Senate to vote again on county pay hikes

Monday, April 21, 2003 | 10:58 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Though it was approved by the Nevada Senate on Friday, the bill that would raise the salaries of all county elective officials will come back before the Senate today for another vote.

Sen. Sandra Tiffany, R-Henderson, said she pushed the wrong button and was recorded as favoring Senate Bill 53. She moved for reconsideration after the vote and will get a chance today to change her vote.

If Tiffany's vote is the only one that changes, the bill will still pass because Friday's vote was 13-7.

The bill is expected to face a tough time in the Assembly, however.

Assemblyman Mark Manendo, D-Las Vegas, chairman of the Government Affairs Committee, said: "They will have to do a heck of a job to convince me" to vote for a pay raise for all county elective officials.

A pay raise bill for all county elective officials died in his committee. The Senate bill will be referred to that same committee when it reaches the Assembly.

Manendo said he backed a raise for district attorneys and sheriffs but not the rest of the elected officials. He said the county did not make the case for boosting the salary of all of the elective officials.

Those opposing the bill in the Senate were all from Clark County. They included Republicans Ann O'Connell, Ray Rawson, Dennis Nolan and Barbara Cegavske. Democrats opposed were Maggie Carlton, Dina Titus and Valerie Wiener, all of Las Vegas.

The Senate bill would raise the annual pay of each Clark County commissioner, which is considered a part-time position, to $71,820. Currently each commissioner gets a $54,000 annual salary.

The bill also would raise the Clark County district attorney's annual salary to $155,745. Currently it is $100,800. Sheriff Bill Young's pay would be boosted to $134,263 a year. He's currently paid $84,000 a year. Both of those are full-time jobs.

The bill would also hike the annual salary for the county clerk, assessor, recorder, treasurer and public administrator. Each would receive $95,760 a year instead of the current $72,000. Those, too, are full-time jobs.

The bill, if approved by the Assembly, would be effective July 1. Elected county officials have not had a raise since 1995.

The Assembly has passed Assembly Bill 23, which increases the pay of the district attorney and sheriff only. It would be a two-step raise starting in July, when the district attorney's annual salary would go to $128,272 and the sheriff's yearly pay would rise to $109,131. The salaries would then be raised to $155,744 and $134,262, respectively, in July 2004.