Dec. 9—On Tuesday, Bernalillo County commissioners will hear an option that could raise the pay for its elected officials, including themselves.
The commissioners will hear and possibly vote on four options: one to not change salaries, one to bring them all to market value — which would mean significant bumps — one that would give a 15% raise, and one to increase pay by 10%.
The proposal comes on the heels of New Mexico voters approving a constitutional amendment with 66% percent in favor of allowing county officials to receive raises.
In addition to the commissioners, the proposed raises would also boost the pay of the county clerk, the treasurer, and the assessor, who all make $86,632.00, the sheriff, who makes $90,334, and the probate judge, who makes $38,147.
The proposed market rate raise would bring the commissioner’s pay to $150,943, the clerk to $145,441, the treasurer to $145,434, the assessor to $150,678, the sheriff to $183,681 and the probate judge to $67,500.
But the raises are likely to be challenged by a couple of commissioners.
“We’re making more than most people in our community, and granted, it’s not a lot, but I think that’s important to state from the outset,” Vice Chair of the Commission Eric Olivas said in an interview Sunday.
The median income in Bernalillo County was $36,996 in 2022, according to the U.S Census. Bernalillo commissioners make $39,106 annually.
Olivas’ concerns are two-pronged: He doesn’t necessarily agree with getting a pay raise, and he doesn’t believe the proper procedures were followed to have the item placed on the agenda.
“We’re still talking about giving the community three days, two of which are on the weekend, to know and understand what we’re considering with regards to pay for elected officials. That’s my first issue is just the rush and the very minimal time that we’re giving the community, or frankly, even commissioners to consider this,” Olivas said.
He added he is concerned the item is being proposed without an elected official sponsoring it; instead, county administration placed the item on the agenda.
A spokesperson for the county did not respond to a request for comment Monday on Olivas’ concerns.
Incoming County Manager Cindy Chavez was hired on June 30 and began work Nov 13. She makes $230,000 a year.
Olivas believes that the salary commissioners currently make should remain because it’s the one they signed up for when they ran for office.
“When I ran I researched the position, I understood what the requirements were, the meetings and the subcommittees and the different things that we participated in, and I knew what the salary was,” Olivas said.
While they make nearly the county’s median income, the commissioners in Bernalillo and across the state make lower wages than in neighboring ones.
In Pima County, Arizona (Tucson is the county seat), county supervisors — the equivalent of commissioners — make $76,600, In Tarrant County, Texas (Fort Worth), commissioners make $207,952 and in Boulder County, Colorado, commissioners make $150,991.
Meanwhile in Sandoval County, two commissioners make $34,005 and three make $39,106 — the same rate as those in Santa Fe and Doña Ana. Santa Fe county commissioners voted to move forward on salary raises at their Monday meeting.
While Olivas might have been aware of the position’s salary when he ran, his colleague, Commission Chair Barbara Baca admits she did not.
“I don’t believe a lot of people run for elected office for the salary. I ran for elected office as a public servant and to participate in the public dialogue and give back to my community. So to be honest, I didn’t even know what the commission got paid when I ran,” Baca said.
Both Baca and Olivas believe a committee within the county should be tasked with deciding what the new pay rate will be, and the commissioners shouldn’t be the ones to vote on it.
“I think that it should be an objective commission that takes into consideration all of these questions, that does the comparison to other similar positions and makes a good recommendation with public discourse, rather than a jump to increase our own salaries. That doesn’t feel right to me,” Baca said.
While it appears Baca and Olivas will oppose the proposed raises, Commissioner Adriann Barboa says she supports the raise because she thinks it will bring in a more diverse pool of candidates to run for office.
“If so many people are like, ‘Oh, I can’t do that because I can’t survive off of that funding,’ then it means that we have a limited stack for who can serve in our public offices,” Barboa said.
While she acknowledged concerns about the process being rushed, Barboa hopes the policy will pass so those recently elected or reelected to county office, herself included, can benefit from a pay raise.
“I think there are ways that we can move policy and ensure that there’s a community process embedded in the new policy we’re making. What I understand is we’re under a timeline; otherwise, like newly elected folks — which includes myself even though I’m reelected — wouldn’t be able to benefit from those things,” Barboa said.
Barboa cruised to reelection in November, earning 70% vote and defeating Republican challenger Rene Coronado.
Commissioners Steven Michael Quezada and Walt Benson did not respond to requests for comment Monday.