EDITORIAL
Lingle needs help in making good hires

One thing lawmakers can do to get Governor-elect Linda Lingle off to a productive start is to make up their minds to give her some clout and flexibility in making her key appointments.

She'll be picking all or most of the 200 top-level people before the Legislature next meets, but House and Senate leaders should indicate a determination now to address the issue of management salaries in January.

No matter who had been elected governor, the fact remains that many state leadership positions are grossly underpaid. State appointees last got a pay raise in 1990.

While wishing Lingle well, Gov. Ben Cayetano predicted she'd have difficulties in finding talented people willing to work for much less than they can earn in private business.

Lingle should have the ability to offer higher salaries where needed, and the flexibility to offer more for running the more complex and vexing agencies.

For instance, the director of the Department of Health, with sweeping responsibilities ranging from public health to environmental protection and more, makes the standard director's salary of $90,041 a year.

In another example, the superintendent, Pat Hamamoto, makes $150,000 a year. Her predecessor made just over $90,000.

Lingle should develop a more appropriate pay schedule for her appointees and submit it to lawmakers in January. If lawmakers now indicate a willingness to look favorably on the idea, that will help Lingle hire the best people available to put her plan into action.