Senate panel approves raises for Nevada DA's and sheriffs

A Senate panel has approved pay raises for Nevada's county sheriffs and district attorneys, but the plan is opposed by a key Assembly committee chairman.

Senate Government Affairs voted 4-3 Wednesday for SB53, which includes half the requested raise in July and the rest next year.

But Assembly Government Affairs Chairman Mark Manendo has pledged to block pay raises for county officials, saying the increases are too big.

Manendo, D-Las Vegas, also said it's unfair that a total of three bills -- including AB23 and AB66 -- include pay raises for sheriffs and district attorneys. AB66 also covers other elected county officials.

Senate Government Affairs rejected amendments to SB53 that would have included raises for county commissioners, clerks and other elected officers. Committee Chairwoman Ann O'Connell, R-Las Vegas, said those officials were getting sufficient pay.

The Legislature sets salaries for county elected officers. Their last increases came in 1995.

Manendo's Assembly panel has proposed a constitutional amendment to allow county commissioners to set salaries for some county officials. Sen. Warren Hardy, R-Las Vegas, said he supports such a move.

"It is a local government issue," Hardy said. "They face the voters like we do. The Legislature shouldn't be doing this."

The percentage of increase in SB53 was matched to the overall average increase in private-sector pay rates over that period, and hiked even further for some counties due to workload increases.

Pay scales are firm but counties may win wiggle room by claiming financial hardship.

District attorneys' pay in Carson City and Douglas, Lyon, Elko, Humboldt and Nye counties would increase under the bill from $72,360 a year to $98,707. Sheriffs' pay in the same counties would increase from $60,000 to $81,846 annually.

In Washoe County, the district attorney's pay would increase from $96,000 to $137,484 and the sheriff's salary from $78,000 to $110,632.

Clark County's district attorney would be paid $155,744 a year instead of $100,800 and the sheriff $134,262 instead of $84,000.