Ask The Mayor

Mayor Alan Arakawa answers some of the most-asked questions submitted to his office staff.

Q: Is it legal for Hawaii residents to carry Tasers and/or stun guns for self-defense? If this is legal, where can we purchase them?

A: It is illegal to possess and/or possess "electric guns" in Hawaii, as they are referred to in Hawaii Revised Statutes. Hawaii, New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island have all banned private use of such weapons.

Q: I have watched water running down the shoulder of Iolani Street for a week. A cone was placed at the leak, I assumed by the water department. The county always runs public service announcements about wasting water, yet they cannot repair a leak in a timely manner.

A: The Department of Water Supply is aware of this leak, however there is a utility pole about 3 feet away from where our crews need to dig a trench to get to the problem. We have contacted Maui Electric Co. about this, and they have determined that they will need to support the pole with a boom truck or crane during our waterline repair. They are unable to do that at this time and will contact us when they can. Mahalo for letting us know, and if you see other water issues make sure to call the department's trouble line at 270-7633.

Q: The individuals who work at the cosmetic stores on Front Street in Lahaina routinely stand in the middle of the sidewalk attempting to get individuals into their stores to see their products. They are very aggressive and at times are rude to individuals refusing to do so. Also, while standing there to get these people into their store, the sidewalk gets blocked requiring individuals to move into the street causing a hazard. Doesn't Maui County have a law that prevents individuals from impeding the public right of way? If so, why is this law not being enforced in this situation?

A: I talked our officers at the Lahaina Police Station about this. They said they have responded to complaints from people who were unhappy about their purchase at stores but not any complaints about impeding public access, which is illegal. If you see it happening again, call the Lahaina Police Station directly at 661-4441. A public safety aide will take the call and contact the dispatcher, who will then send a patrol unit to check out the situation.

* Want to Ask the Mayor? Submit your Maui County related questions to Mayor Alan Arakawa by email at askthemayor@mauicounty.gov, by phone at 270-7855 or by mail at 200 S. High St., ninth floor, Wailuku 96793. Questions submitted will be considered for inclusion in the "Ask the Mayor" column; to request a personal response to a concern, email mayors.office@mauicounty.gov.