Testimony in Strong Opposition to Bill 49 (2025)
Submitted to the Maui County Council
Dear Councilmembers,
I am writing to express my unequivocal opposition to Bill 49 (2025), which proposes adjustments to salaries within the Office of Council Services. As a dedicated public servant who values fairness, fiscal responsibility, and recognition of skill and technical expertise, I am deeply alarmed and frankly insulted by the implications of this bill.
The revised pay structure is nothing short of a slap in the face to specialized employees in critical roles, particularly those in the Finance Department, such as Systems Administrators, who are now slated to earn less than Committee Secretaries and other support positions under this proposal. How is it justifiable that individuals with high-level technical expertise and substantial responsibility for the security, maintenance, and integrity of our County’s financial systems are compensated less than administrative staff?
The proposed pay plan not only undermines the value of technical and analytical skill sets but also threatens employee morale across departments. Rewarding titles over technical contribution sends the message that institutional knowledge and operational competency are not valued in our county government.
Additionally, this bill raises pressing questions of governance and accountability. Who exactly oversees the Office of Council Services? Why is there no oversight or independent review in place to ensure equity and rationality in these pay decisions? The lack of transparency and scrutiny in crafting this legislation is concerning, to say the least.
I urge this Council to reconsider this bill in its entirety. Passing Bill 49 would not only perpetuate inequity, but it would also do lasting damage to staff trust, interdepartmental cohesion, and the reputation of this body as stewards of public resources.
Reject Bill 49 (2025). Do better for the people who keep our government running every day—not just the ones sitting closest to the Council Chambers.
Respectfully,
Gail Fujiwara
Accountant I
gnfmaui@gmail.com

Written testimony received through 04//14/2025 at 7:30 a.m.

Dear Budget Committee,

The STEMWorks Conference and various STEM events that the Maui Economic Development Board has helped to fund for Hawaii Technology students has been so valuable! Over the past two years, my three children have been fortunate enough to attend some of these activities.

All three of my children attended the STEMWorks Oahu conference last year. They returned from the conference energized about science and technology and amazed by the different careers that use STEM skills. They heard from speakers and presenters who had careers that my kids were not exposed to thus far in their lives, and this exposure was beneficial as they started to realize how the STEM skills and knowledge they are building now can help them with their work in the future. And it opened their eyes to the possibility of careers beyond what they typically notice or observe.

My oldest daughter (now a freshman in high school) attended the Health Care Day at Maui Memorial Hospital last year, another event that MEDB's funding helped our students attend. She came home and made sure we all knew the signs of a stroke, as well as a few other emergency situation tips. While at the event, she was so moved by the services the hospital provides to the community that she asked to become a junior volunteer there. She spent the summer volunteering in different departments at the hospital and continues to volunteer throughout this school year.

We have been fortunate to have the funding help from the Maui Economic Development Board to participate in these activities. I sincerely hope that students can continue to benefit from the funding support that the MEDB has provided! Mahalo!

Stephanie Burdick

Aloha,

As a parent of a 7th Grade student attending the HTA Kihei Campus, I wanted to write in support of continued funding of the STEMWorks Program. My son recently attended the STEMWorks Conference on Oahu. This was a truly enriching and empowering experience for him, which would not have been afforded to him if not for the grant funding provided via the Maui Economic Development Board. My son has been very interested for some time in pursuing a career as an Electrician and returned home to Maui after attending the conference more inspired to do so! He was truly appreciative of all that he learned from the lectures, exhibits, hands on access to telescopes, flight simulators, and robots. He also was able to meet Electricians and learn more about opportunities available to him in terms of Hawai based education and jobs. Please consider continued grant funding for STEMWorks.

Mahalo,
Shana Laririt