[ OUR OPINION ]
Attempt to block
pay raises shows
Dems’ pettinessFIERCE denial of partisanship to the contrary, the move by Democratic leaders in the Legislature to ditch pay increases for the governor, executives and the state judiciary is political chain-yanking, a transparent, juvenile ploy to vex the Republican Lingle administration.
THE ISSUE
Legislative leaders have introduced resolutions to deny recommended pay increases for the governor and other state executives.
House Speaker Calvin Say and his counterpart in the Senate, Robert Bunda, who say their motive is to save taxpayer money, should quit fooling around, withdraw their resolutions to reject the raises and learn to conduct themselves like adults.
Executive increases are long overdue; the last time raises were given was in 1990. The recommended increases aren't out of line, boosting pay for the governor from $94,780 a year to $126,130 in steps through 2012. Unless she is re-elected, Governor Lingle doesn't stand to gain from the hike; it won't kick in until 2006.
Department directors and deputies would see bigger paychecks in July, and they deserve them. They are compensated at levels far below similar posts in the private sector, and if we are to recruit knowledgeable, competent people to hold important government jobs, taxpayers should be willing to provide reasonable earnings.
The increases were cleared by a salary commission appointed by Say and Bunda themselves, along with Chief Justice Ronald Moon. The governor did not suggest specific dollar amounts, but instead described to the five commission members the scope of work directors and deputies perform.
The panel set department head pay based on the number of employees supervised, the department's budget and salary comparisons with other states. This fair-minded approach resulted in recommendations of increases from the current $85,302 to between $103,381 and $120,612 through the next eight years.
Members of the judiciary also would get increases starting in 2006, from $116,779 to $172,097 through 2012 for the chief justice and from $100,761 to $140,873 through the same period for district court judges. Again, the increases are reasonable.
Say and Bunda contend that the state's tight budget won't allow the pay raises, a ludicrous claim since the increases would amount to only about $500,000. They want to set up a commission to review the recommendations again next year, a waste of time.
Both Democrats say their rejection has nothing to do with politics.
"Oh, no, no, no, no, no," Speaker Say said in denying that accusation. We think he protests too much.
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Stadium might be
entering end zoneTHE future of Aloha Stadium remains unknown less than a decade after an extensive and costly overhaul. Maintenance costs continue to plague the state and legislators are sensibly thinking about ordering a study of the stadium's life expectancy. It might make sense to build a new stadium instead of pouring money into the existing one.
THE ISSUE
A House committee has approved a resolution calling for a study of Aloha Stadium's longevity.
Aloha Stadium was built in 1975 for less than $37 million. Its design was intended to allow its conversion from a football to baseball format so the Class AAA Islanders could use it during the summer. The conversion mechanics faltered, the Islanders folded and the thin layer aimed at keeping the stadium's steel from rusting didn't work. As a consequence, the state spent $88 million for repair and maintenance from 1989 to 1995.
The state just spent $300,000 and the National Football League contributed $1 million to replace Aloha Stadium's artificial turf. Maintenance, including replacement of all the stadium's seats, is expected to cost $17.5 million, and $6 million is needed to patch up the parking lot.
Even with all that, Rep. Alex Sonson (D, Pearl City-Waipahu) says the stadium may last only another 10 to 15 years. A resolution approved by the House Committee on Tourism and Culture calls for the state Department of Accounting and General Services to study its longevity.
A University of Minnesota project provides an indication of what that cost may be. A feasibility study put the price of erecting a stadium on the Minnesota campus at $222 million, including $42 million for site preparation.
The Minnesota design's 50,000-seat capacity is the same as that of Aloha Stadium, and includes the revenue-generating suites, box seats and other amenities for the wealthy envisioned at a new Oahu facility. Its design allows flexibility for future expansion to 80,000 seats.
The feasibility study estimated that the new stadium for the Gophers would take four to five years to plan, finance, design and build. The Minnesota legislature is now considering whether to authorize the construction and begin paying for it.
