The state Legislature is grappling with a budget beset by a multitude of challenges from stiff costs for Maui wildfire recovery to declining tourism revenue from disgruntled former U.S. allies.Couple that with federal employee layoffs and a sharp decline in grants courtesy of the current federal adm inistration. That’s forcing Hawaii to take on displaced workers or incur more hits to the unemployment insurance fund. Sure, the federal government is supposed to pay that money back, but will it?This in a state where almost a quarter of the working population has federal, state or local government jobs and a quarter of the state budget comes from federal sources.Add in the president’s seesawing stance on international tariffs and local shippers asking for their own double-digit increases in transportation costs in a state where 80% of goods are imported.Hawaii economic forecasters have even started using the “R” word, they’re so concerned.But, what -- we worry? Guess not. There's apparently still plenty of money for fat raises for government officials. Really fat. State lawmakers are poised to get a 48% raise over six years, starting conveniently enough just after the 2026 elections, adding $40,188 to their salaries for their part-time positions to $114,348. The Senate president and House speaker would get a $45,000 bump to their salaries over the same period from $83,052 to $128,052. Judges' salaries would rise more than $100,000 over the six years to $327,948. The governor's would increase to $275,304. Department heads would likewise see increases to $251,064 or $263,592, depending on their tier.The optics aren’t good. The public should live to see their salaries go up like that. Bear in mind, the 2023 median income in Hawaii was $43,944.Officials want to hide behind the cover of the Hawaii Salary Commission, claiming they have no say over how it sets pay increases.But that’s not entirely true. The Legislature could have stopped the hikes with a simple resolution passed by a simple majority. In fact, such resolutions were raised in both houses this session, only to be shot down by legislative leaders without so much as a public hearing.Only Gov. Josh Green seemed to have the grace to feel embarrassed by the largess. He advocated smaller raises and then said he’d donate his to charity.Granted, government raises won’t make or break a budget already teetering on uncertainty. But maybe putting a few more pennies aside would make more economic sense in the long run.Saving the money instead of spending it on themselves sends a message of shared sacrifice to the public. Especially if legislative leaders cave to groups already pressuring them to walk back the income tax cuts promised to the people just last year.More money for you, less money for us. That would be the worst optics of all.Commentary. Nancy Cook Lauer, who’s covered state and local governments for more than 30 years in Hawaii and Florida, is the publisher of All Hawaii News (www.allhawaiinews.com)Sources:https://www.civilbeat.org/2025/03/salary-commission-approves-hefty-raises-for-legislators-state-officials/https://dhrd.hawaii.gov/state-hr-professionals/class-and-comp/executive-branch-commission-on-salaries/https://datacommons.org/place/geoId/15?utm_medium=exploremprop=incomepopt=Personcpv=age,Years15Onwardshl=en ...read more read less