coming from I think the present regime from my appearance you
12:26
know homeless they don’t want to have a homeless get fed and do things in a way that’s gonna have them get treatment that isn’t with their little system and their system doesn’t have Humane things doesn’t have enough things they’re not calling in an emergency you know as mayor when I think of who I want to be a mayor I like someone who has um independent spirit but listens to wise counsel sounds like you were looking and listening to wise counsel just like you said there was no
12:59
alternative put out for all of us and I think some of that was because they were told that if they put it out they’d lose their funding the whole thing has been a follow the money that’s what I always you know that’s what we always do um those are the kind of subjects that we’ll have talk on you know in a day when you’re not running because now that you’re running I want to give you platforms or issues that you want to cover the mask thing and the mandates and the kids in school
13:29
I can see that with an immediate change I hope that our mayor will consult and have his team will soften their look at this and better understand what they’re dealing with I I again I I don’t haven’t seen the mayor really and spoken to him since he became mayor but I don’t think anyone has well you know I believe that he has um so many things to do that he’s delegating and sometimes the people you delegate to kind of keep people from you but some people get to see them like you
14:07
said you had a meeting with Josh green and the mayor I sure would have hoped that we’d get more information out I wonder why Dr Green hasn’t done that you know why we haven’t seen alternative stuff because he seems like a real conscious guy so I always wonder about who’s controlling that’s why I guess Kai kahelli is running for governor right he’s afraid that the money’s control in Hawaii you know and I haven’t talked to Kai yet but you know it’s interesting so let me
14:38
stand aside and let I want to happen let me just get one more thing on that subject my stance is obviously it should always been a personal choice you know the constant um putting down our throats of we got to do this or we got to do that or we’re going to kill people you know um everybody should be uh in control of their own health that shouldn’t be anybody else’s responsibility but said person and um as for our children in schools it should always been a parental Choice uh you know the true the children
15:11
there there are children they’re not their government’s children so what what we do with our children what we teach them how we raise them what medical procedures we we want for them those are what should be followed it shouldn’t should have never been um you know forced on us and uh that that’s my stance on that you know we want to wear a mask you go ahead and wear it if you believe it protects you you go ahead and wear your mask if you want to get the shot you do that that that’s all personal choice it should not
15:42
be anybody else’s business but your own 100 I’m with you um I if I was gonna say a hit list of issues you know I mean I could I don’t put housing in homelessness and housing homelessness water farming where’s your passion of other areas that you’d like to take in a job so what I think can you give me one second my kids are in the background yeah I’m gonna put it on pause here let’s see and we are kids are okay everything’s good yep everything all good so my hit list
16:25
of my what I think are the main pressing issues here on Molly obviously I’m gonna put the kids first they’re our future uh we’re there protectors we need to stand up for them uh myself and a bunch of my dear friends have been standing up boots on the ground um you know regardless of what the fight is regardless of what I’m doing I’m at work sometimes you know and if if something needs to be done to protect our kids uh for example uh they were sending out test packets to each to
16:56
to Children young is five years old uh these test packets have ethylene uh ethylene oxide in them which is toxic and also two little Q-tips in them a five-year-old once you think that would be a bad idea to give a five-year-old a box with poison as well as two little Q-tips in them that’s cool they gave it going to school where at school so myself and two good friends of mine showed up to the doe and we actually got them to stop handing them out at schools here in Maui County um so that’s just one example good but
17:32
yeah like so like I said boots on the ground actually standing up and and fighting for the kids I know you how you said um so doe is out of my there’s jurisdiction but that’s that’s not it’s not as mayor as mayor I will still have executive power and I will still put myself in between the kids and the Doh and the doe so we just need somebody to stand up you know and money I’ll not be bought I’ll not be told what to do I will not be bullied I will stand up for what I know is right I
18:06
will stand up for what I know is morally correct and you know like I said I’ll I’ll put myself in between the kids and anybody else I’m not afraid of nobody so the second main thing that I think has um plagued this place for a long time and it blows my mind that we’ve come this far is is food you know we import majority of our food I I read it was about something around around 90 percent isn’t that amazing yeah so so we live in a tropical area and one of the best places to grow food
