Judges’ pay raise less
than intended

Police Department faces cuts
to fund officers' pay raises

By Pat Omandam
Star-Bulletin

Hawaii's 73 state judges next month will get their first pay raise since 1989, although for now it will be less than what the state Legislature really intended.

Gov. Ben Cayetano has signed into law a bill that increases judges' pay by 4 percent this year and 4 percent next year, beginning July 1. The Legislature had intended a 22 percent increase over two years, but flaws in the bill were not caught before lawmakers adjourned the session May 4.

As a result, state Judiciary officials are hopeful the Legislature will correct the problem next session by introducing a bill for a 7 percent retroactive pay increase this year and an 11 percent increase next year, for the total 22 percent over two years, said Judiciary deputy administrator Clyde Namuo.

"We are certainly pleased that the governor signed the first bill," Namuo said yesterday. "We are hopeful he signs a bill next year that corrects the error."

Cayetano yesterday approved the $4.1 million in fiscal year 2000 and the $2.1 million the next year needed for the judges' pay raises. Annual salaries now range from $81,780 for District Court judges to $94,780 for the chief justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court.

Low pay was the recurring reason cited by state judges this decade as the reason they retired or resigned.

A 1998 survey of judicial salaries by the National Center for State Courts showed that judges of Hawaii's highest court ranked 39th out of 50, while general trial court judges ranked 36th.

The new law also changes the eligibility age and years of service required to accrue retirement benefits for judges appointed after June 30, 1999.

Under the retirement plan, judges must either have 25 years of service or five years of service after age 55 before they can retire, which is similar to retirement rules for executive branch directors.

Judges who retire before age 55 face penalties that will count against their retirement pay.

Judges now can retire after 10 years of service, no matter how old they are.

"This bill gives a well-deserved pay raise to Hawaii's judges, while at the same time encourages new judges starting in public service to remain on the bench beyond age 55," Cayetano said.

Meanwhile, the governor signed two measures designed to help Hawaii businesses. One gives a general excise tax exemption for contracting or services exported out of state. The other reduces the pyramiding effect of the general excise tax on the sale of services from 4 percent to 0.5 percent over a seven-year phase-in period.

Cayetano also has signed a bill that allows state and county government agencies to recover part or all of the costs of search-and-rescue operations that involve victims who chose to ignore government warnings. That measure became law June 10.

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Police Department faces cuts
to fund officers’ pay raises

By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Star-Bulletin

Honolulu police may delay the opening of a cellblock and other receiving desk operations at a new Kapolei station to save money to fund pay raises for officers.

City Council Budget Chairwoman Rene Mansho said Council members will find the $1.1 million needed for next year's raises somewhere in the city's $1.02 billion operating budget -- looking first at the Police Department's $140 million budget.

"Our Council majority is committed to honoring the pay raises and we are going to with this current budget that we approved, work within the Police Department's budget, take a look at everything, move around some priorities," Mansho said. "The bottom line is we have to look for more cuts."

Managing Director Ben Lee said the administration "will look at further operational cuts and work closely with Chief Lee Donohue to reprioritize some HPD programs in order to honor the pay raises."

Donohue said that if the cuts have to come from his department, high on the list is delaying the opening of the cellblock and other receiving desk duties at the new Kapolei station.

Now targeted for a late December debut, the $12 million facility was originally scheduled to begin operations in late 1997 or early 1998.

Delaying opening until July 2001 would save about $1.4 million, Donohue said.

It would not result in a reduction in patrol personnel for the area, the chief said, but officers, criminals and others would have have to go elsewhere to conduct station-type business.

The contract decided by arbitrators takes effect July 1, the beginning of the fiscal 2000 budget year. But the 1 percent raises won't take effect until Jan. 1.

Overall, the pay package will cost taxpayers $26.5 million over four years. In 2001, the city will need to come up with $4.6 million; in 2002, $7 million; and in 2003, $13.7 million.

Donohue said he's thankful the arbitration panel recommended a pay increase, but he agrees with the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers that the raises don't go far enough to counter the loss of officers moving to the mainland to work for higher pay.