POUGHKEEPSIE – Hiking salaries
of elected officials can be a hot potato for them. For that reason,
it is often done only during an election year, for at least the appearance
of more transparency.
That will change in Dutchess County. Legislators approved a local law which, according to Assistant Republican Majority Leader Don Saglliano, doesn’t change the basic principle.
“Any changes that we may discern wouldn’t take effect until the next term of the particular office,” Sagliano said. The law simply says the change does not take effect until a new term of office begins but does not specify a timeframe for enactment.
Democrat Rebecca Edwards suggested this is fixing something that is not broken.
“There may sometimes be good reason to raise salaries for legislators or for executives or other county officials, but, the idea is that needs to be done very transparently and right before an election so that there’s a clear explanation to the voters of why and they could judge without it sort of being buried during an off-year,” Edwards said.
The local law was adopted on a 13 to 10 vote with two absent. Republicans supported it. Democrats were opposed.
