Campaign spending can outpace salaries
With a variety of county offices up for grabs this year, anyone thinking about entering the realm of politics may end up spending more to get a job than it pays. In the tri-county area, the high-profile job of county commissioner pays between $38,000 and $67,000, depending whether you reside in Fayette, Greene or Washington counties.
For those wishing to become a public official, occasionally money is no object. As an example, Republican Joseph A. Hardy III spent an unprecedented $638,460 in his victorious 2003 quest for Fayette County commissioner. While spending such large amounts of money is uncommon, it is not unheard of to spend more on a position than its annual salary.
Incumbent Democrat Fayette County Commissioner Vincent A. Vicites, the 2003 general election’s top vote getter, spent $55,437 on that year’s fall campaign, which was more than the $45,000 annual salary for the job at the time.
Despite the sometimes high spending to earn their four-year positions, county commissioners are generally not the highest-paid county employees.
In Greene County, where the three county commissioners each currently earn approximately $38,000 annually for their four-year terms, they are paid less than the human resource director, who earned approximately $51,000 in 2006.
Tracy Zivkovich, Greene County human resource director, confirmed the commissioners are not the highest-paid employees in the sixth-class county. “They are the elected officials, but not the highest paid,” Zivkovich said. “There are others who earn more money.”
The Greene County commissioners do not receive a county car as a part of their job. Zivkovich said they each drive their own, but may “occasionally” take one from the fleet for county business.
In Fayette County, Commission Chairwoman Angela M. Zimmerlink earns less than her two male counterparts, but only because she has opted not to accept the 3 percent raise she is entitled to since taking office in 2004. While Zimmerlink earns approximately $45,000, Hardy and Vicites each earn more than $47,900 for 2007. Although county vehicles are available for the commissioners, Hardy has never used one, Zimmerlink has only used one once and Vicites only uses one for long county trips, according to a county official.
In Washington County, where commissioners this year earn approximately $66,000 annually, there are no designated vehicles for the commissioners. Chief Clerk Mary Helicke said the county has “gotten away from county vehicles.” She said any department head or elected official is entitled to seek reimbursement for mileage for county business, although she said she did not have those figures available.
Fayette and Washington counties are two of the state’s seven fourth-class counties, with populations of between 145,000 and 209,999. Greene County is one of two dozen sixth-class counties across the state, with populations of between 45,000 and 94,999.
According to the 2000 Census, the population of Fayette County was 148,644, Greene County was 40,672 and Washington County was 202,897.
While Fayette and Washington counties are similar because they are both are fourth-class counties, the salaries for county employees and annual budgets vary.
For 2007, the Washington County commissioners adopted a $56.5 million budget, which will fund pay to approximately 920 county employees. The Fayette County commissioners adopted a 2007 general fund budget of $21.5 million budget that will pay for more than 500 employees. The Greene County commissioners adopted a 2007 general fund budget of $26.5 million that will pay salaries for 300 employees.
Among the Greene employees that are paid more than their bosses in 2006 were Zivkovich, Planning/Economic director Robbie Matesic at $69,487 annually, jail Warden Harry D. Gillispie at $44,075 and Chief Assessor John Frazier at $41,168 annually in Greene County. In Fayette, Chief Assessor James A. Hercik makes $47,970, according to 2006 figures.
The district attorneys for all three counties are paid significantly more than the county commissioners, in part to a court ruling that changed the status of the job from part time to full time and upped the salary. While Nancy D. Vernon and John Petit made about $134,290 in Fayette and Washington counties, respectively, in 2006, Marjorie Fox earned far less in Greene County at $63,516 because she opted not to seek the full-time status and salary.
To hold most row offices, including county commissioner, the requirements are: getting the minimum number of signatures needed to get on the ballot, a minimum age of 18 and meeting the residency requirement.
Another difference among the counties is in how human resource director is handled. While those directors in Greene and Washington counties earn more than $50,000 as county employees, because Fayette County’s human resource director is not a county employee, his name is not on the list. Jim Moore is an employee of Felice Associates of Greensburg, which acts as Fayette County’s human resource firm.