Hillsborough commissioners debate cutting their own pay

TAMPA — As their meeting wound down Thursday, Hillsborough County commissioners got competitive over this question: Who's most serious about taking a pay cut?

Commissioner Kevin Beckner proposed rewriting county ordinances to require commissioners and top-level administrators to share in any future pay cuts given to rank-and-file workers.

A state law passed last year allows county commissioners to voluntarily reduce their pay.

Commissioners cut their car allowances twice in recent years, which resulted in a roughly $4,500 drop in take-home pay. But Beckner said it was time to "put it in writing."

"What this says is we lead by example," he said. "I think we need to send a very clear message today ... that we're willing to share in the sacrifices."

But Chairman Ken Hagan said he couldn't foresee making top-level employees change their contracts to allow for pay cuts.

He suggested implementing the new state law by drafting a policy that would allow each commissioner to reduce their own pay voluntarily. Commissioners are paid about $92,000 a year.

"I feel an ordinance is unnecessary," he said.

Beckner said such a policy would not have prevented the secret 1 percent raises taken by former county administrator Pat Bean and former county attorney Renee Lee in 2007.

Hagan said the board had an option in that case: fire the administrator.

Commissioner Victor Crist said they were debating over chump change when the large salaries are the ones at public authorities that receive a portion of their funding from the county.

"I think there's a bigger picture here," he said.

Beckner said it wasn't about the amount of money. He said Hagan's measure for a voluntary paycut was "disappointing" and sends county employees "a weak message after all the hell they've been through."

Hagan's plan passed, 4 to 2. Beckner and Commissioner Al Higginbotham dissented.

Reach Jodie Tillman at jtillman@tampabay.com or (813) 226-3374.