[deleted] t1_jbdiwdp wrote on March 8, 2023 at 6:57 AM

[deleted]

thechickenmoo t1_jbdlkrr wrote on March 8, 2023 at 7:32 AM

According to the article it's a 35% to 45% raise. That doesn't seem reasonable.

The article points out they recently voted to raise other county workers wages by 5% which seems reasonable. However they also warn about a 7% larger tax bill so....

gophergun t1_jbdz21b wrote on March 8, 2023 at 10:44 AM

It's a lot when it's framed as a single year increase, but the board's pay was last adjusted in 2015. It still outpaces inflation, but a county board member or executive making $130-145K in a place like Fairfax isn't that surprising to me. The closest equivalent where I live, a county commissioner, makes about $124K.

PyreDruid t1_jbi0doo wrote on March 9, 2023 at 4:26 AM

The salaries they list would barely put them over median household income there if they’re the sole earner.

It seems nuts but Fairfax is one of the richest counties in the country. The board of supervisors there getting $130k, that’s comparable to the salary of the governor of Montana. Which may seem odd, but Fairfax is more populous than Montana.

The salaries seem ok in context.

West_Business_775 t1_jbegc62 wrote on March 8, 2023 at 1:45 PM

In 2019, the residents needed to make 57k/yr for a "modest living". Whatever the case is, those that make the laws should be able to identify with the commoner they make the laws for on an income basis. They shouldn't be put into poverty, but neither should those in the region of governance.

PyreDruid t1_jbi0o34 wrote on March 9, 2023 at 4:28 AM

57k is not a modest living in Fairfax. Fairfax is the 5th wealthiest county in the country.

The median household income there is $127k. Falls Church is right there as well. It’s median is $146k, the second richest county/city in the country by a margin.

They’re making about median if they’re the sole earner. That seems right for people running a county more populous than Montana.

As an edit, those median incomes are a few years ago. Wages have gone up in VA since, both on min wage increases and in general. 130k is probably the median now.