Honolulu City Council Chair Tommy Waters and Vice Chair Esther Kiaʻāina are defending a pair of measures that make holding an elected office a full-time position.
Bill 33would let the council decide whether or not to prohibit members from having outside employment. Additionally, charter amendment Resolution 23-109 would let residents decide in the next election.
"There is nothing in our charter, which is our constitution for the city, or in ordinance saying that this is a part-time or a full-time job," Waters told HPR.
"I know a lot of people are saying that it's a part-time job and therefore the pay is adequate. But this has nothing to do with the pay. This is all about prohibiting outside employment, which would thereby prohibit outside influence."
The introduction of the proposals comes after the city's salary commission recommended a 64% pay raise for councilmembers. That increases each member's salary from roughly $70,000 to $113,000 a year. For the Council Chair, the salary goes from $76,000 to $123,000.
"I believe that the members of the Salary Commission worked diligently to fulfill their responsibility under the City Charter, which is to provide 'adequate compensation for work performed,'" Kiaʻāina said.
"The City Council is a full-time job that demands our full-time dedication and focus."
Waters and Kiaʻāina both said they favor the resolution, which gives residents the decision.
Kiaʻāina said she had to step away from her consultant position because being a councilmember demanded more of her time.
"I think most people look at the calendar, and see one month for the City Council meeting and one week of the committee hearings. But they don't realize that's not all that there is. There is preparation for that" Kiaʻāina said.
"From January to June, it's chaotic, because we have the budget. The budget hearings, and the special budget hearings, on top of the normal monthly hearings. So when you combine all of that, I just don't know when there's a week that I'm not busy preparing for something," she said.
"If you're not busy, then you're not doing your job."
The latest version of Bill 33 says the new rule would go into effect on Jan. 1, if approved. But if Resolution 23-109 is approved, it will appear on the November 2024 ballot and could go into effect in 2025.
Both measures will be introduced at the next City Council meeting on June 7.