18:41
I know uh acns has the soil is really depleted but there’s ways to rejuvenate and reactivate the soil and I think we definitely need to look into those methods and you know we need to figure out how or um you know ways that we can grow things that will help support this community well see I can tell you because I imagine you haven’t really been on top there are passionate food security people on this island I could name names if you look at some of the shows that I’ve done over the last
19:17
few years you’re gonna say who are these people Al Perez Lucien Jenny Pell people that have built out food security things Keith Ranny Vince meat and the Hawaii Farmers Union there’s a tremendous wealth of small farms happening my Pono for the fact that we don’t know if they’re using the best practices I don’t really know because I haven’t looked but they planted over a million trees and things and they’re doing all kinds of testing for the things you’re talking about
19:51
it’s going to be an I want to say exciting time we should have done this decades ago but now that hcns is marginalized and we have a new owner hopefully they’re going to be a responsible big farm and encourage their Technologies to take our waste and make power and super slime I like to call it to be able to make things grow like Jurassic Park there are things that I’m telling you what I see is that the people I’ve spoken to both on my show and off in political office while they’re with
20:25
me they’ll show yeah good idea yeah that sounds interesting but no one’s picked it up how long do you have to pick it up you know I mean I don’t mean to be rude about it but we’ve laid out solutions for things that haven’t been picked up the things you’re talking about I’m passionate about just like you and I’m glad we’re hooking up because I can tell you no question there’s extreme Groundswell of support you can see with the Agriculture and the farming we are leaders in the world on
20:58
solar we have some really passionate people here that will take the technology that’s new and the traditional old Hawaiian Customs I’ve been talking to Shane sinensian his family with the the halals I’m so interested in moving forward out of this box there is no box but they somehow have been following this formula here you know when you’re talking about way too long we haven’t food security should have been here 30 years ago I’ve been hearing them talk about housing you do right housing well
21:36
we need two thousand well now we need four thousand now we need six thousand now now we need fifteen thousand we can’t build fast enough you know and affordable enough to be unless we try something different what about Equity sharing what about part none of these things are proposed in any kind of grand plan but they’ve been lots of people are talking about them but the administration is too busy dealing with alligators that’s the problem that I’m hoping someone like you seem like you’d
22:07
want to go in and see where people are not being efficient we’re seeing how we can improve systems I always confirmity remember years ago you know we all talked about business consult they never bring someone in to say let’s see how can we do this well oh we got to save jobs forever and pensions and now what’s burying everybody pensions why because the system hasn’t maintainable yeah it’s crazy it’s like how are we gonna do this well we have to ask for more money from the people for taxes
22:41
from their homes well and the schools well that’s a state issue not a local it’s a maze where like you’re saying look at that a parent says I want to mask my child or not mask my child I want this here we’re really getting out of touch with things you know I I may sound like a you know I’m a bit Wild I think that’s just frustration I’m so thankful that someone like you you know again I’m a grandparent I never had kids and so but I really can feel for a father and mother
23:17
that have their kids in school all this time I don’t know how we’re getting at are you getting more social services and mental health services and things like that you know I really don’t know but I definitely think that’s something that we need to we need to look really long and hard at because you know uh I think it being a state-run organization social services and stuff like that I think everything kind of just gets swept under the rug you know they throw money at it like I mean same with homeless they
23:46
throw money at them they never take the time to distinguish between um you know who the homeless are or what the mentor it meant what the mental issues are it just kind of gets lumped into one ball I was gonna say they may take the time but you know it’s like when you have a doctor with 300 patients a month he has to see one every 15 minutes and he better not take too long and then the person has to support that or in all these different Services gigantic overwhelming need how is our budget being structured there’s so many
24:18
things so how do you take a dollar and turn it into five dollars wow because there’s such incredible need that’s why I’m saying I don’t I don’t think there’s stupid I think they’re trying to figure out how to do three things at once let’s see who’s coming up let’s see who this is you want to take a look uh it’s all good all right got to be one of my team members so it’s one okay let’s admit them all right and uh hopefully she’s on now and and she’s uh non-verb visuals that’s why
24:53
