From West Hawaii Today:

Mayor Billy Kenoi will get a $22,000 raise and other county officials will get up to 19.8 percent raises under a salary adjustment plan proposed Wednesday by the Hawaii County Salary Commission.

The commission plans to hold a public hearing next month before modifying or accepting the plan that was prepared by a three-member working group of the seven-member commission. The raises would go into effect July 1.

The goal of the adjustments is to make salaries more equitable so employees aren’t making more than their bosses, department heads’ salaries are more consistent and salaries are more in line with salaries for the same job in other jurisdictions, committee members said.

“We deliberated until we were fair to everyone on that list,” said Commissioner Michael Sumja. “We put a whole lot of time into this thing.” Read the full story.

And here’s the latest in other neighbor isle gov’t and politics:

Rain-soaked Kauai experiences road closures, traffic delays

Aerial hunting ‘wrong, inhumane’

Distracted driving enforcement part of new Maui campaign

Fire causes $600,000 damage to Kapalua restaurant

VIDEO: Testimony presented in Molokai murder case

State to begin 1st phase of $229M in airport improvements

Lahaina bypass opens

Lihue courthouse receives bomb threat

State to discuss Hapuna parking fees

Only one Maui department complying with vehicle use policy

County interested in Launiupoko tracts for Pali to Puamana Parkway 

Photo courtesy Hawaii County.

—Chad Blair