More Than Fair Pay

We have little sympathy for members of the Ventura County Board of Supervisors’ whimpering about their lousy compensation. If the job doesn’t pay enough, then why did each of them spend many thousands of dollars to win it?

We have even less patience with grousing by some supervisors because the salary review committee they appointed has recommended cutting off their double reimbursement for auto expenses. It’s time to end this lingering vestige of the excessive perks that caused a major scandal in 1992.

The board will vote Tuesday on the committee’s pay recommendations, which would give supervisors a 5% raise but force them to choose just one of the redundant forms of car allowance. We challenge them to turn down the raise and scrap the double-dipping too.

The supervisors do important work and do much of it well. That’s why they are paid a respectable $71,897--a figure in line with comparably sized counties--with substantial budgets for staff and expenses. Other benefits include $50,000 in life insurance, $4,824 per year in retirement compensation, $6,422 per year for health care, plus participation in a 401(k) savings plan and additional compensation for serving on special boards and commissions.

Their rate of pay is linked to that of Superior Court judges--each supervisor is paid 65% of whatever the judges earn. Because the state gives the judges a raise most years, the supervisors’ salaries have risen steadily--regardless of the county’s overall fiscal health.

The Blue Ribbon Salary Committee appointed by the board in February has recommended increasing that formula to 70%. At a time when the board is demanding that parks pay their own way and attempting to undo the damage from a disastrous merger of its mental health and welfare services departments that has put millions of state and federal dollars in jeopardy, we say no way.

This is the board’s first attempt at winning higher pay since being caught in an uproar for failing to maintain tight control over members’ perks and benefits.

In 1992, a Times investigation revealed that 11 top elected officials and then-Chief Administrative Officer Richard Wittenberg were receiving more than $300,000 each year in hidden benefits. A subsequent review by the Ventura County Grand Jury found more than 15 compensation benefits and perks that it termed excessive, including thousands of dollars in hidden transportation allowances, vacation, longevity and education benefits.

As a result, the board formed a citizens committee whose members recommended rescinding most of the perks but increasing supervisors’ base salary. That linked supervisors’ pay rate to that of the judges--guaranteeing periodic raises.

One perk that escaped the cleanup was the double-dipping on auto allowances. Under the present pay system, supervisors can either receive a county-leased car at a cost of about $375 a month or be given $375 a month toward the upkeep of their personal vehicle. Either way, supervisors are additionally reimbursed 31 cents for every mile they drive on county business and to commute from their district offices to the Government Center. The committee suggests that supervisors continue receiving either the $375-a-month car allowance or the 31 cents per mile, but not both.

We believe either of those reimbursements alone--along with the current salary formula--to be sufficient for people who describe their occupation as public service.