Thurston County’s Commissioners are recommended to receive a $12,328 monthly salary, 6% more than the 2024 rate, effective on January 1, 2025.
The recommendation came from the Citizens' Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials and was discussed at the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) work session yesterday.
The five commissioners have the authority to approve other countywide elected officials' salaries but do not have the authority to approve their own. The Citizens' Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials submits the Commissioners' salary directly to the Thurston County Auditor.
The commission met on four occasions, the first one being on July 15, for an orientation on the members’ roles and responsibilities, and what they could expect to receive from the county including setting up meetings, data, and information that the board requests.
Next, the commission met an additional three times after the first four meetings, after the members heard from elected officials regarding their operations followed by a public meeting on October 21.
Thurston County's Human Resources Director Maria Ponte shared the Citizens' Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials recommendations with the BoCC.
“Some of the data that I provided them has to do with other counties where their elected official’s salaries are set [to the] cost of living in this region [and] the other regions,” said Ponte.
After the October 21 public hearing, the salary commission set the salaries of commissioners and other elected officials effective on January 1 next year.
The commissioners' recommended $12,328 monthly or $147,936 annual salary is a 6% raise from the current $139,560 annual compensation.
The Clerk and Coroner are recommended to receive $12,328 in monthly salary for an annual salary of $147,936. If approved, these positions will have a 6% increase from the $139,560 annual salary in 2024.
The Treasurer is recommended for a $12,444 monthly salary, or $149,328 annually. This is a 7% increase from the Treasurer’s current $139,560 annual salary.
The Assessor’s salary is recommended to move to $12,502 monthly or $150,024 annually. This is a 7.5% increase in the Assessor’s $139,560 annual salary.
The Auditor is recommended for a $12,677 monthly compensation for a $152,124 annual salary. This is a 9% increase from the Auditor’s current $139,560 annual salary.
The Sheriff is recommended for a $15,733 monthly salary for a $188,796 annual salary. This is a 9.5% increase from the current $172,416 annual salary.
The Prosecuting Attorney is recommended for a $19,022 monthly salary for a $228,264 annual compensation, which is nearly identical to the current $228,261 annual salary.
“In order to make any changes to these elected officials [compensation], we will need to take action on one of your December meetings,” said Ponte. “Right now, we have a placeholder on December 3rd.”
The BoCC has the discretion to deviate from the salary commission’s recommendations.
District 1 Commissioner Carolina Mejia recommended that the Assessor, Auditor, Clerk, Corner, and Treasurer raise be aligned with the Commissioner’s raise.
This would mean a uniform 6% increase in the elected officials’ salaries except for the Sheriff and Prosecuting Attorney.
District 2 Commissioner Gary Edwards stated that he agrees Mejia’s recommendations are reasonable as each position is as important as the others. Still, he is not in favor of the overall process of adjusting the pay of incumbent officials.
“I want to be consistent with my objection to the whole process,” said Edwards. “I had to file a filing fee to run for the office that I saw, and I knew what the…pay for that office at the time I ran for it. I've always felt that…it shouldn't be adjusted until while you are an incumbent in that particular office.”
The commissioners further discussed making the raise uniform across all the positions including the Sheriff’s, with the exclusion of the Prosecuting Attorney’s raise which is set to align with superior court judges.
“The Undersheriff makes significantly more than the Sheriff, but that's attributed to how salaries are set,” said Ponte. “We are not the anomaly there, but people still struggle with the perception of the chief deputy making more than the elected official.”
County Manager Leonard Hernandez explained that the salary commission considered what they heard from each elected official, including the impression that some might be doing more than others.
“The elected [officials] made very detailed presentations and if as a salary commissioner you're not aware of what's happening and how these jobs are built, they're going to hear a lot of information or maybe a little,” said Hernandez.
“The extensiveness of what they presented…created this impression that maybe some are doing a lot more than others and therefore need a bigger raise per se,” added Hernandez.
The resolution to set the salaries comes with the budget, and it will be presented to the commissioners on December 17.
9 comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here
JnNwmn
How about an overall 3% raise as the coming economic numbers look lower.
Thursday, November 28 Report this
MartyKenney
I’m so glad the jolt reports on this nonsense. Cold hard facts about how much the public servants make is important to justifying how unfair this society has become. Public service is important, but when the taxpayers are getting rung dry to pay fat salaries I feel that it takes the honor away from the service. The county assessor who raised my property value 18% this year to pay for his $150,000 salary, doesn’t feel good to me.
How about a salary cut next year….. 6% annual raise is ridiculous. When they have such a hard time balancing a budget.
Friday, November 29 Report this
CrazyGranny
How about they don't get any raises at all until they start doing their jobs properly!!!
Friday, November 29 Report this
Porter
Holy crap. I'll do the job proudly for $75k yr
Friday, November 29 Report this
OlyBlues
In 2023, the county commissioners decided to wage war on some of the lowest paid county employees AFSCME union and it's members and demanded they accept a 3% COLA and felt that was very reasonable despite 9-11% inflation. Using their own logic, they deserve NOTHING more than what they felt was reasonable for employees making a pittance of their bloated salaries. The county has become a cesspool of mediocrity and corruption, lawsuits, and dysfunction. If anything, they deserve a Federal investigation not a raise.
Friday, November 29 Report this
MowJoe
3% Max!
The right thing to do is follow what State Employees receive.
We don't need more taxes to support this disfunctional group!
Friday, November 29 Report this
peterpumpkinhead
Wow, that’s a lot of money that could probably be put to better use. I had no idea the commissioners made so much. Don’t they all have day jobs, or in the case of commissioner Edwards a LEOFF (or similar) pension?
Monday, December 2 Report this
Yeti1981
So wait....they decided to limit the county staff to a 3% raise last year, while also giving themselves a 6% raise. Now they get another 6% raise the very next year. 12% in 2 years is a hell of a deal. Meanwhile, they're facing budget shortfalls and everything else that every jurisdiction in Washington is facing, including the state itself.
Monday, December 2 Report this
BobB
The raises should not exceed those given to the AFSCME union members in their last contract with the county.
Friday, December 6 Report this