What is going on? First, City Council members get a 64% pay raise in 2023 — with homelessness, traffic and housing as bad as ever. And they get to keep their outside jobs. This was all approved by a salary commission the Council and mayor appointed.

Now, state legislators will get a 44% raise over the next five years for what are essentially part-time jobs. This was approved by the Commission on Salaries that is chaired by longtime politician Colleen Hanabusa. Hanabusa is the chair of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation’s board, the group constantly asking the government for more funds for the completely misguided and astronomically overbudget rail. Is anyone concerned about the conflict of interest?

The fox is guarding the hen house. Public workers are commingling with private interests. These issues must be put on the ballot and decided by the people.

Pat Kelly

Kaimuki