Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Members of a state commission responsible for recommending salaries for judges, elected officials and appointed agency heads are frustrated that legislators are largely ignoring their advice.
If lawmakers are "never going to step up to the political plate and do this, let's go home," said Roger Tew, Utah Executive and Judicial Compensation Commission vice chairman.
The commission recommended boosting the salaries of state judges by 7 percent in the budget year that began July 1.
But judges for the supreme, appellate, district and juvenile courts were given the same 3 percent increase that all state workers received. The commission said extra money was needed to attract better candidates to the bench.
Other recommendations weren't implemented, either. No department heads saw a pay increase this year and Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert is the only elected official to receive a raise, thanks to a bill that set the salary for his position at 95 percent of what the governor earns.
"I don't see anything on here that even gets close to what we recommended," commission member George Richards said as he reviewed a report on the Legislature's actions on salaries. "That's the history of this commission."
Commission members will review whether their recommendations in the past five years have been implemented. The analysis will be done before their next meeting Oct. 26. The commission is expected to present its annual recommendations to lawmakers in November.
------
Information from: Deseret Morning News, http://www.deseretnews.com
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
