By Jodie Tillman, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, January 19, 2012
TAMPA — As their meeting wound down Thursday, Hillsborough County commissioners got competitive over this question: Who's most serious about taking a pay cut?
Commissioner Kevin Beckner proposed rewriting county ordinances to require commissioners and top-level administrators to share in any future pay cuts given to rank-and-file workers.
A state law passed last year allows county commissioners to voluntarily reduce their pay.
Commissioners cut their car allowances twice in recent years, which resulted in a roughly $4,500 drop in take-home pay. But Beckner said it was time to "put it in writing."
"What this says is we lead by example," he said. "I think we need to send a very clear message today ... that we're willing to share in the sacrifices."
But Chairman Ken Hagan said he couldn't foresee making top-level employees change their contracts to allow for pay cuts.
He suggested implementing the new state law by drafting a policy that would allow each commissioner to reduce their own pay voluntarily. Commissioners are paid about $92,000 a year.
"I feel an ordinance is unnecessary," he said.
Beckner said such a policy would not have prevented the secret 1 percent raises taken by former county administrator Pat Bean and former county attorney Renee Lee in 2007.
Hagan said the board had an option in that case: fire the administrator.
Commissioner Victor Crist said they were debating over chump change when the large salaries are the ones at public authorities that receive a portion of their funding from the county.
"I think there's a bigger picture here," he said.
Beckner said it wasn't about the amount of money. He said Hagan's measure for a voluntary paycut was "disappointing" and sends county employees "a weak message after all the hell they've been through."
Hagan's plan passed, 4 to 2. Beckner and Commissioner Al Higginbotham dissented.
Reach Jodie Tillman at jtillman@tampabay.com or (813) 226-3374.