Panel OKs city pay hikes
By Johnny Brannon
Advertiser Staff Writer
As expected, the city's Salary Commission yesterday approved pay raises for Mayor Mufi Hannemann and many other top city officials.
The panel also approved an increase to the pay range for deputy city prosecutors and other attorneys.
The raises, from 4.5 percent to 10 percent, will take effect in July unless the City Council rejects the entire $233,000 package.
That's unlikely, as key council members have indicated they will support the plan, which will also boost their salaries by 5 percent.
The commission approved raises of 3 percent to 5 percent for most of the same officials last year.
Most other public employees are also seeking raises.
Firefighters won raises of 5 percent per year over four years under a contract settled through arbitration in February.
And white-collar workers represented by the Hawai'i Government Employees Association negotiated 4 percent raises in each year of a two-year contract.
The mostly blue-collar United Public Workers is currently in arbitration for a new contract.
The police union is expected to begin arbitration next month.
Reach Johnny Brannon at jbrannon@honoluluadvertiser.com.