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Maui Elections 2026
Credible thirdBill 9: repeal

P. Denise La Costa

Age 74 · Originally from Longview, WA; Maui resident since January 1, 1990

Campaign website →

P. Denise La Costa is a longtime Maui resident, community leader, and small-business owner. According to her campaign biography, she has lived on Maui since January 1, 1990, and brings more than three decades of experience in land use, housing, and public service.

She currently serves as President of the West Maui Community Task Force (Vice President 2019–2023). She served on the Maui County Planning Commission from 2018 to 2023 as Chair and Commissioner. She is a founding member of the West Maui Domestic Violence Task Force (volunteer, 2004–2019), has served as a Hawaiʻi Real Estate Commission commissioner, and held leadership roles with the Real Estate Association of Maui (2013–2016). Professionally she is principal broker and owner of La Costa Realty Hawaiʻi (since 2014; earlier leadership 2004–2011).

Platform framing (campaign): W.H.E.N. — Water, Housing, Economy, New Procedures — with four public pillars: Cost Cutter, Homes Together, transparent government, and La Costa Cures (infrastructure delivery for Lahaina, Kīhei flooding, and Upcountry water).

Positions below are summarized from mayorlacosta2026.com (Cost Cutter, Homes Together, and La Costa Cures pages). Contested fiscal and recovery claims are presented as the campaign’s arguments, not as verified findings.

Maui resident since

Jan 1, 1990

Campaign biography

Planning Commission

2018–2023

Chair and commissioner

Real estate career

33 years

Campaign biography

Recognition

Mana Wahine 2022

Maui County Woman of Excellence

Maui collects about $65 million every year from short-term rental property taxes. We can let that money disappear under a law that won't create a single home. Or we can use it to help local families buy homes. I choose our families. Every time.

— mayorlacosta2026.com/homes-together

Platform pillars

  • Cost Cutter (affordability)
  • Homes Together / repeal Bill 9
  • Transparent, honest government
  • La Costa Cures (delivery & infrastructure)
  • W.H.E.N. — Water, Housing, Economy, New Procedures

Where they stand

  • Bill 9

    Nuanced

    Day One — transmit repeal to Council with Homes Together. Campaign argues ~$65M/year in STR property taxes should fund local homeownership and rent relief instead of disappearing under Bill 9. Source: mayorlacosta2026.com.

  • Housing

    Supports

    Homes Together — $50k–$80k down-payment aid (up to ~$110k with other programs); aims to help 400–650 buyers/year; rental stabilization for up to 1,750 households/year; up to $800/month for fire-impacted renters; DHHL partnership. Source: mayorlacosta2026.com/homes-together.

  • Water

    Supports

    WHEN framework plus La Costa Cures Upcountry plan — accelerate DWS capacity, publish dated meter waitlist milestones, treat vacancies as an infrastructure emergency. Source: mayorlacosta2026.com/la-costa-cures.

  • Permitting

    Supports

    30-day county clock with public dashboard; pre-approved commercial pattern books for Lahaina; zero county fees for fire-impacted rebuilds; fast-track substantially compliant projects. Source: mayorlacosta2026.com/la-costa-cures.

  • Economy

    Nuanced

    Cost Cutter — fuel-tax holiday (24¢/gal), independent forensic audit of ~$174M carryover and 46% budget growth, return excess revenue; modeled ~$1,200/year relief for a homeowner family of four. Source: mayorlacosta2026.com/cost-cutter.

  • Lahaina recovery

    Supports

    Front Street Recovery Desk; public weekly permit dashboard; deploy $15M CDBG-DR economic revitalization with monthly reporting; seek Action Plan amendment to increase revitalization funding. Source: mayorlacosta2026.com/la-costa-cures.

Career

  1. 1990–

    Maui resident; West Maui community advocate

  2. 2004–2019

    Founding member, West Maui Domestic Violence Task Force (volunteer)

  3. 2004–2011 / 2014–

    Principal broker and owner, La Costa Realty Hawaiʻi

  4. 2013–2016

    Leadership roles, Real Estate Association of Maui

  5. 2018–2023

    Maui County Planning Commission (Chair and Commissioner)

  6. 2019–2023 / present

    West Maui Community Task Force (Vice President; now President)

  7. 2022

    Maui County Woman of Excellence – Mana Wahine

  8. 2023

    RPAC Hall of Fame

Campaign finance

Snapshot from public CSC reporting — not an endorsement. Totals marked provisional.

Full money page →
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Spent
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Totals not yet entered from a specific CSC filing — check Commission reports and update this row.