It may have been more than 20 years since the last time Chautauqua County legislators received a pay raise. Some officials say that perhaps an annual cost of living increase should be put in place so it isn’t another 20 years before the next raise is authorized.

Currently, each legislator is paid $9,000 a year. The legislature chairman gets an additional $8,000. The minority and majority leaders both get an additional $1,000 a year. The assistant minority and assistant majority leaders both get an additional $500 a year. Each committee chairman gets an additional $1,000 a year. Ranking members get an additional $250 a year.

During the legislature’s recent Audit and Control Committee meeting, members had a brief discussion about their pay, as well as the pay of all elected officials.

In June, the legislature appointed Steve Abdella of Jamestown, Frank “Jay” Gould of Sinclairville, Vince Horrigan of Bemus Point, Frank Beach of Dunkirk, Daniel Heitzenrater of Frewsburg, Greg Krauza of Fredonia, and Sharon Smead of Mayville to the seven-member bipartisan County Salary Commission. Abdella, Gould, Horrigan and Heitzenrater are registered Republicans, while Beach, Krauza and Mead are registered Democrats.

Legislature Chairman Pierre Chagnon told the Audit and Control Committee that he attends the commission meetings, but because he is not a member, cannot speak for them. He said the commission is expected to submit its report to the legislature by Dec. 1.

In the 2024 proposed budget, the current salary levels have been set the same as in years past. Chagnon said it is up to the legislature if members want to make any changes for 2024. The changes could be made during the current budget review. If no changes are made, which isn’t expected since the commission won’t have its report done, legislators could make changes after the budget is adopted.

Another option is the new legislature, once it is seated Jan. 1, can review the commission’s recommendations and it can decide if and when any changes will be implemented.

The Salary Review Commission is not just looking at legislators’ pay, but also the pay of the county executive, clerk and sheriff. All three positions are elected and are under local control. The pay of the district attorney and county judges, who are also elected, is set by the state.

According to Chagnon, the legislature previously made the decision to increase the pay of the county executive, clerk and sheriff regularly. “They get a cost of living increase each year. That was a Charter change that was made several years ago,” he said.

Chagnon said he was uncertain the last time legislators received a pay increase but believes it has been a long time. “Jay Gould, who serves on the Salary Review Commission, believes that the legislators’ salary has not been changed in 25 years, maybe,” he said.

Legislator Dan Pavlock, R-Sinclairville, said pay raises, especially for legislators, is tricky. “Who as an elected official wants to give themselves raises? That’s probably why these (pay rate) numbers are old,” he said.

Pavlock added that he doesn’t want pay rates so low that people won’t run for office. “Obviously someone who is going to run for the seat is not doing it for a full-time position because it’s not meant for that. … But it should at least cover compensation for time that is involved in the duties,” he said.

Legislator David Wilfong, R-Jamestown, said he supports a continual cost of living increase, like happens with the county executive, clerk and sheriff. “Some type of mechanism would be appreciative going forward for us, whether we’re involved with it or not, so we wouldn’t have to come back and visit this, and we wouldn’t have wages out of line for 20 years,” he said.

Chagnon told Wilfong said a regular increase is something being discussed. “I can assure you that the Salary Review Commission has considered that and I fully expect that that’s going to be one of their recommendations,” he said.

Wilfong said he was happy to hear that. “I think it’s fair way to do things and I didn’t realize we were out of wack for that long,” he said.