The City Council has hired a former Hawai'i lawmaker, who recently chaired the state Democratic Party, to be its liaison to the Legislature.

But some dissident council members are criticizing the arrangement as wasteful and question whether the hiring was handled properly.

Council Chairwoman Barbara Marshall said she chose Alex Santiago for the job because he is experienced and could help the city save money by closely tracking proposals and decisions that affect the city. The job will pay nearly $50,000 per year, she said.

Santiago, 50, represented the North Shore in the state House from 1990 to 2000. He was chairman of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i from 2003 to 2004. More recently, he has been a lobbyist for healthcare and social service industry associations.

Councilmen Charles Djou and Donovan Dela Cruz — who have often clashed with Marshall — blasted Santiago's hiring but did not criticize him personally.

Djou called the new position "unnecessary" and a "waste of taxpayer money" and questioned whether the hiring was done legally.

Dela Cruz said a liaison to the Legislature is not needed, since five of the council's nine members are former state lawmakers.

Marshall said she is confident the hiring was legal and that a majority of the council members had indicated in writing that they agreed with the choice.