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Merit Appeals Board October 30, 2025 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />MS. TOKIHIRO: So, that was the—through collective bargaining with HGEA, those were the <br />amounts. It’s a little different. So, for HGEA employees we have some units that continue to <br />receive step movements, we have other units that suspended step movements—so in the <br />negotiation process we, basically, went to the units and said, “This is the proposal” and it broke <br />out 3.5, 3.79, 4, 4—but the way each of the units is receiving that, is a little bit different, but the <br />total increase is those percentages. <br /> <br />CHR. CABANAS: Okay. So, there’s an increase January 1, 2026; then another increase, 3.79% <br />stst <br />July 1, 2026—so two that year; and then another—then a 4% on July 1, 2027; and then 4% <br />st <br />increase on July 1, 2028. <br /> <br />MS. TOKIHIRO: And the January increase was because there was no adjustment as of July 1, <br />whereas the collective bargaining unit contracts were effective July 1, 2025. So, in the Salary <br />Commission’s discussion, their intent with giving the 3.5% January 1 was just to catch-up the <br />executive salaries to the salaries that had already been adjusted July 1 through collective <br />bargaining. <br /> <br />CHR. CABANAS: Okay, so that the total comes out over, like, a four-year span, close to <br />what—15%. The thing with this is—your highest paid manager salary, does that person come <br />close to the director or deputy salary? <br /> <br />MS. TOKIHIRO: The salary, the base salary—no. But our managers and all staff are able to <br />earn overtime, which the director and deputy are not. So, there can be instances where there <br />would be a subordinate position in the department that would earn more than the director or <br />deputy with overtime taken into account. <br /> <br />So, there’s no inversion as far as the base salary, but their ability to earn overtime can make their <br />compensation more. <br /> <br />MR. THOMAS: I’m sure they can’t—the Salary Commission can’t really predict the future— <br /> <br />MS. TOKIHIRO: Correct. <br /> <br />MR. THOMAS: —but how much confidence should we and the public have in the belief that <br />the cost of living will be at or below the total of just over 15% in four years? <br /> <br />MS. TOKIHIRO: I couldn’t answer that. <br /> <br />MR. THOMAS: Yeah. <br /> <br />MS. TOKIHIRO: Yeah. Their discussion, the Salary Commission’s discussion was based on <br />making sure that department heads and deputies received at least the same increases as what <br />occurred through the collective bargaining process. <br /> <br />Page 29 <br /> <br /> <br />