Panel debates whether constables' pay should match JPs or deputies

Committee members pressed constables and one another on how to compare pay across offices. Several members said justices of the peace (JPs) hold regular office hours and supervise office staff, which affects total workload and makes direct pay parity complicated. One county official said he did not "see that level of time commitment from the constables" and urged apples-to-apples comparisons based on county population and duties.

Constables responded that their workload includes repeated service attempts, court bailiff duties, evictions and unannounced field work that carries safety risk and administrative burden. Speakers cited neighboring-county comparisons — examples included counties whose constables plus allowances yield higher total compensation — and urged the committee to close an historical gap they said had widened over years.

The committee ultimately pursued a middle path: rather than full parity with the JP proposed figure cited in the hearing, members landed on a recommendation to raise the filing constables' base to $50,000. The panel's decision reflected both the county's budget posture and repeated testimony about the constables' mixed court-and-field responsibilities.