A quarter-century ago, Colleen Hanabusa and Margery Bronster were protagonists in one of Hawaii’s great political feuds.
Bronster, attorney general under Gov. Ben Cayetano, had launched an investigation of imperious Kamehameha Schools/Bishop Estate trustees that contributed to their ultimate removal.
Hanabusa, then a freshman state senator with political ties to trustees Dickie Wong and Henry Peters, led a Senate ouster of Bronster by refusing confirmation for a second term.
Now, long after Bronster returned to private practice and Hanabusa served in Congress, they find themselves in common cause. What critical concern brings these antagonists together? Big pay raises for state legislators and other top officials.
Hanabusa and Bronster are leading voices on the seven-member Commission on Salaries, which is considering initial 40% raises for legislators followed by 16% more over three years, according to Civil Beat — beating their 33% raises in the middle of the Great Recession.
The initial raise in the preliminary proposal would take legislators to $103,824 from $74,160, with leaders getting $116,272.
Gov. Josh Green would get an initial 35% raise to $255,798 from $189,480, while Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke would get 18% more to $222,312 and department heads would get 20% more.
If approved, the raises take effect automatically unless the Legislature votes them down; Hanabusa, the panel’s chair, and Bronster have pressed legal arguments that would make it more difficult for lawmakers to refuse.
These would be the latest in a spree of pay raise gluttony for high officials. It reflects tone-deafness to the hardships facing constituents, who have just endured a brutal national political battle centered around the price of eggs.
Elected officials who have done little to help constituents afford eggs greedily pursue the golden goose for themselves.
It started when the City Council led by Chair Tommy Waters accepted shocking 64% raises offered by the city’s salary commission to $113,304 from $68,904.
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs salary commission approved 62% raises for trustees, to $91,560 from $56,000.
State and city salary panels are appointed by the officials whose pay they decide. The state commission has two members appointed by the governor, two each by the Senate president and House speaker, and one by the chief justice. (Hanabusa was appointed by former Speaker Scott Saiki, and Bronster by Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald.)
Salary commissions argue that legislators, Council members and trustees, traditionally considered part time, often work full time, and more pay will draw more and and better candidates.
That’s proved untrue. They’re part time by the fact they can hold lucrative outside jobs. OHA trustees Kai Kahele and Keli‘i Akina make $250,000 and $150,000, respectively, as an airline pilot and think tank executive.
Legislators refuse to tie their demands for full-time pay to bans on outside work like the governor and county mayors face. We get the worst of both worlds: part-time, double-dipping lawmakers receiving full-time pay.
As for promises of more and better candidates, in the first city election after the 64% Council pay raises, all four incumbents on the ballot cruised to victory with little or no opposition.
Enough piggishly serving themselves first while constituents struggle.
Reach David Shapiro at volcanicash@gmail.com.