Travis County Commissioners Court
August 10, 2004
Item 21
Let's call number 21 up. Discuss and take appropriate action on fy '05 elected officials salaries.
>> well, since we're just warming up.
>> is barbara coming down here for this is this she's usually our help make it on the words -- help mate on the words that we screw up every single year.
>> [inaudible - no mic]
>> we also say it the wrong way for publication.
>> > you should have before you a letter from me on elected officials' salary increases plus a draft of the ad. And the ad is proposed maximum salaries for elected officials. You may remember back in -- in may, you -- you provided guidance that elected officials should -- should have essentially a similar increase as rank and file, and given that guidance, since the primary budget contains a 5.75% increase for rank and file, the -- the draft advertisement reflect a 5.75% increase for elected officials, plus we have placed in there the implementation of the second phase of the increases for the district probate and county court at law judges. With those two basic principles, the ad is fairly straightforward to produce. We were advised that the county Commissioner of precinct 3 wishes to keep his salary exactly the same. That is reflected in the advertisement. There's also a -- a -- we wanted to note that the district attorney's salary is -- is driven by two different sources. The county source and a state source. If you increase the county source 5.75%, because it's a relatively small amount of the total salary, his overall increase would be 1.2%. So you have a choice on the d.a.'s salary to make it -- if you choose to go with 5.75, you have got to up the county portion. Or you may choose not to. And i've been told that some of you wish to address the j.p. Salaries, but since we were not sure what you wanted to do, we left the ad for the j.p.'s similar to other elected officials. The primary budget contains the -- the resources necessary to execute what I just described. The total amount is $433,976. 265,000 of that is for the judge's, the second phase of the judge's salary. 57,000 of that is for the associate judges. They may be appointed, but they are linked to the district judges. And then $110,000 is for all of the other elected officials. You also have the background for the associate judges so that when you decide to land, they can be approved at the same time. As far as timing is concerned, you may remember discussing the schedule for elected officials salary. You -- in order to meet the statutorially determined requirements for -- for decisions on elected officials salaries, you need to -- you need to finally decide by August 24th, that is two Tuesdays from now, and -- because later than that you run up against deadlines in terms of appeals and what have you. We put it on today, on August 10th, to allow you to consider, discuss, review, ask for any additional information. I would -- I’m under no -- no notion that you would actually decide today. If you do that, that's fine. But then I would think that you would want to roll it until next Tuesday. If you decide next Tuesday the ad would appear two days later. But you must decide by the 24th.
>> I suggest that you put a specific item on to deal with the justices of the peace salary next week. Mull over all of these, next Tuesday, is that okay?
>> no problem. But if you want me to lay it out. While the five of us are aware of what it is, if you want a 10 second version of that for the public record --
>> for the j.p.?
>> yes, sir.
>> I would prefer to have it in the written backup.
>> I have it in the written backup already, I sent it to you all next week.
>> as an agenda item. I know we have gotten some input from the j.p.'s that they -- if they want to get together and send me a memo containing the recommendations, then I think we ought to that have in -- to have that in the backup, also.
>> will you come --
>> [inaudible - no mic]
>> backup for a specific item dealing with this next week.
>> I’m happy to do that. But the 10 second version of is to put the j.p.'s on the judiciary career ladder and we are blessed of having five j.p.'s who happen to be attorneys, but to continue to have a j.p. Non-attorney because it is possible for somebody to be elected without having those credentials, but we ought to pay for the credentials if we are indeed getting their legal skills. I’m happy to work with the j.p.'s to get together for the appropriate backup on the specific item that says all this.
>> thank you.
>> yes, sir?
>> you should have already received some background, research, on salary levels of j.p.'s in comparison to other counties and population and there are probably as many ways to do this as there are members of the court and j.p.'s.
>> mr. [indiscernible] is what you are referring to?
>> yes.
>> we will have that as part of the backup next week, also.
>> anything further on 21 or 23 today? We will have them on next week for specific actions, especially 21. Any reason to have 23 back on? We received the preliminary budget, you want to put a general item on in case we need to take action on it. With the hearings underway we probably don't need it until later.
>> you do not need to receive a short presentation again.
>> please.
>> i'll make it longer if you would like. [laughter]
>> we annually look forward to your presentation, mr. Smith.
>> I annually look forward to being here. [laughter]
>> two or three other items we need to get through if we can.
>> just a quick clarification, do you need our office to come up with that language, how would you like for that to be handled?
>> the language in the backup memo.
>> not a problem. Do it as kind of an a, b, under that item as a whole --
>> why don't you send proposed language.
>> happy to work with you, not a problem.
>> absolutely.
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Last Modified:
Friday, October 28, 2005 9:11 AM