State executive
salaries set to go upOnly legislative action today can
prevent the scheduled pay raises
Hawaii's governor and top aides will be in line for their first raises since 1990 when the Legislature ends its session today.
Hawaii's judges are also in line for salary increases, but lawmakers might reject 14-percent pay raises for the judiciary. Judges last got a pay raise in 2000.
The governor's pay would climb 33 percent to $126,130 from $94,780 by 2012. The pay raises would start with an 18 percent increase in July 2006.
The chief justice would get a 47 percent pay raise to $172,097 from $116,779 by 2012.
Those pay raises were recommended by the Executive Salary Commission and the Judicial Salary Commission. The recommendations automatically go into effect unless the House and Senate reject them.
State senators voted to reject the recommendations of both salary commissions last month and sent resolutions to the House.
House members sent back the resolutions approving the pay hikes for state executives (Senate Concurrent Resolution 118), but rejecting those for state judges (SCR 119).
"It's too late" to work out differences in the resolutions, said Rep. Sylvia Luke (D, Makiki-Dowsett Highlands), House vice speaker.
If lawmakers do not take action on the resolutions, the salary increases would go into effect.
But if the Senate agrees with the House's changes, the judges' pay raises would be rejected, said Sen. Cal Kawamoto (D, Waipahu-Pearl City), Senate majority floor leader.
Sen. Brian Taniguchi (D, Manoa Valley-Makiki), Senate Ways and Means Committee chairman, said, "It doesn't look likely. The (Senate Democratic) caucus position was both or nothing."
Taniguchi said the Senate opposes the salary recommendations because it includes annual percentage increases of 2 percent for the executives and 3.5 percent for the judges.
House Speaker Calvin Say (D, St. Louis Heights-Kaimuki) said he hopes the Senate will go along with both House recommendations.
State department directors who are now paid $85,302 a year would get increases to a salary range of $103,381 to $120,612 by 2012, starting July 1, even though next year's budget does not include money for the raises.
"Our intention is that each department will cover their own expenses," said Georgina Kawamura, state budget director.
