Vancouver, WA – The Board of Clark County Commissioners will consider freezing pay at 2008 levels for 286 management employees and at 2009 levels for 159 hourly workers not represented by labor organizations.
If the Board approves a proposed pay plan for 2010 at its regular meeting on Tuesday, the county would save about $1.3 million in salaries, wages and related benefits, such as employer contributions to Social Security, according to Human Resources Director Francine Reis.
She noted that management employees would face a second year without any pay increases, except for those promoted to higher level jobs. As a result, projected county payroll and related costs have already been reduced by roughly $2 million for 2009 and 2010.
“The county is facing extraordinary financial constraints and working hard to reduce spending plans to prevent a budget deficit of about $12.7 million,” Reis said. “The Board has asked administrators and managers to make every effort to minimize additional layoffs, which unfortunately leaves no room for pay increases.”
Clark County currently employs 1639 people. It has eliminated 207 positions since January 2009 through various personnel actions, including unfilled vacancies, layoffs, retirements and reorganizations.
To provide many public services, the county depends on sales tax collections tied to new construction and retail sales. Those sectors have been hard hit during the economic downturn. Property tax is another major source of revenue. However, it is capped by state law.
Most county programs are facing their third round of budget cuts since 2008. Some departments, such as Community Development and Public Health were cut harder and sooner, due to difficulties in the construction industry and with statewide funding for health programs.
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