Hawai'i County's labor costs will increase roughly $150,000 a year under Mayor Billy Kenoi's forthcoming proposal to combine vehicle-repair and transportation functions, the Hawai'i Tribune-Herald reported.

Three workers would receive pay raises and two vacancies would be filled by placing the Department of Public Works' Automotive Division under the Mass Transit Agency, according to staffing charts obtained by the Tribune-Herald. No workers or positions would be cut.

The proposed merger would make Tom Brown administrator of the renamed Transportation Agency, bumping his pay grade four levels. He would earn at least $75,324 a year, up from the minimum of $61,968, according to information from the Department of Human Resources.