HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0419.003 2008-2010
Hawaii County Finance Committee 7-7-09 1 PM
SUPPORT Comm. 419, Reso. 204-09 to reduce Council salaries
Ms. Cory (Martha) Harden, PO Box 10265, Hilo, Occupied Hawaii 96721
808-965-8965 mhainterpac.net
1, 1
I support this resolution to reduce County Council member salaries. Mahalo to Mr. Yagong for
introducing it.
Councilmember Hoffmann wanted to be sure things were "dire" before cutting Council salaries.
Well, we were told things were "dire" when most Council members voted to suspend payments
into the 2% land fund--though the fund was set up with a 57% vote and almost 10,000 signatures
on petitions, and scores of testifiers at recent Council meetings urged that the fund be spared.
We were told things were "dire" when most Council members voted to sell irreplaceable lands in
Hamakua, though we may soon wish we'd saved the land to grow food.
Things are too "dire" for the County to expand mulching and start composting. .
And so `dire" that County workers may not get pay increases.
I wonder why things are not "dire" enough to
• pursue about $90,000 owed to the County by a trash hauler
• stop funding unfilled County positions
• correct low appraisals for resort, commercial, and industrial properties so they pay their fair
share of property taxes
• find a solution for the "Golden Bulldozer' sold by the County for $52,000, then leased back
for $427,000 so far
• ask landlords to lower rent for County-used facilities. Mr. Yagong says he contacted
landlords and one was willing, but Mr. Enriques said Yagong was overstepping boundaries,
and Mayor Kenoi didn't pursue it.
Current Council salaries are about $48,000 to $56,500. This resolution would drop them to about
$39,300 to 546,300. In Hawai'i County, average annual wages are about $35,000--for those who
have jobs, despite the unemployment rate of almost 10'/ percent.
I hope we're not told Council salaries are controlled by the Salary Commission. It's Council that
has the final say.
Mr. Yagong and Ms. Ford are to be commended for voting against the salary increase last year.
I hope the rest of the Council will support this resolution.
Comm. No. 7
Ref. To, ri PC,
Ref. Date L