Fort Bend County elected officials about to receive raises up to 26% in attempt to average out salaries, commissioners say

RICHMOND, Texas (KTRK) — Fort Bend County elected officials are about to get a big bump in pay.

Although an item from Tuesday’s Fort Bend County Commissioners Court was discussed for only a minute, the discussion is lasting longer in the community.

I think it’s not fair. The regular working people don’t get that kind of raise.

Richmond resident Karen Jahn

Commissioners approved salaries for next year’s elected officials. They include big raises for themselves.

Budgets from the last 15 years show next year’s raises are some of the largest in recent history.

“It hurts my feelings, honestly, a little bit because I was trying to go to a 50-cent raise at my last job, and that was way too much. I was asking for way too much,” Sugar Land resident Bethany Skinner said.

Most county elected officials will make between 9% and 26% more money.

Here are some of the highest pay jumps:

The county attorney’s salary is set to increase from $164,507 to $207,312.

The sheriff’s salary will increase from $164,507 to $196,699.

The county judge’s salary will increase from $164,507 to $187,945.

The county commissioners’ salaries will increase from $156,673 to $170,919.

The item wasn’t unanimous. Commissioner Andy Meyers voted against it.

I couldn’t find any justification for it, and if I can’t justify it, I can’t explain it to my constituents to the point they understand it.

Commissioners who approved it say an audit was done looking at county pay compared to other counties in Texas.

They say the audit showed they were well below. Therefore, they decided to approve raises for county employees, including elected officials, to make their pay average compared to others.

However, Meyers said not all counties govern the same way.

“They’re not doing the same job,” Meyers explained. “So, they shouldn’t be paid the same, in my opinion.”

County leaders who supported the raises said they would not increase taxes. They plan to reevaluate them in the future to see if they’re still in line with other counties.

“When people look at a 2% raise or a little bit more, but I think anything over 10% is just too much,” Jahn said.

“Definitely don’t like that,” Skinner said. “I would rather it go to more programs for the people.”

They’re raises some neighbors say they don’t mind to see, just not as much.

SEE FORT BEND COUNTY’S AUDIT:

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