Thursday, November 21, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Thursday, March 14, 2019
Massive Pay Hike for Hawaii Legislators?
By Andrew Walden @ 6:17 AM :: 8254 Views :: Ethics, Hawaii State Government, Politicians

by Andrew Walden

Hawaii taxpayers are burdened by the nation’s most highly paid part time legislators, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

And it's about to get worse.

At a March 13, 2019 hearing, the Hawaii Commission on Salaries announced a plan to juice legislative pay to $74,160 per year by 2024—a 18.5% pay hike. 

Hawaii legislators‘ current $62,604 per year grift tops all but five states—and exceeds legislative pay for all states with part-time legislatures. 

The Speaker and Senate President currently pull $70,104 and would jump up to $83,052 by 2024.

If enacted, the proposed grub grab would leapfrog Hawaii legislators past their full-time counterparts in Michigan and Illinois.  Hawaii’s part timers will rake in more than legislators of any state except California, New York, and Pennsylvania.

Interestingly, California is one of the few states with budget problems worse than Hawaii's.  Fools are marked by their willingness to pay.

Hawaii legislators' $225 off island per diem—which comes on top of salary--is third highest after Alaska and Tennessee.  

Hawaii legislators are allowed to have full time jobs outside the legislature—a situation which allows some of them to be bought and paid for with make-work positions. 

Unlike many states, Hawaii legislators have no term limits.

Hawaii legislators are granted a lifetime early retirement pension after a piddling ten years of self-service—five years if over age 55.  Legislators may collect multiple pensions from various government ‘jobs’ in addition to their legislative pension or salary. 

Hawaii House districts are among the smallest in the USA—each representing roughly 27,500 residents.  California House members each represent nearly 500,000 residents—more than 18 times the size of a Hawaii House district.  California legislators get no pension.

In addition to the legislative bonanza, the governor will jump from $158,700 to $189,480—19%, department heads from $154,812 to $188,400—22%.

---30---

*NOTE: NCSL incorrectly lists the Hawaii legislature as “full time lite”.  The Hawaii legislature meets Jan 16 thru May 2 and legislators are allowed to have full time jobs outside the legislature. 

ILind: Where is the 2019 report of the Commission on Salaries?

HNN: The salary schedule is now set for review by the state Legislature.

CB: Hawaii legislators are among the better compensated in terms of base salary.

PDF: Salary Schedule

NCSL: Legislator Compensation 2018

NCSL: Full and Part-Time Legislatures*

ERS: Contributory Plan for Elected and Legislative Officers

2010: Hawaii Legislators’ pay tops nation

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii Military History

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Together

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

July 4 in Hawaii

Land and Power in Hawaii

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii