Should This County's Elected Officials Get Paid More and More The Longer They're in Office?

 

SAN ANGELO, TX — Three Tom Green County residents addressed the Commissioners Court Tuesday at one of two public hearings on the proposed FY 2019 budget and they were not happy about elected officials getting longevity pay.

According to the County website, County Judge Steve Floyd’s proposed FY 2019 budget will raise more total property taxes than the current budget by $1,717,335.48 or 4.98 percent.  Of the $1.7 million, $428,681.39 is new tax revenue raised from new property added to the tax roll this year.

Tom Green County’s current tax rate is 53.5 cents per $100 in property value.  The budget proposal includes a maximum tax rate of 54.5 cents per $100 in property value for next year.  Commissioners will vote to adopt the FY 2019 budget and then adopt a tax rate to fund it on Sept. 4.

At Tuesday’s public hearing on the budget, Lynette Lucas asked the court if there were any programs that the county doesn’t need, that are unnecessary and that could be cut.  

Judge Floyd responded that they’ve been working on the budget all summer and have cut everything that could be cut.  He invited Lucas to work through the budget proposal which is posted on the County’s website and make any suggestions she could find.  

Mary Casper told the court that she was getting two different stories about unfunded mandates.  She said the commissioners court was telling taxpayers that the county is going broke because of unfunded state mandates while State Representative Drew Darby was telling her that there are not any unfunded state mandates.  

Judge Floyd explained that the state mandates everything the county does and many of those mandates are not funded by state money.  Instead, Floyd says property tax payers have to foot the bill for things like increases in the costs of felony prosecutions, the jail, probation, and the whole criminal justice system.  

Casper also told the court that elected officials should not be getting longevity pay; that should only be given to hired employees.  

Becky Damarinis told the court she and her husband are on a fixed income and their property appraisal has gone up every year. “Y’all are taxing people into bankruptcy and out of San Angelo.”  said Damarinis. She also told commissioners that elected officials shouldn’t get longevity pay.

The final public hearing on the Tom Green County proposed FY 2019 budget is set for Thursday, Aug. 23 at 6:30 p.m. in the Commissioner’s Court meeting room on the second floor of the Keyes building downtown.     

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No increase should be automatic. Sometimes people serve longer because no one has the means or time to oppose them. Increases should only be based on performance evaluation to the benefit of the voters and the city. Never should they receive an increase if there is a choice between law enforcement and fire department getting increases. Those 2 categories are way behind the curve for pay increases, and it is shameful to use them up until they are burned out or leave for better offers. Also, the steep cost of health insurance for our law enforcement, fire department and their families is way out of bounds. Police officers often work 2-3 off duty jobs to afford the basic essentials for their families. This just should not be. Perhaps the elected officials could donate their salaries like our President does, unless they are directly employed as law enforcement.

I mostly agree, but I’ll play devil’s advocate for a second; who does theses “evaluations” of elected officials? Themselves? It should be the voters, but that hasn’t worked out well lately.

I wonder what else is hidden in the city hall closet of who is getting paid what. The county clerk getting paid close to 75,000 . Is degree needed? Now Longevity pay is an entitlement based on total state service. It is paid each month or yearly in addition to base salary. I wonder if this is the case here. If an elected official reaches the top of the pay scale, they should accept it or not run again. Do not force the issue when the citizens of San Angelo are hurting with increased taxes.

Why is it that many want to change the "playing field " to suit their pockets. Are they really doing that good for San Angelo? If elected, do it cause you want to help the City and not to help yourself to the pie. Citizens of San Angelo need to have a salary sheet and description on upper management and elected officials. Transparency is needed. In addition to LIVE having a article on San Angelo arrest, there should be one on how much city officials are paid and even school officials. Now the school district is putting 2 items on the ballot and they received a "C" on some schools.

Commissioners are elected officials, not employees. They know in advance what the job pays. If it isn't adequate to meet their needs then they should get a different job. Longevity only pertains to re-electability.

Pevine, Wed, 08/15/2018 - 16:30

Y'all might be mad at the wrong people. According to the budget being voted on the County Treasurer makes almost $80K and over with a car allowance. According to the Texas Association of Counties salary survey for 2018 ~ individual salaries for non-elected officials are not broken out in the budget ~ the County Auditor made over $125K with a car allowance last year. That was, according to TAC, over $40K more than the Auditor in Taylor County. And the total amount for the category of Auditor employees salaries in this new budget proposes an 18.8% increase. Treasurer's employees proposed at 19.9% increase. Maybe they're hiring. It's all out there.

rpenn, Wed, 08/15/2018 - 16:40

It's strange to me that these people want raises while thoes of us on Social Security haven't gotten a raise in Lord knows how long. My wife and I live on about $35,000 a year that includes what few investments we have, and we sure don't get a car allowance . If they can't live on this salary then don't run for office, if the truth is known they have other income. OK got that off my chest.

Our only hope is to vote them out of office!!!!!! We are long over due for a house cleaning????

I think they should reduce the pay, give them incentive to get off the government tit. Counties need elected officials to look after the professionals for the citizens. So it has evolved into these unqualified elected commissioners being well paid for doing next to nothing and then asking for a pay raise. Shut up, collect your windfall and get reelected.

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