Carbon County elected officials’ salaries for 2030 and 2031 have been set.

During a special meeting of the Carbon County Commissioners Tuesday evening, the board voted to set the 2030 elected official raise at 1%; and 2031 at 2%.

The board is required to set the salaries years out so that they are not voting to give themselves and the other elected officials raises while serving their four-year term, per the county code.

Prior to any vote, Sheriff Daniel Zeigler addressed the board regarding corresponding salaries for similar positions.

“I did an assessment of other Class 6 county sheriffs and we discussed what I had sent everybody (about) the role of the sheriff,” he said. “I think with the increased cost of living that we all have to deal with and that we stay in line with collective bargaining unit increases, that the board of commissioners seriously consider a 3% raise for all elected officials for the two years that you’re going to vote on tonight. That is also consistent with what is slated for 2028 and 2029.”

Jean Papay, the county register of wills/clerk of orphans’ court, also suggested the county look at the senior population of the county and see what they get as a cost of living increase and set it as 1% lower than what they receive.

“They’re the ones who have to pay the taxes,” she said.

Commissioner Wayne Nothstein, who has sat through many of these elected official raises meetings, said that he understands because the county is constantly looking at ways to either save money or raise taxes to meet increasing expenses.

“Right now, with the economy and the seniors and the budget the way it is now, it is not good,” Nothstein said. “I don’t know how we make up the loses we’ve had over the last few years in revenues.”

He cited tax appeals that are lowering tax revenue coming into the county by bigger companies.

“We constantly get appeals that are killing us by 10s of thousands of dollars ,” he said. “I, for one, will not keep going back to the taxpayers for that money.”

Nothstein said he told the county judge Tuesday that without the courts finding funding for a position they want, he can’t support the added expense.

He pointed out that historically, in past years, that the elected commissioners have made varying choices, some in line with what the employees get, while some more than what the employees receive.

Commissioners’ Chairman Mike Sofranko said that while this is his second time voting on future raises, he has historically looked at the previous numbers, as well as previous employee raises given in January to try and determine what is fair.

“We’d always like to be at least no more than 1% under what we’ve given the employees,” he said.

However, Sofranko said a percentage rate increase doesn’t always help employees, especially when the cost of living doesn’t stay in line with the amount raises are.

“I’m fortunate enough that I have a wife that works,” he said. “I know there’s people out there that are single. There’s people out there that are trying to raise children on their own ... I’m trying to get where we’re maybe fair, but not overtaxed.”

Nothstein said that it all comes down to it, any increase in the county budget essentially falls on the taxpayers’ shoulders because they cannot count on state and federal budgets to fund mandated programs like the office of aging and the magisterial judges offices operations.

Sofranko summed up the action, saying, “I spent time talking to each elected official and one of the biggest concerns, and I want the public to know that from all our elected officials, was the fact of the large senior citizen population we have out there. They really wanted to look out for the senior citizens. The second thing that was brought to my attention from our officials is we all know that gas prices are through the roof, and oil prices, and while this doesn’t affect you right this year, looking in the future, you never know where it’s going to go.

“... We all want everybody to make more money, but they were very much content with what was here,” Sofranko said. “... I think the public needs to know that you did not come here demanding a 4% raise. You came here asking for what you think we could do and we’re about halfway there.”

After the discussion, the board unanimously voted to approve the resolution for the two years of salaries.

Carbon County’s elected officials received a 2% increase this year and will again receive 2% in 2027.

In 2028 and 2029, elected officials will receive 3% increases.