Tulsa County Commissioners vote to give county elected leaders, including themselves, pay raises. Commissioners vote 2-1 today to give the county’s eight elected officials a two percent pay hike. Fred Perry made the motion. He says the increases are needed to be competitive and ensure qualified people run for public office.
But Commissioner John Smaligo voted no….even though he said yes to employee raises last month. He doesn’t buy the argument elected leaders salaries aren’t competitive, and says they still need to be prudent with the county budget.
Commissioner Karen Keith joined Perry in voting yes. The raises, which will cost around 16-thousand dollars, take effect February 1st. The budget board deadlocked in December on whether to give elected leaders an increase, but revisited the issue last week and recommended it.