Pay issue may go to AG’s office

Jeffrey Libby

Thursday, June 7, 2001 | 10:14 a.m.

The state attorney general may ultimately decide whether pay for elected officials in Boulder City is cut in half.

Boulder City Attorney Dave Olsen requested the opinion Wednesday to determine whether two ballot questions from Tuesday's general election conflict.

Both questions passed by strong margins. And, both stipulated that the City Council could not vote itself raises, which went into effect before members first stood for re-election.

But the first question, initiated by Councilman Bill Smith, would limit monthly health and auto allowances to out-of-pocket expenses, effectively halving officials' pay. Those monthly benefits are about $11,400 annually and boost the base pay -- $10,700 -- for council members. The mayor earns slightly more.

The second question, initiated by Councilman Joe Hardy to counteract Smith's, did not address monthly benefits.

The questions were initiated after the council in June voted itself raises, which the mayor and two council members would receive during current terms of office -- an event without precedent in Boulder City and illegal elsewhere in the state.

In a written opinion issued Wednesday afternoon, Olsen said the two ballot questions did have significant conflicts and, according to the city charter, the one receiving more votes prevailed.

Accordingly, he ruled in favor of Hardy's initiative, which edged Smith's by 282 votes. That question preserves current wages.

In the opinion, however, Olsen asks for a legal opinion from the state attorney general.

Smith is not convinced the ballot questions conflict. He asked why, if the questions were considered to be in conflict, voters weren't given instructions to vote for either one or the other.

The vast majority of residents approved both questions.

Steve George, a spokesman for the attorney general, said this morning that he had yet to receive a copy of Olsen's opinion. He said a decision would not be available before the end of next week.