she’s on okay so um so you are on your list Agriculture and food is a major deal so definitely so food I definitely think is is a major one uh considering we import 90 of our Goods you know why we importing mangoes and avocados from Mexico blows my mind we have some of the best mangoes here I mean you go to Kihei you go to every tree is packed right now and you know why aren’t we supporting there’s uh for instance there’s yeez Orchard down here why don’t we support them you know um
26:00
it competitive if you go you know that the Foodland has the Bucks you know these discount on um produce make it an advantage to go to a Maui Hub and buy from local produce you know I mean that’s the thing you know but people don’t go and they don’t know about it it’s not being promoted in a way because it’s private quote private Enterprise or however it’s viewed it needs to be much more priority and like you say it needs to be out front embraced by everyone as like one of
26:36
those things food security I’m I’m talking too much what’s your next turn food security obviously housing is a big issue uh one in five properties right now I believe was the number that I saw is not a permanent resident is a part-time resident or vacation rental I I definitely think you know there’s affordable housing going up right now but who is the proper who are the properties affordable to you know like you said not a lot of people make a livable wage right now they got multiple
27:09
two parents in the household working multiple jobs and you know like I said I think back to the food obviously it’s not going to have happen overnight but I definitely think we need to start the wheels in motion so we can be sustainable here and not everything needs to be shipped here I think if we lower the cost of food by by producing our own food you know um we got 60 over 60 000 head of venison here some of the best protein that you can that you can get in the world and the best tasting
27:36
protein as well I don’t know if you’ve had access there but it’s you know one of the best tasting dear dear meat that I have ever eaten and I’ve eat a bunch of different deer have you heard the concept um I forgot the gentleman that Borges down in McKenna talked about a large planned Roundup and harvest of the venison they’re talking about too much Axis deer and trying to control have you seen any of those kind of things going on some plans you know what that would be that would be an awesome idea and I also
28:11
think we definitely need you know whether it be private or public a county funded but I think we need a slaughterhouse and processing plant here that in itself would create jobs it would create food stability and you know um it will take care of a bunch of the excess access deer that we have here I remember they did try they did try to do that it got to be a financial deal and like you say the question of public private who’s doing it who’s the money and where’s the profit motive the Big G
28:46
I used to think it was God now I know it’s greed green yeah for sure yeah it’s a it’s a lust for money that that is the root of all evil for sure um but I you know I don’t know if you follow a lot of things going on in the world right now I’m sure you do but I for me my thought is things are going to get a whole lot worse than they are right now and it’s it’s it’s on the near Horizon I’m talking about within the next couple years and if we’re not prepared for
29:15
what’s gonna happen you know a lot of people I hate to see it but a lot of people may die you know and we’re gonna have a we have a shortage you know they’re already talking about uh we got a shortage of gasoline because the Keystone Pipeline was closed down um we’re importing all our gas and you see gas is through the roof right now uh shipping might be cut off because of that as well I don’t know if you’ve been following the amount of food processing plants that have been uh mysteriously
29:44
burnt or exploded in the past eight to ten months you know it’s things can get real bad real quick and we need to be prepared for what’s on the horizon um one thing I’ve noticed in the past few years is a government does not care about us right now they do not care about us and we we need to be prepared as a community we need to come together you know this defied that they they push daily on every single news outlet and Media Station this it’s constant fear-mongering it’s constant divide and
30:18
it we need to come together in a community if not we’re not going to be ready for what who sets that tone I wonder in the media because you’re right it’s you know it’s not showing love for all of us I always wonder if it’s they don’t have enough money or you know they just don’t know where to prioritize it’s so overwhelming and you know like in Singapore I don’t know if you ever heard this one at the turn of the century it was completely flat broke but they you
30:48
know practically and a horrible economy they sent people to Harvard and Yale and Oxford brought them back that they were you know working for the government and now they’re the greatest economy in the world we need to update the brains of some of the people that are I don’t mean to be weird about it people that are running this place do not have a bigger Global picture and they’re not there are I think the number was just 2700 natural solutions to things that we’re not dealing with in a big way like that
31:21
