Critics slam plan to raise
Kauai Council pay
LIHUE » The Kauai County Council has done nothing to deserve a pay raise, critics testified at a public hearing last week on a proposal to give Council members an increase up to 67 percent.
"With 18 months in office, not one member of this Council has produced a single major bill," said Richard Stauber, a frequent critic of county government.
The county Salary Commission is hoping to make a decision at its next meeting on July 13. They want the new salaries in place before the filing deadline for County Council candidates on July 20.
The raises will apply to Council members elected in November who will take office in December.
Current Council members are paid $28,744 annually. The Salary Commission is considering a minimum increase to $43,009 (a 51 percent increase) and a maximum increase to $48,000 (a 67 percent raise).
The Council chairman is paid $31,938. The Salary Commission has proposed a salary of at least $47,000 (a 47 percent increase) and possibly as much as $52,000 (a 63 percent hike).
Salary Commission Chairman Mark Hubbard said the commission wants to break with tradition that sets the Council salaries at 35 percent to 40 percent of the mayor's pay. Mayor Bryan Baptiste is paid $73,118, although the Council is considering raising his salary to $80,000.
Hubbard said the Council's pay has been lagging just a bit behind inflation. Since 1988, Council pay has increased 44 percent while the cost of living has gone up 50 percent.
"With the increased amount of time Council members have been spending on the job, maybe we should make an increase that doesn't just keep up with inflation, but is something recognizing Council people are spending more than part time on county business," Hubbard said.
Even though the pay raise will not benefit this Council, the membership is likely to be unchanged because incumbents rarely are defeated on Kauai.
"Reality is that the next Council will be this Council," activist Ray Chuan said. "And the next Council will be just as ineffective as this Council."