Johnson County officials getting slight pay increase

Johnson County elected officials will receive salary increases of between 1 percent and 2 percent next fiscal year.

The Board of Supervisors on Friday agreed to wage increases of 2 percent for the sheriff, 1.5 percent for the auditor, and 1 percent for the recorder, treasurer, attorney and the five supervisors.

That cuts in half the recommendation made by the Compensation Board last month. By law, the supervisors had to accept that proposal as is or reduce the salaries. The wages of a dozen deputies to the elected officials also are affected by the decision.

Rod Sullivan, Sally Stutsman and Janelle Rettig supported the 50 percent reduction from what the Compensation Board suggested. Rettig preferred no increase for any of the officials, but there was no other support for that.

Pat Harney and Terrence Neuzil backed a 25 percent reduction from the Compensation Board recommendation.

Most of the county's union employees will get 3 percent wage increases next fiscal year, with non-bargaining unit employees getting 2.25 percent.

The Compensation Board had proposed larger increases for the sheriff and auditor to bring those positions in line with their peers statewide based on population.

Salary discussions like Friday's make county supervisors across Iowa uncomfortable.

“This is such a difficult vote because it's so self-serving,” Neuzil said.

Sullivan noted that the salary increase for elected officials will add about $8,000 to a $76 million budget in the year that starts July 1.

“I'm amazed how this dominates media coverage of our budget,” he said.

The current salaries are:

• Attorney Janet Lyness, $122,943
• Auditor Tom Slockett, $74,313
• Recorder Kim Painter, $74,062
• Sherriff Lonny Pulkrabek, $95,715
• Supervisors, $51,732
• Treasurer Tom Kriz, $74,062.

The supervisors also wrapped up work on the county's preliminary budget for next fiscal year. The numbers were only slightly changed from the budget unveiled two weeks ago.

The proposed levy for unincorporated areas is $10.09 per $1,000 of taxable value, down from $10.40 this year.

The levy for property in city limits would be $7 per $1,000, down from $7.23 this year.

(The effects on $100,000 worth of various types of property can be seen in the chart below.)

Overall spending is projected at $76.65 million, up from $72.93 million this year.

The supervisors will hold a public hearing and vote on the budget in March.

JoCo Taxes