Workforce & Positions

FY27 proposes 91.8 new county positions — while simultaneously reporting more than 90 existing positions vacant. In public safety, overtime costs are surging even as headcount grows slowly, raising questions about structural understaffing.

Total County FTEs

3,362.2

+91.8 positions (+2.8%) vs FY26

New Positions Proposed

+91.8

While 90+ existing positions sit vacant

Fire Overtime Surge

+53.3%

Premium pay increase FY26→FY27 ($7.7M → $11.8M)

Police Overtime

+21.1%

Premium pay increase FY26→FY27 ($7.2M → $8.7M)

The 90-for-90 Paradox

The administration is proposing 90+ brand-new positions in FY27 while more than 90 currently authorized positions remain unfilled. The Maui County Council raised this directly in budget hearings — if the county can't fill the jobs it already has, what is the rationale for expanding the authorized roster further?

The council committee trimmed $8.44M from the Mayor's proposal, but did not eliminate the expansion positions.

Position Changes by Department

FY26 → FY27 Proposed

ʻŌiwi Resources

Largest % growth in county — Hawaiian cultural affairs

14 → 27

+13

Emergency Management

Lahaina fire aftermath driving expansion

25 → 31

Housing

23 → 27

Human Concerns

82 → 87.5

+5.5

Management

Includes new county administration positions

102 → 111

Public Works

156 → 163

Water Supply

Field operations & compliance additions

236 → 246

+10

Police

Despite budget growing 11.6% — spending shift to overtime

584.3 → 589.3

Fire & Public Safety

488.5 → 492

+3.5

Environmental Management

Slight reduction despite 3.7% budget increase

266 → 264

-2

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Maui Police Department

FY27 Budget: $117.6M (++11.6% vs FY26)

Officers per 1,000 Residents

1.91

Maui

2.8

FBI National Average

Maui is 32% below the national staffing benchmark — adding only 5 positions in FY27.

Overtime & Premium Pay

FY26

$7.2M

FY27

$8.7M

++21.1% in one year (+$1.5M)

Driven partly by wildfire response; FEMA reimbursement requested

Bureau Restructuring FY27

Bureau	FY26	FY27	Change
Uniformed Services	305.3	310.3	+5
Investigative Services	112	119	+7
Organizational Development Brand-new bureau created FY27	0	40	+40
Technical & Support Services Major restructuring — positions moved to other bureaus	135	92	-43
Administration	32	28	-4

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Fire & Public Safety

FY27 Budget: $77.0M (++1.5% vs FY26)

53% surge in overtime/premium pay — the biggest one-year jump in the budget

Base wages

-6.8%

$43.9M → $40.9M

Overtime & Premium

+53.3%

$7.7M → $11.8M

Overtime share of payroll

22%

of total fire payroll

Base wages fell 6.8% while overtime rose 53% — a pattern suggesting the department is covering vacancies and extraordinary demand (wildfire, ocean rescues) through overtime rather than new hires.

Fire/Rescue Operations

325

positions

Ocean Safety

102

positions (+2.5 new)

Fire Prevention

positions

Training

positions

Administration

positions

◆Haiku Fire Station lost federal funding — described as 'significant setback'

◆Wildfire events creating increased demand and investigation workload

◆Mental health stressors for personnel described as unprecedented

◆Base wages DOWN 6.8% while overtime UP 53% — structural understaffing problem

Sources:040-04 Equivalent Personnel Summary; 050-19 Police; 050-08 Fire and Public Safety — FY27 Mayor's Proposed Budget.