The demise of the proposed pay raises for certain Kaua’i County officials is no surprise, and not just because County Council members running for re-election are making points with voters by pulling the plug. Actually, the no-raises decision was made
The demise of the proposed pay raises for certain Kaua’i County officials is no
surprise, and not just because County Council members running for re-election
are making points with voters by pulling the plug.
Actually, the no-raises
decision was made for the council when Amfac Sugar Kaua’i announced in
September it was going out of business. Today, 400 workers are a month away
from losing their jobs when the closing of the company’s operations takes
effect, leaving employees and their families with shaky financial futures until
the breadwinners find new jobs.
So the council’s Finance Committee did the
obvious -but right – thing Wednesday by deep-sixing the raises. Now is simply a
lousy time to sweeten the paychecks of public officials who have constituents
who are wondering where their own paychecks will come from in the
future.
No other arguments against the raises carry as much weight. Critics
of Mayor Maryanne Kusaka (she and Prosecuting Attorney Mike Soong were the only
elected officials in line for wage hikes; the rest are appointed department
heads, such as the police chief) and of county government in general can say
that the salaries are good enough already. Critics can also accurately point
out that nobody is forced to work for the public, and that the ones who aren’t
happy with their compensation can seek their fortune in the private sector. But
there is no question that many county officials work hard and deserve raises
for doing their jobs effectively and to the public’s benefit, which is why the
Salary Commission recommended the pay boosts.
That doesn’t matter, though,
when the local employment picture is out of focus. Government officials,
especially the elected ones, can set an appropriate tone at such times by
leading a community responsibly and sensibly. And the responsible and sensible
thing is what the council members did.