Traverse City Record-Eagle

Archive: Thursday

EDITORIAL

The issue: GT County ends car allowances

Our view: It looks good, but solves nothing

Related story: Grand Traverse freezes pay for officials

February 16, 2012

GT will have to find more to cut than car allowances

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It's not going to bail Grand Traverse County out of a looming revenue shortfall of $600,000 to possibly $1 million or more, and it's not enough to rehire janitors laid off last year; but as a gesture it recognizes that the county needs some leadership along with budget cuts.

County board Chairman Larry Inman said the county plans to freeze elected officials' salaries and eliminate a car allowance in 2013 as uncertainty over its revenue stream continues.

Elected officials — the sheriff and the clerk, for instance — received a 1.75 percent pay increase this year after a 1.5 percent hike in 2011. Their salaries also were frozen in 2010.

The county board's annual pay rate hasn't changed since 2001, but commissioners also receive per-diem pay and mileage, health insurance, and other benefits.

The $450-per-month car allowance goes to the prosecutor, clerk, treasurer, drain commissioner and register of deeds. A survey of counties of a similar size — including Midland, Allegan and Lenawee — showed that none of them offer car allowances for elected officials. Starting in 2013, elected officials will be paid standard mileage rates for using their own vehicles. That makes sense.

The board, which is not particularly known for its political savvy, read the tea leaves right on this one. But these are easy actions that, while they look good on paper, don't really put the pinch on anybody or solve anything.

Tougher decisions are coming and there won't be a car allowance around to throw to the wolves.

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