David Shapiro: Mayor, Honolulu City Council asking big raises from handpicked panel

To understand the tone-deafness of our elected officials for the realities facing their constituents, look at the effort by Mayor Rick Blangiardi and the City Council to massively increase their salaries.

The Honolulu Salary Commission, appointed by the mayor and Council, is considering pay raises of up to 17.07% for Blangiardi and city directors, while more than doubling the pay of Council members — all with the enthusiastic encouragement of Blangiardi and Council Chairman Tommy Waters, who cite fairness.

The commission is barreling along on recommending one of three options to the Council.

Under the most generous, Blangiardi’s salary would rise $31,824, from $186,432 to $218,256, and city directors would get similar 17.07% raises. Even the least generous option would give 12.56% increases.

It’s for Council members that the wheel of fortune really starts ringing, with the commission arbitrarily deciding that their jobs — now designated part time — should be declared full time with executive-level pay raises.

Under Option A the chairman’s pay would rise to $194,992 from $76,968 while other members would increase to $185,017 from $68,904. Even Option C would take the chairman and members to $123,300 and $113,300, respectively, far too much for part-time jobs.

A discussion may be needed on whether Council members should become full time, but the decision should be made by voters via a City Charter amendment, not by a commission beholden to Council members who cash in. It shouldn’t occur midterm. And it should include a ban on outside jobs Council members now can hold.

The tone-deafness comes in when you consider the economic environment in which this munificence is taking place.

With such huge numbers flying around, you’d think the community is awash in cash and everybody is making out.

But the constituents who would have to pay for these raises are mostly not making out. They have jobs that in most cases pay less than our municipal leaders, certainly not enough to afford Honolulu’s highest-in-the-nation cost of living. Housing eats up a disproportionate share of paychecks, and inflation is making existence here punishing, driving many locals to the mainland.

One contributor to the inflation battering Oahu taxpayers is double-digit increases in city property tax assessments that exceeded 20% in some neighborhoods this year, making it even more difficult for long-term residents to afford living here.

Blangiardi and the Council admitted the valuation increases were out of line and promised relief, but the best the mayor has offered so far is a piddling $300 credit for homeowner-occupants.

No permanent relief by lowering the tax rate or reforming the flawed valuation system that causes unfair assessments, just a one-time $300 credit that bakes in this year’s overly high valuations for future tax bills.

Bottom line: Blangiardi gets $32,000, Council members get $116,000, homeowners footing the bill get $300. Is fairness working both ways?

If you’d like to make your voice heard, the Salary Commission will hold its public hearing at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. Details for testifying in person or by email are here: 808ne.ws/salaryhearing.

Reach David Shapiro at volcanicash@gmail.com.