The members of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors, most of whom face contested elections in November, voted to raise their own salary:
Prince William County supervisors voted yesterday to give themselves a pay increase — with an asterisk.
In a vote of 6 to 2, the board voted to increase salaries 3 percent each year for three years beginning in January 2009. However, a new board will be elected in November that could take up the issue each year. That board could reject the raise for any or each of the three years.
Supervisors are paid $39,737 a year. The chairman, Corey A. Stewart (R-Occoquan), makes $45,256 a year. If the increase stands, by 2011, the supervisors would make $43,422 a year; the chairman, $49,452.
The vote came after considerable debate and comments from about a half-dozen residents who urged the supervisors to freeze their compensation, citing county revenue shortfalls because of the slowdown in the residential real estate market.
Not a smart move considering the budget cuts they made this year:
The most difficult issue the board has faced this year has been adopting a budget — one that eliminated 94 jobs, mostly through attrition, and paid for hiring 30 firefighters and 18 police officers next year but delayed construction of new schools for a year. Under the spending plan the board approved, the average residential property tax bill went down, but fees related to construction, development and the use of county parks and facilities increased.
Not everyone was greedy, though, the Board’s newest member, Mike May, had a different idea, which is the one the Board ultimately adopted:
May proposed freezing the board’s salary for 2008 and approving a 3 percent raise for the next three years. He said that even if the board approved the pay increase, the new board that will take office next year could reject it.
Hilda M. Barg (D-Woodbridge) supported May’s plan but said the chairman’s salary should be cut to the same level as those of other board members. Barg said she and other members work as hard as the chairman.
Stewart responded: “I’d be willing to take the pay cut. It isn’t worth it.”
Barg reminded him that the pay raise is for the next board and said, “We don’t know if you are going to be chairman or not.”
But it was Corey Stewart who actually had the guts to say what nobody else on the Board would say:
“Currently, most of us are losing a great deal of money,” Stewart said, referring to what board members are paid compared with the time they put into the job. “But it is a service, a public service. We did increase pay for county employees, but we also had to terminate some people. So I am going to suggest that we just zero it out. No increase in four years.”
No other board member supported his position.
Of course they didn’t
June 20th, 2007 at 10:37 pm
Well, technically, they voted to raise the next Board’s salary and there is an upcoming election so if people don’t like this, they can vote against them. That said, Caddigan, Jenkins, Nohe and Covington are unopposed and Barg is retiring, so only Stewart, May and Stirrup have opponents and none of their opponents are very serious.
June 21st, 2007 at 3:59 pm
Here’s the full text of the article. Why did you cut portions of it out?
Supervisors Vote to Raise Their Salaries
Board That Will Be Elected in November Could Reject the Plan, Set to Start in 2009
By Timothy Dwyer
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 20, 2007; B02
Prince William County supervisors voted yesterday to give themselves a pay increase — with an asterisk.
In a vote of 6 to 2, the board voted to increase salaries 3 percent each year for three years beginning in January 2009. However, a new board will be elected in November that could take up the issue each year. That board could reject the raise for any or each of the three years.
Supervisors are paid $39,737 a year. The chairman, Corey A. Stewart (R-Occoquan), makes $45,256 a year. If the increase stands, by 2011, the supervisors would make $43,422 a year; the chairman, $49,452.
The vote came after considerable debate and comments from about a half-dozen residents who urged the supervisors to freeze their compensation, citing county revenue shortfalls because of the slowdown in the residential real estate market.
John C. Dawson of Nokesville told the board that many firefighters and police officers who work in Prince William can’t afford to live there. He said the supervisors make more money than many residents. He said that increasing the salaries is “a slap in the face to the people who work in the county and to the people who live in the county.”
County officials had recommended that the board approve an increase that would pay supervisors the market average in 2008 — $59,633 for the chairman and $55,067 for board members — and then increase the salary by 2.5 percent for the next three years.
The most difficult issue the board has faced this year has been adopting a budget — one that eliminated 94 jobs, mostly through attrition, and paid for hiring 30 firefighters and 18 police officers next year but delayed construction of new schools for a year. Under the spending plan the board approved, the average residential property tax bill went down, but fees related to construction, development and the use of county parks and facilities increased.
“I’ve had heartburn with this issue, especially in light of the budget challenge we had this year,” said Supervisor Michael C. May (R-Occoquan). “I’m very uncomfortable with the staff proposal. I don’t think we should do anything in ‘08.”
May proposed freezing the board’s salary for 2008 and approving a 3 percent raise for the next three years. He said that even if the board approved the pay increase, the new board that will take office next year could reject it.
Hilda M. Barg (D-Woodbridge) supported May’s plan but said the chairman’s salary should be cut to the same level as those of other board members. Barg said she and other members work as hard as the chairman.
Stewart responded: “I’d be willing to take the pay cut. It isn’t worth it.”
Barg reminded him that the pay raise is for the next board and said, “We don’t know if you are going to be chairman or not.”
Stewart was elected chairman in November in a special election. He defeated Democrat Sharon E. Pandak, who is challenging him again Nov. 6 for a full term.
Barg’s motion to cut the chairman’s pay did not pass. Stewart and John T. Stirrup Jr. (R-Gainesville) voted against the 3 percent increase.
“Currently, most of us are losing a great deal of money,” Stewart said, referring to what board members are paid compared with the time they put into the job. “But it is a service, a public service. We did increase pay for county employees, but we also had to terminate some people. So I am going to suggest that we just zero it out. No increase in four years.”
No other board member supported his position.
June 21st, 2007 at 5:05 pm
Because I was commenting on certain portions of the article, not republishing it in it’s entirely. Which, incidently, is probably a violation of copyright laws.