Elected officials look for money

While Nevada's elected officials failed to get a pay increase from the Legislature, Carson City leaders may have found a way to help.

City supervisors can't give elected officials -- themselves, assessor, treasurer, recorder, district attorney and sheriff -- a raise, but they do pay for the officials' benefits. Those officials will ask supervisors Thursday to buy one year of retirement -- a total of $87,500 -- for each elected official and possibly members of the Board of Supervisors.

The idea is to buy between nine months and one year of retirement for each official based on the cost of a year of retirement for Treasurer Al Kramer, the lowest paid county elected official.

"What we're saying is in lieu of not getting some expected increase in our salary, buy something to help us out a little bit," Assessor Kit Weaver said. "The supervisors can't give us a raise; it's not allowed. But what they can do is give us benefits. A gesture on their part shows they appreciate what we're doing."

"I think it's an idea worth discussing in order to partly address to me what I consider a mounting inequity in their salaries," Mayor Ray Masayko said. "Obviously, those jobs, while elective, are their livelihoods. They're accountable as department heads to contribute to the success of the city. How else do you tell them we understand the dilemma they face?"

Nevada elected officials haven't received a raise since 1995. An elected-officials-pay bill, promised to be a shoo-in by some legislators in the 2001 session, Weaver said, passed through the Assembly 36-to-4 but failed to make it to a vote in the Senate before the midnight deadline June 4.

The bill would have offered a 27 percent increase for all state elected officers.

"From what everyone could tell, there was universal agreement it was high time the county elected officials got a pay raise," District Attorney Noel Waters said. "Unfortunately, the clock ran out at the close of the session.

"I didn't sign on to do the job because of the big bucks that were offered. I confess a little frustration in the sense that as the years go by, I do fall behind in the purchasing power I have. There's no overtime, no hazard pay, no cost-of-living increase, no merit increase. This is something of a gesture, and it's appreciated."

While other city department heads get a minimum cost-of-living increase, elected officials are entitled only to a 2 percent longevity increase after their first term. But they're allowed the increase for just 10 years, and Waters, Weaver and Recorder Alan Glover have all served in public office for more than a decade.

"We are the lowest paid department heads in the city," Glover said. "We would like to have some recognition of what we're doing in our jobs."

Glover said he has about 13 years in the city's retirement system and will likely buy a year of retirement and run again in an attempt to reach the 20-year mark, at which time he can retire with full benefits. The city and state retirement systems are separate and his years as a legislator don't count toward his city retirement, but his $300 a month would reduce his Social Security benefits.

Masayko said it is appropriate to bring the issue forward now as all five elected officials and two supervisors face an election in 2002. The retirement money won't pay the day-to-day bills, but it could help those who may decide to retire in next year rather than run again.

Masayko said the offer would be open to supervisors, although he doesn't expect them to accept. The city planned for an extra $145,000 for the officials' pay increase, but didn't budget the money after the Legislature failed to pass the pay bill. Masayko said the money -- a "one-time, one-shot opportunity" -- could be tapped to pay for the benefits.

If you go:

What: Carson City Board of Supervisors

When: 8:30 a.m., Thursday

Where: Carson City Community Center's Sierra Room, 851 E. William St.