Panel That Sets Salaries Short Of Cash Judge Ordered Four More Hearings That Commission Hadn’t Planned On
The state commission that sets salaries for Washington’s top elected officials needs $10,000 so it can comply with a court order to hold more public hearings that the public probably won’t attend.
The Citizens Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials voted earlier this month to boost the pay of the secretary of state, attorney general and judges while freezing the salaries of other elected officials, including the governor and members of the Legislature.
But a Thurston County judge ordered the 16-member panel to schedule four more hearings to seek public comment on its final report.
Less than a dozen people, not including reporters, attended two hearings Tuesday in Olympia. Two more hearings were scheduled for today in Spokane.
The commission, which has nearly depleted its $68,000 budget, hadn’t planned on the extra hearings. Last week it asked for $10,000 from Gov. Gary Locke’s emergency office account to cover the unexpected travel expenses and staffing costs. Locke administration officials are reviewing the request.
Commissioner Mel Lewis of Yakima questioned the merit of requiring him to drive 800 miles over two days for more hearings when the panel has already held seven meetings across the state - three more than required by law.
“To me, there should be some better place to spend that $10,000 than (the cost) to travel around the state and hear maybe five or six people testify,” Lewis said in an interview.
Commissioner Gene Alberts of Indianola said decisions were tougher to reach than in past years and indicated he won’t revisit any issues unless the public drops a “bombshell” at one of the extra hearings.
“There’s no new data to cause me to change my opinions,” Alberts said.
Commission Chairwoman Debra Jo Buffelen, who failed in several attempts to reduce the governor’s $121,000 salary, said the extra hearings are unnecessary. Nevertheless, she plans to take advantage of the extra time to push her proposal again.
“Maybe we will change our minds. Nobody knows,” she said.
Harold Chambers, a member of the group Citizens for Leaders with Ethics and Accountability Now, which filed the lawsuit that resulted in the additional hearings, chastized members of the panel for declaring their unwillingness to change their decisions before they’ve heard from the public.
“Why have public hearings on your proposals if you’ve already decided to ignore the public?” asked Chambers, one of only four people to testify at Tuesday’s first hearing.
Buffelen said the commission would entertain last-minute motions and take a vote on the whole salary package at the end of Wednesday’s second hearing in Spokane.
xxxx SPOKANE MEETING Today’s hearings are scheduled for 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. in Spokane at the Hampton Inn, 2010 S. Assembly Road.