THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	138
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

disapproving the salary increases recommended by the SALARY COMMISSION FOR THE TRUSTEES OF THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS.

     WHEREAS, the salaries for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustees are designated by law under section 10-9, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

     WHEREAS, Trustees' salaries are reviewed every four years by the Salary Commission, and the Salary Commission makes recommendations for adjustments based on their review, pursuant to section 10-9.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

     WHEREAS, the recommended salaries become effective on the date of approval (          , 2008) unless disapproved by concurrent resolution of the Legislature; and

     WHEREAS, the Salary Commission determined that the Trustees' salaries have not been adjusted since 2004 and should be adjusted to accommodate cost-of-living increases for every year starting from 2004; and

     WHEREAS, to determine the proper cost-of-living increases, the Salary Commission used data from the Social Security Administration; and

     WHEREAS, although the Legislature acknowledges the key role that the Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs play in the lives of Hawaiians and native Hawaiians, providing benefits in education and the economy and preserving and protecting the Hawaiian culture for all Hawaii residents, these recommended salary increases come only four years after the last increase and at a time when the State's limited resources are already spread thin to accommodate matters of only the highest priority; and

     WHEREAS, these recommended increases do not represent a commitment of one-time appropriations but a permanent increase to the Office of Hawaiian Affair's base budget; and

     WHEREAS, accordingly, this Legislature refuses to commit future legislatures to the liability resulting from these salary increases without knowing their full impact on future financial plans; and

     WHEREAS, the Legislature, therefore, does not believe it to be in the overall public interest to allow the recommendations of the 2008 Salary Commission to become effective; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2008, the House of Representatives concurring, that the recommended salaries submitted by the Salary Commission are disapproved; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the Twenty-fourth Legislature hereby express their deep thanks and appreciation to the members of the salary Commission for their hard work on this difficult matter; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and the Chairperson of the Salary Commission for Members of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title: 

Salary Commission; Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs