Last week, Byrne, a Republican, rejected a 2.75 percent cost-of-living adjustment for Putnam County Sheriff Kevin McConville, County Clerk Michael Bartolotti, and three part-time coroners outlined in the 2024 budget approved by the legislature. In a message accompanying his vetoes, Byrne said his decision was not a reflection of the officials’ performance, but of the economic hardships faced by county residents. Byrne said his version of the budget was committed to not raising pay for elected officials, especially as residents grapple with high inflation and interest rates.
At Tuesday’s special session, however, Republican Legislator Amy Sayegh called the vetoes unfair: she notes all five officials are county residents.
“They live, work, raise their families, and pay their taxes here in Putnam County," says Sayegh. "And they are subject to the same financial challenges as all other employees.”
Byrne said nixing the cost-of-living adjustments would save the county a total of just over $11,400. All nine members of the legislature are set to receive the same 2.75 percent increase after adding it into the budget themselves (although some legislators have personally decided to turn it down). The county charter does not allow Byrne to intervene on that. And while District Attorney Robert Tendy is also an elected official, his salary is determined by the state.
Byrne did not return a request for comment in time for broadcast, but his explanation for the vetoes also cited ongoing negotiations with various unions representing Putnam County employees. Byrne said many of the collecting bargaining units report directly to the elected officials in question, so giving them a raise before negotiations finish might appear unfair, or paint a picture that the county isn’t being fiscally responsible.
Speaking with WAMC Wednesday, Legislature Chairman Paul Jonke, also a Republican, refuted that idea. He says some of Byrne’s own employees at the bargaining table are already receiving a pay increase.
“They were ultimately giving raises to the personal director, who will be sitting at the table; the deputy county executive, who I’m sure will be sitting at the negotiating table; the county attorney and the commissioner of finance. They were all given cost-of-living adjustments, but they weren’t elected officials," he explains. "So, I didn’t think it was fair to just single out the elected officials.”
With the adjustment, Sheriff McConville’s salary will increase to more than $170,000. County Clerk Bartolotti’s will rise to roughly $148,000. The three county coroners, who are on-call, will receive a salary of nearly $25,700 each.
Ultimately, many of the legislators at Tuesday’s meeting were careful to distinguish between a merit-based raise and an adjustment for the cost of living. The vetoes were overridden by a vote of six, with Legislators William Gouldman, Nancy Montgomery, and Erin Crowley absent.
The body did not move to override another veto declining an additional $50,000 for printing and forms for the county Board of Elections. In that case, Byrne explained he spoke with the county's elections commissioners and found they didn't need that much added to their line of the budget.
Jonke says the cost-of-living adjustments will not significantly impact the county’s budget or require an increase in taxes. The finalized 2024 budget, approved by the legislature last week, actually decreases the property tax rate to 2.85 percent, marking the county’s lowest rate in 15 years. Jonke says that was partially possible by the legislature’s decision to scratch nearly half a million dollars of discretionary program funding in Byrne’s initial proposal.
“Those details weren’t ironed out, and I didn’t think that it was prudent to take a half million dollars and put it aside for a program that had not been worked out in advance," he adds. "Eight out of nine of us felt that the money was better going back to the taxpayer, than us spending it.”
The budget expands the county’s mental health services and includes infrastructure improvements to make county facilities more accessible. It also reduces the sales tax over two years, eliminating the sales tax on clothing and footwear under $110 beginning in March.
