EVERETT — Snohomish County’s elected officials are getting pay raises next year.
The increases range from 2.5 percent to 19 percent, depending on position. A 10-person appointed commission determined salary levels last month, after a series of public meetings.
Procedures for setting elected officials’ pay are spelled out in the county charter. The commission files its decision with the county auditor and the Council Council. The new salaries go into effect automatically the following January and require no action by the council or other elected officials.
“It’s not a recommendation,” Council Chairman Terry Ryan said. “The whole point of it is to take it out of the hands of elected officials.”
The council had been set to receive a copy of the pay scales Wednesday, but postponed that formality until some time in August so all council members could review them, Ryan said. The item was pulled from the meeting agenda.
To help reach its decisions, the salary commission compared county elected officials’ pay with their counterparts in other local governments. That included the city of Everett along with King, Kitsap and other counties. Often, the commission kept salaries in line with Pierce County, which is the closest to Snohomish County in population.
The commission set County Executive Dave Somers’ pay at $174,226 starting in 2017, 5 percent more than what he earns now. That’s similar to Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson’s pay for this year.
Sheriff Ty Trenary will receive $152,329, 16.4 percent above his current pay.
Assessor Linda Hjelle, Auditor Carolyn Weikel, Clerk Sonya Kraski and Treasurer Kirke Sievers are all due to get $129,786. That’s an extra 12.6 percent for the assessor and auditor, who had identical salaries last year. The clerk and the treasurer, who now earn less, are getting increases of 13.4 percent and 19 percent, respectively.
The county’s five council members would get $117,000, or 2.5 percent more. As in the past, the council chairperson earns an extra 10 percent for the added responsibilities of taking a lead role in writing the yearly budget and running regular council meetings.
Prosecuting Attorney Mark Roe’s salary is pegged to the salary for Superior Court judges, which was set by a state salary commission at $165,870 for 2016.
Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465; nhaglund@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @NWhaglund.
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