weight of columns in different buildings with crystals under them can create enough power to power the building and more things that aren’t being used that we’re in a place to be an example to the world 30 years I’m talking about Stoner art and our music and the culture unique culture Elevate the Hawaiian culture show the music and art and get money flowing in from the world and do these things here and do it all here and all they do is push it back push it back or up it’s just Jason talking like you I
31:54
don’t want to be marginalized and I imagine that’s what’s up you’re the voice of the people and you’re tired of being marginalized you’re not getting what you feel you need for your family I don’t mean to put words in your mouth like you sound like me like you’re just laying the facts out and would like to see change I don’t know how to deal with the budget I’ve been watching these guys really play a difficult dance you know I watched the councils trying to do things
32:22
that they’re Brave group they’re really like making major things happen and there’s so much more to do um keep going on your list because you know we’re talking about things I’m always looking up like my thing with housing and homeless we need to call this an emergency and and create take the people off the street some people said it was best when they were all at the harbor the Salvation Army and other groups can help and work from a place now they’re everywhere and everything’s strewn and
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it’s just crazy it’s like someone and again sorry Mr arakawa cleaning them out and throwing them all through the community and people don’t like people in the streets and that like you say and then they put them all in one lump they say wait those homeless people the same as the guy that’s now in the street can’t pay 35 100 or 5 000 for a house ridiculous rents and 20 of the inventory he’s doing a empty that they want to get their best prices on I know where that came from so you can see I’m a Suitor
33:28
like you but I’m uh I I don’t know Council you got to be of nine as a mayor you have I believe the power to really shape these departments in a really powerful way yeah for sure you know and it when I get in that would be my plan so when I get in I my first thing order of Duty would be I would go through every single department and make sure they’re running efficiently make sure everyone’s doing their jobs you know um if not if you know there’s been a there’s a lot of people that’s been in
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in the same department for decades at this point you know and things are aren’t running as smoothly as they should be and you know it’s it’s time to shake the tree and we need to get people in positions where they can actually make a difference and we can actually start getting this engine to perk you know because I for one and you know my wife for the past two years has been have been has been asking me to move and move somewhere where we can be free move somewhere where we can raise our kids
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the way we want to um I’ve pulled my son out of the public school system my oldest son is nine he’s the only one that was age um of age to go to school we pulled him out in a public school system in 2020. I didn’t have it in my heart to send him to school for seven hours a day in a mask and medical exemption we applied for and had signed by his pediatrician was declined by the principal so we made the executive choice to pull him out of school but um so like I said we definitely need a clean house and you
35:06
know if if a person is not doing their job they need to go we need people in positions that uh actually want to help this community and maybe and maybe they need more help and maybe we can find alternative ways of paying people that’s what I was talking about earlier like how do you stretch the money we stretch it by creating things that help the local people that are tied to and and make it Equitable and anyway I just don’t know why I don’t see those creative these are things that the world I don’t
35:41
have to be a genius I don’t have to look around the world there’s tremendous resources that we are not using 100 and like I’m not a genius either I don’t know everything I don’t have all the solutions but when I get in I’ll put my I’ll put surround myself by the experts in each division and each department and we’ll figure this thing out as a team and we’ll listen to the community get input will hold at at the very least yeah quarterly um quarterly you know like open houses my door is
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going to be open to the public so there’s um Town Halls so you know I think that’s a big issue and it has been for the past couple years is you know the lack of transparency and the lack of accountability and those are things that I will stand by and and make sure my my office yeah the administration will a hundred a hundred percent abide by is a hundred percent transparency and accountability and like I said I’ll surround myself by the experts in each division and we’ll start pulling this
36:51
place up by its boots wow where were you going to move if not from here where do you go where to get freedom in the United States you know the short list was uh I got a friend up in Texas that’s 40 acres um we’re thinking Utah there there’s a very short list but you know I I’d hate to leave this place seven we can trace my Hawaiian lineage Seven Generations back here uh my family you know has been on Maui for four generations um and it’s you know I’d hate to leave this is home I swear I was born and
