Title
AN ORDINANCE related to salaries of county councilmembers; providing for the reduction of annual increases to the compensation paid to councilmembers; amending Ordinance 8066, Section 1.
Body
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Findings:
A. King County has been experiencing severe fiscal crises for several consecutive budget years.
B. The county has worked collaboratively with its represented and unrepresented employees to reduce employee compensation including reductions in the annual increases intended to offset the cost of living.
C. The county has worked with its employees to reduce the cost of providing other benefits to county employees through reductions in the costs associated with providing healthcare including increased employee contributions to the cost of health care.
D. Section 220.20 of the King County Charter requires the county council to establish the compensation to be paid to all county officers and employees. In 1983, Ordinance 6603 enacted an annual increase of six percent per year for councilmembers. In 1987, Ordinance 8066 reduced this to an annual increase in compensation of three percent.
E. In periods of significant inflation this adjustment resulted in a lower increase in compensation than that provided to employees. Cost-of-living increases for employees have been based on changes in the consumer price index. It is appropriate to limit increases in councilmember compensation so that they will not exceed increases in the consumer price index.
F. The state constitution prohibits reduction of salaries of elected officials after their election or during their term of office. This creates significant lag time in reducing the increase in their salaries.
SECTION 2. Ordinance 8066, Section 1, is hereby amended to read as follows:
A. Consistent with Article XI, Section 8 of the Washington State Constitution, RCW 36.40.205, and Section ((960)) 220 of the King County Charter((;)), the compensation for all elective county council positions shall be increased annually as set forth in this section.
B. For councilmembers representing odd-numbered districts, compensation for 2013 shall be increased on January 1 at the rate of three percent per year. For councilmembers representing even-numbered districts, compensation for 2013, 2014 and 2015 shall be increased on January 1 at the rate of three percent per year.
C. Subject to the equalization provision set forth in subsection D. of this section, beginning in 2014, for councilmembers representing odd-numbered districts, and in 2016, for councilmembers representing even-numbered districts, compensation shall annually be increased on January 1 at the rate of ((3% per year)) the lesser of either: three percent; or ninety percent of the annual average growth rate of the bimonthly Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton Area consumer price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers (CPI-W), July of the previous year to June of the year preceding a possible increase in compensation. If the consumer-price-index-based amount is below zero, then there shall be no increase in compensation on January 1 for the subsequent year.
D. Beginning January 1, 2016, annual compensation for councilmembers from all districts shall be equalized by reducing compensation for each councilmember to the
lowest amount of compensation of any member, after first applying the rate set forth in subsection C. of this section.