Is a Total Pay and Benefits Package of $430,800 Sustainable Pay In The Public Sector?

Nevada County is facing a challenging financial situation marked by declining revenue and escalating full-time staff costs. In my opinion, this situation demands urgent attention and effective solutions since the state and federal funding being received in Nevada County, which accounts for 47% of our budget, will inevitably and rapidly pull back when the next recession hits.

One of the most pressing concerns I have is the excessive compensation increases granted to Nevada County Senior Staff members and elected officials. Over the past eight years, their total financial compensation packages have nearly doubled, which is incredibly alarming considering our county's budgetary challenges.

We need fiscal responsibility and transparency in local governance, and before voting to approve any further salary or benefit increases for Nevada County Senior Staff I believe the Board of Supervisors needs to do another full review of Senior Staff members’ total compensation packages to compare how they stack up against neighboring counties with comparable populations; I’ve already started my own research and if you reach out to me directly, I’d be happy to share it with you. My goal in doing this research is to ensure our county's financial resources are being allocated responsibly.

Similarly alarming is the Board of Supervisors' unanimous approval of their own 100% compensation increase on January 11, 2022. You can review Ordinance No. 2501, which grants open-ended compensation increases to the Nevada County Board of Supervisors.

The Board’s unanimous vote of approval raises serious questions about their commitments to fiscal responsibility as well as their ability to uphold ethical governance. Supervisor Ed Scofield’s recent op-ed in The Union addressing the recent opinion pieces published challenging the Board’s oversight of the County’s budget and support of the high salaries of Senior Staff raises additional concerns. His decision to not specify or be transparent about what sources he’s using to check his facts is alarming, and based on the research I’ve done, I believe some of his fact checking is inaccurate. One thing he did make clear, which I agree with, is that it’s the responsibility of each Supervisor to oversee the County’s budget as well as the salaries of Nevada County’s Senior Staff. 

Supervisor Scofield is quoted saying, “Among the Letters to the Editor of The Union, I read one letter asserting that there needs to be a citizens’ committee to review salaries. I’d like to say there is such a committee. It’s made up of five members — one from each supervisorial district – and it’s called the Nevada County Board of Supervisors.”

Supervisor Scofield’s recent op-ed in The Union isn’t the first time he’s publicly taken a stance in support of the high salaries of Nevada County Senior Staff. 

On January 17, 2024, during the Board of Supervisors 2024 workshop, he stated the amount of money being made by Nevada County department heads and leadership team members is “not that high.” 

Video from Jan 17, 2024 Board Workshop: Nevada County Supervisor Ed Scofield saying “The amount of money that is made by hem, and you, and us, it’s not that high”

If the current Supervisors feel the total pay and benefits being received by the Nevada County CEO of $430,800 in 2022 is an acceptable use of taxpayer dollars in the General Fund… then Nevada County needs change and fresh perspectives on the Board.

In my youth, I remember my parents encouraging me to consider working in the public sector for PG&E, NID, or at the County so that I could have a secure, living wage job with a guaranteed retirement package. What’s changed in the public sector that has allowed these jobs to become no longer just ones that will sustain a living wage, but ones that now guarantee a total pay and benefits package of almost half a million dollars per year? Is it sustainable that a single person employed by Nevada County can now make almost five times that of the average California household income?

I personally don’t think so, and if you agree, I recommend you make your voice heard by voting in the upcoming election. Your vote is pivotal in shaping the future of our county. Vote centers at the Rood Center and Truckee Town Hall are currently open, and more locations will be opening on Saturday, March 2. You can find your nearest local voting center HERE.

In addition to voting in this upcoming election, spreading the word about these important issues will make a big impact. Please share this article with five neighbors, family members, or friends to help get this message out! Together we can make a difference.