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Resident urges commissioners to back recommended pay increase; commissioner replies on PERS opt‑out
Summary
A Deschutes County resident urged the board to support a compensation committee recommendation to raise commissioner salaries to about $142,000; a commissioner responded that opting out of PERS years earlier had saved taxpayers roughly $150,000.
A Bend resident urged Deschutes County commissioners at the April 9 meeting to support a recommendation from the elected officials compensation committee to raise commissioner pay to roughly $142,000.
The resident, who identified himself as Rondo, said he attended the compensation committee meeting and was surprised that a motion by Judy Trago appeared to ignore the committee’s recommendation. “I was really surprised when Judy Trago made a motion to basically ignore the recommendation on the table that said that the commissioner should get a competitive raise to $142,000 approximately,” Rondo said. He added that the work of commissioners is difficult and argued a higher salary is “fair.”
A commissioner responding during the public‑comment period said she had opted out of PERS seven years ago and estimated that decision has saved taxpayers “over a hundred and 50,000 to date.” That commissioner said she would have taken a pay cut under the committee’s earlier, larger proposal and suggested structural changes—such as making four positions part‑time and keeping one full‑time chair—if the county wanted to economize while maintaining five elected seats.
No action or vote on commissioner compensation was taken during the meeting; the resident said he plans to campaign on the issue.
