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Polk County attorney urges pay adjustments to retain staff, cites competition with state public defenders
Summary
The elected County Attorney told commissioners his office budget is almost entirely personnel and urged a step increase to improve recruitment and retention after years of losing experienced hires to public defender and prosecutor offices. He said county line attorneys max out around $135,000 while state
The elected Polk County Attorney presented his 2026 budget and warned commissioners that recruiting and retaining experienced attorneys requires action on pay. The attorney told the board that his office budget is predominantly personnel — "94, 95% personnel" — and said county offices increasingly lose mid-career lawyers to the state public defender's office because of a pay gap.
Pay contrast and proposal: The County Attorney described a salary gap between line attorneys in county offices and their peers in the state public defender system. He said public defender 10-step salaries are about $158,500 at top steps, while county line attorneys top out about $135,000. "People used to move from the public defender's office to county attorney's offices. They don't anymore because they take a hit of $20,000, $30,000, $40,000," he told the board.
Recruiting and staff profile: The office reported more junior hires and fewer mid-career experienced recruits than in prior years. The attorney said he is "at full staff" but with newly licensed and less-experienced attorneys; he described challenges attracting experienced candidates and highlighted nearby counties that cannot find county attorneys. He also noted that county attorneys perform additional duties (child-support, CHIPS, board advising, contract review) that public defenders do not, increasing workload and supervisory needs.
Budget request and possible remedies: The attorney said a one-step raise for attorneys would move county wages closer to public defender levels and would make retention easier. He asked the board to consider moving attorneys up one step on the pay grid as a near-term measure and noted it is budgeted for consideration. Commissioners discussed pay equity studies and market analyses as mechanisms to allocate broader adjustments across the county pay grid.
Other items: The County Attorney also mentioned the department's grant and forfeiture fund reporting and a planned codification of county ordinances when caseloads allow. He noted an incoming facility dog for courthouse use and other staffing logistics but stressed the core issue for his office is compensation.
Sources: Remarks by the elected County Attorney to the Polk County Board during the Oct. 21 budget workshop; county salary comparisons and budget notes presented at the meeting.
