Senate OKs Nevada county official pay raises -- again

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) -- The Nevada Senate approved an amendment Wednesday designed to move toward compromise with the Assembly by giving pay raises this summer to most county officials.

Senators had previously OK'd across-the-board raises but that legislation stalled in the Assembly, which has voted to give more pay solely to district attorneys and sheriffs.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio's amendment to the Assembly proposal, AB23, adds raises for county clerks, assessors, recorders, treasurers and administrators. It allows county commissioners to give themselves raises with a majority vote.

Raggio, R-Reno, said the changes "may result in some attention being yielded to this issue by both houses."

The Legislature sets salaries for county elected officers, though the money for their salaries comes from the counties. The local officials' last pay increases were in 1995.

The bill allows waivers for cash-strapped counties that can't afford the pay raises. Raises would range according to the job and size of the county.