The Honolulu Salary Commission’s recommendation last week for a 3% or greater pay boost for the mayor, managing director, all nine members of the City Council and other appointed, high-level city officials drew a measure of public criticism Monday.
Those collective pay hikes come less than a year after the Council received a controversial 64% salary increase, while the Honolulu mayor’s nearly 12.6% pay jump ultimately surpassed similar compensation granted to Hawaii’s
governor.
On Monday the Council met to take first-reading votes on bills related to the city’s fiscal year 2025 budgets — including a proposed $3.63 billion operating budget that’s 6.4% higher than the current year’s $3.41 billion spending plan.
Oahu resident Natalie Iwasa asserted that granting higher salaries to Honolulu’s top elected and appointed officials, especially in light of what the city admits is a tighter budget season
than in years past, was wrongheaded.
“I do not support any raises for Council members this year,” she said. “And for last year, with the 64% (pay raise) I asked that the public be informed what line items were changed (in the FY 2024 budget) to facilitate payment of that salary increase that went through and is paid currently.”
In written testimony she had also submitted, Iwasa noted potential funding reductions occurring in many departments.
Among them, proposed cuts could affect the Office of the City Auditor — the watchdog agency that independently investigates work done by the city and its officials — under legislative budget measure Bill 11.
Under that measure the city auditor would see a nearly $2.4 million reduction of funds slated for agency salaries and expenses.
“Several proposed amendments would cut the city auditor’s budget to amounts prior to current levels,” Iwasa wrote. “I am concerned about this and request that specific reasons behind these proposed cuts be provided during budget committee discussions.”
During the meeting, none on the Council spoke to slashing the city auditor’s budget.
But Bill 11 does note cuts to other city agencies. Among them, the Honolulu Police Department could see a nearly $5.8 million reduction to money earmarked for salaries and equipment, including new police vehicles.
Similarly, the Honolulu Fire Department might face an over-$771,000 cut to funding for firefighting training and related equipment.
According to the city, spending on operational costs, including salaries, for the city’s public safety and public health agencies — HPD, HFD and the city Emergency Services Department, respectively — represents approximately
17% of the proposed
operating budget, or
$617.1 million.
Final approval of any proposed reductions to city services — or any changes to those planned cuts — is expected to occur by June.
Meanwhile, Oahu resident Choon James said Honolulu’s latest budget cycle was all too familiar to her.
“Every year, we go through this ritual, and every year, the mayor has increased the budget,” she said. “When is there going to be a mindset to cut the pork and trim the fat? It is also concerning to see the city allocating projected revenues with most of it coming from property taxes, and we know that property taxes have gone up … and the last few years it has just gone off the chart.”
She added, “I don’t know if we’re living in the same Oahu, but the people I know are struggling.”
“The rising costs and the financial pressure is very, very real,” James said.
Council member Andria Tupola also was critical of new salary increases for the Council.
“I know that the current sentiment in the Salary Commission is to increase pay so that we attract the best-qualified workers to be here in the city, and I think that’s reasonable but I also believe there needs to be some balance,” she said. “This particular budget cycle we’re struggling with having all
of our departments to cut back, and if it’s a year
where we don’t do pay raises or increases, I think it’s reasonable.”
Council member Augie Tulba — who, along with Tupola and Radiant Cordero, rejected their 64% pay hikes for Council members in 2023 — did not speak to new pay boosts proposed for himself and his Council colleagues.
Instead, he noted, “We are still early in the budget
process.”
“And I look forward to seeing how we can create a sound budget that is balanced and puts the needs of the community first,” Tulba said.
Ultimately, the Council approved the first readings of the latest budget bills.
On March 19 the five-
member Salary Commission voted that the mayor’s annual salary — which in 2023 increased to $209,856 from $186,432 — will now be $216,151, a 3% hike.
That new boost well
exceeds the Hawaii governor’s over-$165,000 yearly pay.
Likewise, eight members of the Council — which in 2023 received a $44,400 pay bump that hiked their respective pay to $113,304, up from $68,904 — would see their annual salaries rise to $116,712.
The Council chair seat, too — which in 2023 saw a 60% pay jump, to $123,292 annually, up from $76,968 — will now see that pay rise to $126,712.
The city managing director’s pay will also increase, to $206,733, above what was already received in 2023, or $200,712, up from $178,320. The deputy managing director position will similarly increase to $196,005, up from $190,296.
Other high-level city positions are expected to receive a nearly 3.6% pay hike — due, in part, to existing collective bargaining agreements still being negotiated between the city and Bargaining Unit 13, composed of professional and scientific employees — as the new fiscal year nears.
Some of those positions include:
>> Prosecuting attorney: to $206,028 from $198,888.
>> Police chief: to $239,964 from $231,648.
>> Fire chief: to $232,357 from $224,304.
>> Corporation counsel: to $199,788 from $192,864.
In addition, 14 department heads will see their pay jump to $194,219 from $187,488, while 14 deputy department heads will see salary hikes to $184,274 from $177,888.
According to the city, the nearly 3.6% pay increase does not include a nearly 2% annual step increase to pay per that bargaining unit.
