House Committee on Higher Education (HED) - chair: Chang, vice chair: Bertram III House Committee on Labor and Public Employment (LAB) - chair: Sonson, vice chair: Nakasone

Thursday, March 15, 2007, 2:00 p.m. Conference Room 309

Testifier: Jean Aoki, Legislative Chair, LWV-Hawaii

Click here to view SB46 SD1

The League of Women Voters very strongly support SB 46, SD1 Transparency in governance breeds trust in government. Secrecy breeds suspicion and distrust. The airing of compensation and changes to compensation of administrative positions at the University of Hawaii is important to the people’s belief that the University is using the taxpayers’ funds wisely and to the best advantage. Nothing is more discouraging to learn of runaway salaries and bonuses that bear no correlation to the responsibilities or the positions or the achievements of the holders of the positions. When very high salaries are needed to bring the best people in to the higher posts in the administration, it is not too difficult to convince the public of the need with the proper truthful information. It is when that which has been hidden is bared accidentally that people react so negatively, not just to the amount of the salaries but mostly to the perception that indeed the amount was too huge to be revealed to the public. We urge the passage of SB 46, SD1.