Pierce County executive, sheriff could get $15K pay bump by 2025 with council approval
The Pierce County Council will consider giving several elected officials a raise over the next two years. Among them are a 7% raise for the Pierce County executive position and a 9% raise for the Pierce County sheriff, an increase of more than $15,000 each by 2025, according to county documents.
On Monday, Oct. 9, the Rules and Operations Committee unanimously passed the ordinance with no recommendation to the County Council. The Pierce County Council will take a final vote Nov. 14.
The proposed salary raises came upon recommendation from the Pierce County Citizens’ Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials. The commission made its recommendations based on a number of considerations, including the inflation rate, job responsibilities and salaries of similar positions in comparable counties, according to a staff report.
According to a county staff report, as of Jan. 1, 2023, County Executive Bruce Dammeier was to be paid $214,540 this year, and Sheriff Ed Troyer $186,283, the assessor-treasurer $155,918 and the auditor $154,477.
According to the ordinance, the executive position would get a 4% raise effective Jan. 1, 2024 and a 3% raise effective Jan. 1, 2025. That would equate to a salary of $223,122 in 2024 and a salary of $229,816 in 2025.
The sheriff’s position would get a 6% raise effective Jan. 1, 2024 and a 3% additional raise effective Jan. 1, 2025. That means that position would pay $197,460 in 2024 and $203,384 in 2025.
Also getting raises in the next two years could be Pierce County assessor-treasurer, now Mike Lonergan, and Pierce County auditor, now Linda Farmer.
According to the ordinance, assessor-treasurer position would get a 4% raise Jan. 1, 2024, and a 3% raise effective Jan. 1, 2025. That position currently pays $155,918 a year, which means it would pay $162,155 in 2024 and $167,019 in 2025.
The auditor’s position would get a one-time 2.93% compensation adjustment prior to a 4% raise, both effective Jan. 1, 2024, according to the ordinance. The position would also get a 3% additional raise effective Jan. 1, 2025. Farmer currently makes $154,477 a year. By the end of 2025, that position would pay $167,019, according to the staff report. The compensation adjustment was made upon recommendation for the Pierce County Auditor Salary to match the salary of the Assessor-Treasurer, as was the case prior to 2020, according to county documents.
As of 2023, full-time Pierce County Council members made between $117,845 and $120,284 annually, according to the current salary class plan.
In August Tacoma City Council members got a 20% raise, and the mayor got a 5% raise to keep those positions competitive and accessible, according to the Citizen Commission on Elected Salaries.
This story was originally published October 10, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
