One commissioner cuts his pay, others may follow

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By Josh Sweigart, Staff Writer Updated 3:23 AM Wednesday, September 9, 2009

HAMILTON — Butler County commissioners have enacted pay freezes, pay cuts, furloughs, layoffs and more to slash their personnel costs and address a multi-million dollar budget shortfall.

But what about their own salaries? What are they sacrificing?

Commissioner Charles Furmon already cut his own pay, allotting 10 percent of each paycheck back to the county since mid-August. He did this with no fanfare.

“I just felt that it was fair,” he said, referring to sacrifices made by staff during these “unprecedented times.”

County commission pay is set by state law based on the population of each county. By statute, Butler County’s three commissioners each make $76,976 this year. They received no pay raise from last year and are not scheduled to get one next year.

Commissioner Gregory Jolivette said he is considering donating an unspecified amount of his income to support his effort with local chambers of commerce to get more people to shop in Butler County.

“That way my cut could help spur more economic revenue for the county,” he said.

Commission President Donald Dixon said he would take the same cut as the other commissioners — 20 percent for all he cares — in a heartbeat.

“Sign me up,” he said. “We’re well-compensated for what we do, in fact probably over-compensated.”

He said commissioners discussed the idea about a year ago, but it didn’t go anywhere.

“I don’t know what the consensus is today, but I’m on board for that,” Dixon said.

There is no consensus required, according to Cheryl Subler, managing director of policy for the County Commission Association of Ohio. She said they can lower their salary on an individual basis or give some back to the county, per a 2003 Ohio attorney general’s opinion.

But two commissioners couldn’t force a third to take a pay cut, she said.

“This is a decision made on an individual basis,” she said.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2175 or jsweigart@coxohio.com.

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