Lack of Competitive Wages For Countywide Elected Officials May Adversely Impact County Several Offices Have Not Seen a Salary Change in More than a Decade
Kingston, NY (January 13, 2022) – Ulster County Comptroller released a Memorandum to the Periodic Compensation Review Commission which has Charter mandated responsibility for evaluating the salaries of elected positions on a bi-annual basis.
The Comptroller identifies that the positions of Executive, Sheriff and Comptroller have not had a pay increase since 2009 and that the County Clerk has had no increase since 2005. These positions have had no cost-of-living increases despite seven increases in management salaries since 2009.
“I am particularly concerned about the County Sheriff’s office,” Gallagher said. “The elected Sheriff is paid significantly less than the people who report to him,creating a situation where there is no incentive for experienced Undersheriffs, Deputies and police chiefs to run for the office.”Gallagher’s Memorandum shows that the Ulster County Sheriff is paid less than several of his staff members, as well as other municipal law enforcement officials within Ulster County.
Gallagher also found that throughout the county government,some department heads and senior management earn more than the elected officials. In addition, the Comptroller found that changes to employee healthcare costs have created compensation reductions for certain elected officials.The Comptroller’s analysis also identified that elected officer salaries are significantly below neighboring counties.
“Right now, we have a strong financial position in the County,” Comptroller Gallagher said. “I urge the committee and the legislature to take this opportunity to address these salary inconsistencies before the discrepancies increase further and make it more difficult for us to fill key elected positions in county government.”
