Commissioners freeze own salaries for ’09

Saying they’ll be asking all county employees to make sacrifices, county commissioners voted Monday to forgo their raises next year.

It’ll save taxpayers at least $8,200, including freezes to the three commissioners’ annual salaries of $96,224 each and their $4,800 vehicle allowances.

“We are having conversations with our union brothers and sisters as well,” said Commissioner Steve Stuart. “We all have to be part of the solution.”

Discretionary general revenues, which pay for cops, courts and other core services, are expected to grow by $9 million, or about 5 percent, over the next two years. But expenses, which are driven by labor costs, will grow faster if nothing is changed.

So, in a draft budget being published today, the county is trying to save $29 million through a collection of layoffs, service cuts and postponements in planned spending.

Commissioners have already said they want to freeze managers’ salaries next year and cut managers’ medical benefits in 2010.

Next year, they’ll be negotiating the labor contracts that start in 2010.

Stuart said Monday that he hoped to offer unions their choice among several less generous compensation packages, in order to save jobs.

Monday’s unanimous action was also intended to slow the growth in the salaries of four elected officials whose pay is tied to commissioners: Sheriff Garry Lucas, Auditor Greg Kimsey, Assessor Linda Franklin and Clerk Sherry Parker.

Lucas makes as much as commissioners. Kimsey, Franklin and Parker make 95 percent of that level.

Though Stuart’s salary isn’t allowed to be amended until 2011, after he’d be up for re-election, he said he’d voluntarily donate his $1,000 raise back to the county.

Commissioner Marc Boldt, if he’s re-elected today, won’t get $2,000 from a planned annual raise.

Commissioner Betty Sue Morris is retiring. Her successor will forfeit the cash.

Curt Wyrick, the county’s lawyer, said Monday that he’s not certain the commissioners are actually allowed to cut other officials’ salaries until 2011, after those officials have faced re-election.

It’s a legal gray area, he said.

“I suppose it’s the elected officials, how hard they want to push on that issue,” Wyrick said.