August 23, 2018 • Local News
KFOX: El Paso County Commissioners to possibly get pay raise next year
EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14) — El Paso County is finalizing the Fiscal Year 2019 budget.
That budget includes yet another salary increase for the county commissioners, county judge and constables.
KFOX14 went to the county courthouse looking for answers as to why the commissioners and county judge are getting a decent pay raise.
All of the commissioners said El Paso County has a policy where an elected official will be paid 70 percent of the market value of his or her position.
"We do our very best what the pay trends are in Texas and across Texas counties,” Commissioner Vince Perez said. “We take that number and we subtract 30 percent."
"Every time that we jump ours up, it seems that the rest of the counties jump theirs up even more," Commissioner David Stout said.
State law shows county commissioners are responsible for setting the salaries for all elected officials in their respected county.
El Paso County is slated to approve the higher salaries on Monday when they approve the entire FY19 budget.
Commissioners are slated to earn $93,748.20 in the FY19 budget, compared to their current salary of $90,142.50.
The El Paso County Judge is slated to make $105,080.40 when the position currently pays $103,020.
Commissioner Carlos Leon has opposed salary increase for the Commissioners Court since 2015.
"If you compare our salaries as compared to the city or even the city mayor, it's a big difference,” Leon said. “So what I said during our discussions is that it's a fair salary as we have it now. And that's why I voted no."
Commissioners don't have to give themselves raises.
KFOX14 is told by Commissioner Andrew Haggerty that people may not like or understand the 70 percent policy,but the court has to follow it.
"It's not a fun thing to do. I'm sure I'll be called horrible things. But, at the end of the day, I was elected to do what I think is right. We have a policy,” Haggerty said. “Whether I voted for or against the policy, that is the policy in place."
The pay raises would come from taxpayer money, but commissioners said your taxes won't go up.
Some commissioners are proposing they lower the county tax rate in the upcoming budget.
https://kfoxtv.com/news/local/el-paso-county-commissioners-to-get-pay-raise-next-year
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