Links are provided to four YouTube February 2007  interviews with Mayor Tavares, covering a variety of subjects.  It appears that she has a balanced and reasonable perspective on many issues -- vacation homes being a notable exception.

She warns that driving tourists away would turn Maui into a "ghost town" reminiscent of mining towns in the Old West, whose economic engines dried up when the mines closed. Then, apparently contradicting herself, she says that the economic benefits from north shore visitor homes are outweighed by the trouble they are causing in neighborhoods. We are unaware of any facts on record which support that evaluation.

County records show that neighborhood complaints to the Planning Department have decreased from 7% in 2002 to 2% in 2007. Economic impacts of shutting down TVRs have not been studied by the County, but independent research (by the Kauaian Institute in 2005) estimates that the shut-down will eliminate self-employment for eight hundred proprietors, six hundred additional jobs for staff and service providers, and $40,000,000 of visitor spending from the local economy

A 2003 public opinion survey conducted by Haiku Community Association showed that 91% of local residents approved of visitor accommodations in neighborhoods.

2005 - Mayor Tavares (then Council Member Tavares)  Statement about not bringing the hammer down on vacation homes   

February 2007 -  Interviews with Mayor Tavares by "Inside Maui"

• North shore economic contributions from visitor homes are not worth the impacts which residents allegedy suffer.
• Need to balance tourism (our main economic engine) with preserving environment, which makes people want to visit or live here.  Importance of workforce housing.
• Affordable housing requirements and incentives for developers.
• What is "Liveable?"