Three elected department heads and all five supervisors are
agreeing to accept 5 percent pay cuts as San Benito County
officials look for ways to close a $500,000 deficit and as revenues
continually decline in a poor economy.
HOLLISTER
Three elected department heads and all five supervisors are agreeing to accept 5 percent pay cuts as San Benito County officials look for ways to close a $500,000 deficit and as revenues continually decline in a poor economy.
The three elected department heads – there are six total – to accept the pay cuts were Assessor Tom Slavich, Clerk/Recorder/Auditor Joe Paul Gonzalez and District Attorney Candice Hooper. The three elected department heads who declined to accept 5 percent pay cuts off their base salaries were Marshal Robert Scattini, Sheriff Curtis Hill and Treasurer/Tax Collector Mary Lou Andrade.
Supervisor Jaime De La Cruz said board members agreed to the pay cuts to “lead by example.” Supervisors each make $44,651 annually before the reduction.
“Because of today’s bad economic situation and we are the leaders of the community, we are going to lead by example,” De La Cruz said.
The elected officials’ decisions coincide with county efforts to cut costs, while supervisors recently approved a voluntary time off program for non-elected employees with the maximum amount of unpaid time off amounting to about 5 percent of each worker’s base pay. Administration official Rich Inman noted how elected officers can’t have their salaries reduced unless they “voluntarily do that.”
County administrators also are working on a plan to request that all 11 appointed department heads take 5 percent pay cuts, and Inman said he expects all of them to accept it.
Look back for more Friday, including the salary figures for the elected officials.
