Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 25, Number 3, 1 March 2008 — OHA salary increase [ARTICLE]

OHA salary increase

Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustees received salary increases effective Feb. 11, under recommendations by the OHA Salary Commission. The salary increases are effective unless the state Legislature disapproves them by passing a concurrent resolution before the legislative session ends May 1. The approximately 20 percent increase augments the Chairperson's salary to $57,000 from $47,000, and the Trustees' salary to $50,004 from $41,000. The increase also calls for annual cost-of-living increases of about 3.5 percent for three consecutive years starting Iuly 1, 2009. Commissioners cited a desire for "fair and equitable" salaries on par with those of state lawmakers and county councilmembers statewide, whieh would attract qualified candidates and would reflect the breadth of Trustees' responsibilities, including setting policy, managing revenues from ceded lands, and providing grants. Coimnission vice chair Ben Henderson said Trustees "are fulltime elected officials who have a fiduciary responsibility to manage the OHA Trust. I hope the Legislature will acknowledge the important work they do by supporting the salaries recommended by the coimnission." The coimnission's report was hand-delivered Feb. 11 to Gov. Linda Lingle, Senate President

Colleen Hanabusa and House Speaker Calvin Say. The commission is fonned every four years to study and make recommendations to the state Legislature on appropriate salaries for the Board of Trustees. The seven coimnissioners are appointed by Lingle from nominations submitted by Native Hawaiian organizations.

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