Vote DeGiorgi
for Charles County Commissioner

Authority: Friends of Johnnie DeGiorgi,
Harry Blacker Treasurer

Statement made at public hearing Jan. 13, 2010

I am Johnnie DeGiorgi and I am running for County Commissioner. I want to state up front that the money involved is not why I am running for office. I, and other declared candidates, could take offense at comments made that pay increases are needed to attract competent candidates. However, the focus of this hearing is pay. My position is simple: the proposed increase in salaries and compensation before the Commissioners should be eliminated. I strongly urge them to be responsible stewards of our tax dollars and zero out all increases proposed by the compensation commission. This is within their powers and is the responsible thing to do.

The compensation report addresses more than Commissioner salaries. The section on increasing payments for committees has no justification other than payments have been the same for 20 years. There is no justification for increases in expense accounts for Orphan’s Court Judges.

But the headlines are about the huge proposed increases in the Commissioners’ salaries. It is stated that the Commissioner salaries have barely kept pace with inflation. This is true for many jobs. Many have jobs for which the salary hasn’t kept pace with inflation. Many have lost their jobs.

It is stated that the complexity of the job has increased. Again, many people are faced with doing more in their jobs for less pay.

I also need to point out a large gap in the salary commission report. Unlike the report on the governor’s salary, our county compensation report makes no effort to include compensation other than salary. County Commissioners have free use of county vehicles (their SUV’s) and use of these vehicles is not limited to official business. I have personally seen County Commissioner SUV’s at partisan political fund-raisers. County Commissioners are also entitled to reimbursement for expenses. Their total compensation MUST include both use of vehicle and reimbursable expenses. How much does this amount to per year? We cannot talk of salaries only for these positions.

And we must remember that these are elected positions. Elected positions are not 40 hour a week jobs. Everyone involved understands this from the first day of their campaign. Trying to compare these positions with 40 hour a week jobs is not reasonable.

How can anyone justify increasing elected official’s salaries, expense accounts, and committee compensation when county employees must cope with furloughs, possible layoffs, short staffing and increased caseloads? County Commissioners – amend the bill to zero out all increases!