Taxpayers group condemns 4 Sacramento County Supervisors for their ‘selfish’ vote raising their salaries

The June 8 vote by a majority of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors has generated controversy and criticism.
Joining the chorus of criticism, today the Sacramento Taxpayers Association issued a statement condemning the vote by Sacramento County supervisors Pat Hume, Phil Serna, Rich Desmond, and Patrick Kennedy to raise their annual salary by $46,000. Sue Frost was the only supervisor voting against the raise.
The group called the pay increase “selfish” and noted the supervisors’ annual salaries are now almost five times the median income of Sacramento County residents. According to the press release, the median county income is $36,152, and the supervisor’s salary is $173,000.  
“Our electeds need to serve in office out of sense of duty – not out a sense of personal gain. I can guarantee you that if we pay $173,000 for a county supervisor, we will not get a better supervisor than if we pay $127,000,” Bruce Lee, president of the Sacramento Taxpayers Association, said in today’s statement. “And, we can find highly qualified people to serve for $110,000. Money is not the issue and should not be the motivation. Public duty and service should be the reward in itself.”
Lee added, “Remember that US Senators and Congressional Representatives are paid $174,000 per year.”
The association did not say what action, if any, they may take. The group has been part of a coalition that has stopped the Sacramento Transporation Authority from getting voter approval for billion-dollar sales tax hikes in 2016, 2020, and 2022.
The complete statement can be viewed below.