Pay raises on the way
for officials on Big Isle

Mayor Kim warns that the raises
could result in employee layoffs

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By Rod Thompson
rthompson@starbulletin.com

HILO >> Hawaii County elected officials and department heads will get an across-the-board 8.3 percent pay raise in July under a plan approved by the county Salary Commission.

The raise was approved last week for the 2003 fiscal year, despite Mayor Harry Kim's earlier advisory that the county will be about $6 million short of the $202.8 million it needs next year.

The increases would add $176,852 to the budget.

Kim has said he would prefer a property tax increase of an unspecified amount to cover the projected shortfall. Without an increase, layoffs or furloughs without pay may be necessary, he has said.

The new raises would affect 36 employees, including County Council members and the mayor, whose salary will go to $85,085 from $78,564. The decision of the commission is final.

Commissioner Glenn Hara, who proposed the increases, said commissioners were well aware of the county's financial problems. He called the increases "affordable."

Commissioner Joel Nye cast the lone vote against the increases, saying he preferred raises on a case-by-case basis.

Hara said 8.3 percent is a first step. The commission is looking at an overall increase of about 27 percent over three years and will now look at how much more should go to individual positions.

Some top county positions haven't had increases since 1993 and others not since 1997. The 8.3 percent in some cases will not even make up for losses in the value of salaries due to inflation, Hara said.

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Hawaii County