City hall vacation tab totals more than $1 million

By Johnny Brannon
Advertiser Staff Writer

The city owes accrued vacation time worth more than $1 million to appointees of Mayor Jeremy Harris' administration who could be replaced by a new mayor after Harris leaves office to run for governor.

As of Feb. 28, 86 top officials from 19 city departments had banked a total of $1,134,919 worth of vacation days, according to city managing director Ben Lee. That works out to an average of $13,196 for each official.

The figures will change as additional days are earned and officials take time off between now and the anticipated change in administration, however, Lee said.

"A lot of people usually take some time off in the summer, when their kids are out of school, so there's no telling what the actual figure will be," he said.

Harris has announced that he will resign by July 23, the deadline for filing nomination papers for the governor's race. A new mayor would be elected Sept. 21 and take office as soon as Oct. 11.

Most city and state employees earn 21 vacation days each year and state law allows them to save as many as 90. Workers must be paid for any days they do not take off by the time they retire or otherwise leave their job.

The state government is also facing a hefty vacation payout because the new governor will be authorized to replace officials appointed by Gov. Ben Cayetano. The state expects to pay more than $2.2 million for accrued vacation time of more than 150 officials, or an average of about $14,732 each.

Fiscal watchdogs say allowing public employees, especially managers not covered by union contracts, to accrue 90 vacation days unnecessarily inflates the cost of government. But public employee unions say such perks help attract quality workers.

Cayetano has said he feels it would be more economical to allow no more than 45 days to be carried over from year to year. Harris was not available to comment on the issue yesterday, his spokeswoman said.

Although all 86 appointed city officials could be replaced by a new mayor, some would likely be retained and others could move to different city jobs, so it would not be necessary to immediately pay them for any unused vacation days, Lee said.

And other appointees, such as attorneys in the corporation counsel's office, are not included with the 86 because they are not generally replaced when there is a change in administration, he said.

The mayor's proposed budget for the fiscal year that begins in July includes enough money to cover the necessary payout, according to city budget director Caroll Takahashi.

But the payout would come at a time when city finances are stretched thin.

Harris' proposed $1.1 billion operating budget would be $37 million more than the current year's, but $28.6 million of that amount would pay for negotiated salary increases or benefits.

The city council has proposed trimming Harris' budget by $19.2 million and, for departments other than those that provide public safety services, to cut spending by 5 percent. The council also wants to slash about $175 million from Harris' proposed $475 million construction budget. Final decisions are expected by late May.

Reach Johnny Brannon at jbrannon@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8070.