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raised this is where I’d love to raise my kids but you know leadership here has driven this place into the ground and I don’t see any other option right now so like I said this this is my last push for this place is my home this is going to be my last push and I’m gonna give it my all and you know win or lose I hope to open open eyes on the way and you know if if we can open eyes and and and start to bring this community together I did my job well you know I feel like I’ve been holding this
38:03
Vision that you’ve had for three decades I mean people say have you ever heard of the Maui Arts and Music Association that’s me I created this I’m holding this vision of how we can do things I say to all of us what you’re doing is what I’m doing you get awaken people and give them a feeling of togetherness and the power of what we can do I really don’t see anything we can’t solve here I mean that sounds odd to some people but I’ve heard so many solutions that I think are realistic if
38:39
we all agree life will not be like the old model it just can’t continue the way it is how can when I go to West Side I work for the movies as a grunt um I went and was in a movie thing here to drive the West Side the highway going through Kaanapali it made me cry and that it looked like you know the the West Side Highway on some main thing in the mainland uh North Beach and the places that were open spaces are all getting closed down why would you want to come and spend eight hundred dollars 600 500 a night to
39:21
be in a place that you’re squeezed in on entertained right now unbelievable to me that we’ve let this go and now we’re supposed to maintain it what are you kidding me or you know it’s almost like how can we deconstruct it how can we create a highway system to stop the clog you know I mean maybe these are state things but you know as mayor you know again I look at this Council now as their ears are open and they’re trying to do their best but it needs a a br I want to say Brave a brave
39:56
and strong leader to get things I can see you want to get things moving and you want to get them like you say faster than slow if we need 10 000 we don’t need them in three years what are we going to do now we need to find a bridge and there are ways to do this and nothing like that’s been explored openly with the public if they would be more open and just tell us if they’re planning these alternative things we’ve heard of if they would say where are listening to the people on Maui that are
40:30
trying to do this but it’s all not discussed and those groups are all afraid to say they’re in discussion with some of these other people because other ones saying oh you’re talking to my Pono and you know all these kind of attitudes that happen it takes Brave leader to say hey I’m white guy but I like Hawaiians so why is there like me why are we separating why aren’t we doing things together why can’t we stop this walls mask no mask freedom of our own choice I know I’m
41:03
using a broad brush but that’s what I get about you you really are going in there you know you don’t have all the answers but you know you’re gonna see it you’re gonna surround yourself with people and you’re listening and you’re gonna do the best thing and be there for the people like they don’t feel they’re doing now and your passion is unquestionable to me uh I just want to say you know I’ve interviewed other people for mayor and uh so far everyone has different things
41:32
and a lot of us agree on stuff but your passion is unquestionably why would I say it’s it’s thick you know when you’re in a thing with the other mayoral candidates you you at your presence is felt in a very big way and um we still have a little bit of time up I want you to really talk about things that are really important that you want to make sure that in a thing like this you cover yeah so I I definitely think we need to bridge the gap I mean like he said there’s there’s separation like I’ve
42:07
said there’s separation you know between uh government and and Native wines that Gap needs to be bridged there has to be common ground that we can come to um I water rights is a big one I’m actually going to go out to Canada and uh speak with and um talk about you know Solutions going forward uh we we need to hear everybody out we need we need to talk we need to come together as a community we need to not rely on tourism I think that’s a big one that’s a that’s a kicker development
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giant developers and hotel corporations I think that’s a big we need to stop relying on them you saw what happened when we got locked down our economy just went into the dump and you know the thing about not relying on them you know I mean some people say well that’ll mean developing our economy more here in more congestion and we can’t you know you can’t move the clock backwards you and I would like to move the clock backwards to where I ran for mayor in 94 and say hey wait hold it
43:12
I talk in 95 about solar and renewable no one’s listening I sit and talk with pundy about how to do these things that here we are they make a statue of him and me they’ve marginalized and it’s like we’re it’s time for us to we got to deal with these problems as they are and so we’re gonna have we can stop tourism from growing and show them how to make more dollars per visitor if that’s their goal but this local economy takes economy of scale you know I mean if you have businesses opening when I see a
