No pay raise for Washington County commissioners

Washington County Board members also voted to freeze pay for the administrator, sheriff and attorney.

By KEVIN GILES, Star Tribune

Last update: October 20, 2009 - 11:27 PM

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Washington County commissioners, seeking to make a statement about tough budgeting conditions, voted Tuesday to freeze their salaries next year at $52,713.

The five commissioners also voted for no pay increase in 2010 for Administrator Jim Schug, the county's highest-paid employee, whose salary this year is $150,065. Schug and the county's two elected administrators -- Sheriff Bill Hutton and County Attorney Doug Johnson -- had volunteered for no increases because of the economy and because commissioners want to keep expenses to a minimum next year.

Hutton, elected in 2006, earns $120,375 this year. Johnson, who has said he will retire when his term expires in 2010, earns $139,755.

Commissioners have set a maximum property tax levy increase for 2010 at 1.94 percent. Under the current proposal, the owner of a $250,000 house would pay $648 next year, or $22 less than in 2009. However, some of the commissioners favor no property tax increase at all next year and want to reduce expenses to compensate for reduced revenue. The debate will continue until they set the final county budget in December.

Tuesday's votes passed with little comment from commissioners, who had decided at an earlier board workshop to freeze their salaries. Myra Peterson, Bill Pulkrabek, Lisa Weik and Gary Kriesel voted in favor. The fifth board member, Dennis Hegberg, was attending a conference. Hegberg had earlier stated his support for a zero percent salary increase, Schug said.

"They were all more than willing," Schug said.

Last year, Washington County commissioners voted themselves a 3.5 percent salary increase, worth $1,783 each per year. They draw a smaller salary that their counterparts in the other metro counties but none of the commissioner drew that comparison Tuesday.

In May, commissioners in Ramsey County cast a similar vote when they rejected a proposed 3 percent pay increase for 2010. In February, commissioners in Hennepin County rejected a 3.4 percent raise for 2010.

Dakota County commissioners, who last year voted to freeze their salaries in this budget year, will reckon with next year's pay issue on Nov. 3.

Kevin Giles • 612-673-4432

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