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Kauai Council to
review proposed
pay raises

By Anthony Sommer
Star-Bulletin

LIHUE -- The Kauai Salary Commission yesterday recommended a 10 percent pay raise for Mayor Maryanne Kusaka and most of her department directors and deputy directors.

Kusaka, whose pay would go to $80,500 from $73,118, is on an 11-day, county-paid "cultural exchange" trip to Tahiti and was unavailable for comment. She had asked for across-the-board increases of 14 percent.

Several positions -- police chief, fire chief, personnel director, county clerk and liquor administrator -- were recommended for both the 10 percent pay raise and an upgrading of their positions that would total 17 percent in pay hikes.

The formula approved by the commission -- which was appointed by the mayor and County Council -- sets new pay ranges for all but the mayor and county prosecutor, the only two elected officials whose pay would go up 10 percent.

Most of the county's department heads and deputies are at the top of their current pay ranges.

If they receive the maximum raises allowed in each proposed pay range, each official would be paid 10 percent more than they are receiving now. If they were placed at the bottom of the new pay ranges, most would receive no pay increase.

The commission also recommended repealing a county ordinance that ties the pay of the Council chairman and members to the mayor's salary. Council salaries are the next item on the commission agenda.

The proposed increases next go to the County Council.

Kauai mayors and department heads have not had a pay raise since 1995.

The Council rejected pay raises the following two years and didn't even bother to appoint a salary commission for several years, although creation of a new commission every year is required by the County Charter.