Posted on: Wednesday, April 16, 2003

Lingle urged to support equal pay

By B.J. Reyes
Associated Press

Some elected officials and women's groups yesterday urged Gov. Linda Lingle to maintain the state's $95,000 annual contribution to the Hawai'i State Commission on the Status of Women.

Sen. Carol Fukunaga, D-11th (Makiki, Pawa'a), said the commission is vital as "the only program focusing on equal pay" for women in the state, who fare better than the national average but still earn less than men in comparable positions.

Fukunaga was among a handful of lawmakers to join women's groups at a Capitol news conference as part of national events calling attention to the wage gap.

Some criticized Lingle's proposed cut for the commission, which the administration has said follows through on a law passed in 2000 setting up a private charitable trust fund to allow the commission to become self-sufficient.

"I've never seen a program that had unanimous support to cut — ever — in all my years in government," Lingle said yesterday, "but there comes a time when the people simply can't afford everything."

House and Senate conferees begin final negotiations on the state budget this week.

The commission's executive director, Allicyn Hikida Tasaka, was former Democratic Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono's gubernatorial campaign coordinator and state office spokeswoman in 2001 and 2002. Lingle administration officials say that had no influence in the proposed cut.

The Equal Pay Day gathering was one of about 800 such events nationwide, said Leslie Wilkins, chairwoman of the Commission on the Status of Women.

American women earn about 76 cents for every dollar earned by men, Wilkins said; women working in Hawai'i fare better, averaging about 84 cents.

Equal pay is especially important now because lower wages lead to less money for retirement, she said. "A disparity in the wage environment during your working years has a direct impact on the quality of life in retirement years," Wilkins said.