Budget committee recommends $3,000 across‑the‑board pay increase, proposes roughly 8–9¢ property tax rise

The Budget and Finance Committee on June 10 voted to send a favorable recommendation to the county commission for a $3,000 annual raise for each county employee and proposed a property tax-rate increase intended to fund that raise.

The committee chair said the recommendation would be forwarded to the commission for final approval and cautioned it was not an immediate payroll guarantee. “It is not guaranteed today. It is being favorably recommended from here to the commission,” the chair said.

Why it matters: the committee and staff said funding the pay increases will require a rise in property taxes; committee calculations put the needed levy increase in the neighborhood of 8 to 9 cents (about an 8¢–9¢ increase) to cover a $3,000 raise for roughly all county positions. Committee members discussed alternative wage proposals during the meeting, including a targeted higher pay for the sheriff’s office and hourly increments for EMS, before approving the single-dollar-dollar‑figure approach.

Discussion and context

Committee members examined several options presented in a packet that converted proposed raises into both hourly and annual dollar amounts. One earlier motion to adopt a tiered approach (a $1 hourly increase for EMS, $1.50 for other employees and $2 for sheriff’s staff) failed. Committee members then moved to a single $3,000 annual increase for all employees; that motion passed on roll call with the committee chair announcing the result as 5 in favor, 1 opposed and 1 absent.

Members discussed fairness across departments and the practicalities of converting an annual dollar amount into differing hourly equivalents for 40‑hour employees, part‑time staff and 12‑hour EMS shifts. A county staff member affirmed the motion would produce a $3,000 annual increase for each employee regardless of hours worked and that payroll staff would calculate the correct hourly adjustments. The finance staff member who provided the packet told the committee the numbers were prepared that morning and reflected an updated “penny value” used in the tax calculations.

Several members pressed for a longer-term pay schedule so the county would not re-litigate raises every year. One commissioner urged creation of a step/scale to provide predictable progressions for new hires and tenured staff.

Taxes and revenue

To pay for the recommended raises, Commissioner Ford moved to set the county tax rate at $2.07 (the motion described as generating an amount roughly equivalent to the proposed payroll cost). The chair put that motion to a voice vote; the chair said the motion carried with one opposing vote. Committee staff and the chair said the 8–9¢ figure should cover the raises using the county’s conservative revenue collection assumption (budgeting at 92% of expected property tax receipts).

Overtime and equivalencies

Members noted differences in schedules that affect how an hourly increase maps to $3,000 annually. EMS staffing patterns (12‑hour shifts with scheduled overtime) were discussed; one committee speaker cited 96 hours of scheduled overtime per month as the basis for earlier hourly proposals, while payroll calculations referenced pay-period and monthly differences that affect totals. The committee directed staff to finalize exact payroll equivalencies before the full commission meeting.

Other committee business

The committee noted that a separate resolution addressing fire per diem had been favorably recommended previously and remains in the packet for the commission. The chair opened the meeting for public comment but received no substantive public requests related to this vote before adjourning.

What happens next

The committee sent the favorable recommendation for the $3,000 across‑the‑board raise and the proposed tax-rate adjustment to the full county commission for consideration at the next meeting. Staff said they will provide updated, final numbers to the commission in advance of that meeting.