County's proposed budget has no new growth
Published on: Jul 28, 2010 The total proposed county budget for the upcoming 2010-2011 fiscal year actually should be a little less than the current year’s budget – even with a $1,000 salary increase per employee – after more than $213,000 was trimmed from the expenditures proposed earlier this month.
Dawson County Judge Sam Saleh and each of the county commissioners present at Tuesday’s budget workshop officially declined any increase in their respective salaries, while unanimously approving the proposed salary increase for county employees.
County Commissioner Louis Addison pointed out that county employees did not receive a salary increase last year and, since the cost of living has gone up substantially during that time, he felt they need a pay raise. He said he liked the $1,000 per employee increase, as opposed to a percentage increase, since it would benefit the lower-paid employees the most.
Agreeing with Addison, County Commissioner Foy O’Brien added that the pay increase might help some in offsetting an increase in the cost of health care insurance for county employees next year.
County Commissioner Ricky Minjarez also stated that he felt county employees do need and deserve a raise.
Following a budget workshop held earlier this month, County Auditor Rick Dollahan said he was directed by a consensus of the county commissioners court to do more cutting in the proposed budget in order to keep the tax rate as low as possible.
(See complete story in printed edition of Lamesa Press-Reporter on newsstands now.)
Author: Herrel Hallmark