43:47
king like here comes chicka Phil cane sugar TJ this one and all these Mainland companies coming here they’re supported by huge corporations that have the money to let those stores be here and be fast or slow lower prices they’re competing with our local businesses big time so when you’re talking about that so it’s America how do you do that you gotta I guess legislate it to give the advantage to develop these local businesses so when you’re talking that’s how I’m thinking
44:28
there’s one guy you know but you can imagine working on a council with someone like myself you’d see a lot of movies that would be awesome you know is nobody nobody’s saying those things everybody kind of tiptoes around those you know those certain issues and that’s I’m gonna stomp through those puddles uh those those are all things that need to be you know put put out in the open so everybody can have their opinion everybody can turn their ideas for sure and you know I I think that’s been the
44:58
issue is nobody has the tenacity to go come through and just lay everything out and you know I’m not going to tiptoe around no questions I’m not going to tip tour around you know if I don’t know the answer I’ll let you know straight I don’t have an answer for that but I’ll find it out and you know I’m not talking about eliminating tourism yeah it is what it is already but we need to figure out ways like you said to support and and allow local businesses to prosper and not these giant corporations to come
45:28
in and just take over because I personally know a few businesses on Maui who after the shutdown they don’t know longer opened their doors and I’d hate to see that I know restaurants so good friend of mine owns a restaurant we’ll be sushi in Wailuku you know I know they’re hurting because of these mandates that they put on people things that they force these local businesses to do they didn’t want to do but they did to stay open and uh you know keep revenue coming in so they can support
45:53
their lives and you know these are things that I would never ever want to put on a business you know deem business is essential or non-essential that who am I to tell you if you’re essential or not every business is essential to in their own right to their family and the person who owns it and like I said the easy issue there’s so many issues that have been plagued in this place for decades and we need to tackle all of them I know it’s not going to happen it you know it probably won’t happen in one in one term
46:22
but we can start the reels in motion so we can start getting this place to what it needs to be well I’m I’m very happy that you took the time to be here with me how do people do you have a website or any other place that people go I do so my campaign website is Colin Bell for mayor.com colinbellformer.com it’s going to be c-u-l-l-a-n-f-o-r-mayor.com it’s c-u-l -l-e-l-l for mayor.com there we go Colin Bell for mayor.com correct um and um foreign Maui which is I’ve been talking about
47:06
this dream I’m talking about three decades I’m not kidding you but may the Schwartz be with you as another way to get to me dot us and I don’t get people to take a look I hope that if you want to get on my show here again before election whenever after election you are welcome and if if I am uh elected I’m listening to you if you’re in office or out of office I am very glad that we got to break the ice and um and finally meet I’ve heard about you and like I said the greatest thing I
47:42
heard about the Kihei thing was you showed you were different you were not that same mold you were your individualism showed on your passion for the people was unquestionable and that’s what I got from people that listened in so I thought I’d report back thank you good work thank you so everybody who listened in and gave you that that feedback and thank thank you Jason for having me on and I’d love to be back you know um before the election would be awesome and after because we’re getting in and when
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you know we’re gonna start the wheels in motion and good luck to you in your campaign and I wish thank you and I I can tell our audience because if you get this and you see it on Facebook or on YouTube or on wipe it share it share it share it share it and let people take a look because that’s the key here if we get seen Cohen Bell and Jason Schwartz have a chance to be the change but you are the change you give me the power you give Cullen the power by stepping up and registering and voting and being
48:52
involved and sharing this interview is only as powerful as we share it as broadly as we can I really mean that um we’ll get it up everywhere and um I really appreciate you being here you’re a man that I am very happy to say is a new friend I look forward to really getting to meet you here I’m not afraid to shake your hand and be in the same room without a mask we’re good awesome awesome nice to meet you Jason and thanks again for having me on and I’ll see you soon for sure thank you and
49:24
all you out there in uh internet land and wherever we are here for you come back and look at a lot of candidates we are um very glad we had Cullen Bell here today he was a special guest I’m very thankful with Colin for you be here with us everyone God bless [Music]
