Mike Smith
Artesia Daily Press
msmith@currentargus.com

Eddy County commissioners handed out early Christmas presents to the county’s elected officials Dec. 17 – pay raises ranging from 69% for commissioners to 72% for the county treasurer to a truly eye-popping 96% for the Eddy County sheriff.

The Eddy County Board of County Commissioners voted 5-0 to approve a resolution establishing the new salaries, which will apply to officials who will be sworn in for new four-year terms on Jan. 7.

The massive salary hikes were made by possible by New Mexico Constitutional Amendment 4, which the state’s voters approved in the Nov. 5 general election. Passage of the amendment transferred authority for setting salaries for the county’s elected officials from the state Legislature to county commissioners.

Under the new pay scale, the county sheriff’s annual salary will nearly double from $78,000 to $153,000; the country treasurer’s salary jumps from $75,000 to $129,000; and commissioners get an $18,000 a year increase from $26,000 to $44,000.

County officials said the new salaries represent “an approximate average” of raises adopted by San Juan County and Lea County – two counties “that most clearly mirror Eddy County,” according to interim county manager Steve McCutcheon Sr.

Commission chairman James “Bo” Bowen said Eddy County considered the number of employees and total budgets of the other two counties determining the pay rates for Eddy County.

“San Juan and Lea County are the most comparable to us in oil and gas revenue and gross receipts (taxes) along with the number of employees in the budget that they are doing,” Bowe said. “Their budgets are very similar to ours. Also, the number of employees is very similar to ours. We just used those two comparable counties and used them for what we were doing going forward.”

Bowen said voters’ approval of the constitutional amendment giving counties the authority to set the salaries sent a message to county commissioners across New Mexico.

“The public has elected us as officials to make these decisions,” he said. “Anytime you have decisions like this, people tend to make the decisions on more of an emotional basis. We took the emotions out of this and looked at it with a very practical basis using things across the state looking at cost of living increases that these elected officials haven’t been eligible for, for the last decade. We feel strongly that the wages that were put forth today are where they should be.”

Eddy County Sheriff Mark Cage, who is leaving office and will be succeeded in January by sheriff-elect Matthew Hutchinson, said the pay increases were needed.

“This is something that the state should not be in control of,” Cage said. “It should be the county and that’s what we did with this constitutional amendment. The people’s preference was heard. The people want the counties to be in control of county officials’ pay scales. I’m just tickled that Eddy County officials are going to be paid what they should be paid.”

Incoming Sheriff Hutchinson said commissioners “did their homework” by looking at pay scales in other counties.

“When I started to do this, I knew the pay scale was set at $78,000,” Hutchinson said. “I had heard about the amendment coming forward. I think this where the people of New Mexico voted it was a pretty resounding push that they wanted the counties to compensate their elected officials accordingly,” he said.

Cage defended the new pay scale.

“For eight years, I did not receive a raise as sheriff and if you look at the prevailing wage across the state for chiefs of police or look in neighboring counties in Texas or across the nation for sheriffs it is very reasonable,” he said. “It may look excessive to somebody – it’s the body of work you have to look at,” he said.

McCutcheon said burgeoning fossil fuel development and a growing population have resulted in increased responsibilities for elected officials.

“We need a living wage to sustain our county and our county officials. These numbers are not unreasonable,” he said.

Outgoing State Rep. Jim Townsend (R-54) said he was in favor of New Mexico counties being in control of elected officials’ salaries instead of the state.

“Many (counties) were dissatisfied that elected officials were not paid in equitable fashion,” he said. “I’m in favor of competitive salaries for people and it makes a big difference.”

In addition to Cage, several other officials are leaving office Dec. 31 and will not cash in on the pay raises: Commissioners Jon Henry and Fred Beard and Treasurer Laurie Pruitt.

Mike Smith can be reached at 575-308-8734 or email at msmith@currentargus.com.