Pay raises of 4 percent for Mayor Kirk Caldwell, City Council members and most city department heads and their deputies were tentatively approved by the Honolulu Salary Commission today.

The police chief and his deputies would receive 5.5 percent increases in an effort by the commission to ensure their pay would stay commensurately higher than their top assistants.

The proposals will go to a public hearing scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on April 16 before the commission takes a final vote.

If approved, they would then go to the City Council, which can vote to approve or reject each recommendation, but cannot tinker with the numbers.

Currently, the mayor’s annual salary is $136,428 while the prosecuting attorney makes $129,312. City Council members make $52,446 with the Council chairman making $58,596.

Most department heads now make $121,894 and their deputies $115,677. 

The police chief makes $143,729 and his deputies $137,082. 

City attorneys in the corporation counsel’s office currently make between $55,000 and $121,894 depending on experience. Deputy prosecutors make between $43,248 and $120,072. All would also receive 4 percent raises under the proposal approved tentatively today by the Salary Commission.