Salaries for Honolulu's mayor, City Council and other top elected and appointed officials will rise between 3.2 percent and 4.5 percent under a proposal unanimously approved yesterday by the city Salary Commission.

Commission Chairman Guy Tajiri said the six-member panel voted for the modest pay increases to keep up with the cost-of-living increases over recent years.

"We feel it's reasonable," Tajiri said.

The City Council has 60 days from receipt of the commission's recommended increase — expected to be transmitted today — to act on the proposal. The council must accept or reject the salary proposal as is. If the council awards raises, it must give them to all officials and not just some, and it cannot change the size of the raises. The total cost of the increase in pay will be $181,826, Tajiri said.

He acknowledged that some people oppose any increase in government officials' pay at a time when residents face rising fuel costs, higher sewer fees and other core services costs.

"I think it's just bad timing," he said.

But finding city officials to tackle those problems will be even more difficult without some pay increases, Tajiri said.

The commission also approved revising the salary schedule for the legal staff in the city prosecuting attorney's office and that of the corporation counsel and giving similar percentage raises.

Prosecuting Attorney Peter Carlisle said it's increasingly difficult to hire attorneys because the booming economy has boosted salaries for private attorneys. Under the new schedule, the salary for city attorneys will range from $39,417 to $109,430, Tajiri said.

Last year, the commission approved a 4 percent pay raise for the same officials. The council accepted that raise.

Reach Robbie Dingeman at rdingeman@honoluluadvertiser.com.