Op-Ed: Some Actual Facts about that Salary Increase for SB County Supes

Laura Capps, Chair of Santa Barbara County's Board of Supervisors, sets forth the facts and figures behind a much-debated pay hike proposal

(Editor’s note: There has been a great deal of information swirling - some true, some false, some bad faith, some pure screed - since controversy arose a few weeks ago about a proposed boost in pay for Santa Barbara county supervisors. Seeking a primary source to help clarify the heated debate, Newsmakers asked Laura Capps, chair of the board, for her perspective).

By Laura Capps

On Tuesday the Board of Supervisors will discuss a proposal by the county human resources staff to adjust the salaries of all county elected officials, including a significant pay raise for the supervisors.

Given the economic pressures experienced daily by the people we represent, this is justifiably never a popular thing to attempt – no matter the amount of the raise.

Thank you to the many people who have shared their perspectives with us as we prepare to deliberate on the proposal. As Chair of the Board, I am looking forward to hearing the views of my esteemed fellow board members.

Unfortunately, in our current political environment, along with good faith debate has come a great deal of intentional disinformation.

Below are the facts:

The Role of County Supervisors in Santa Barbara

• There are five county supervisors representing 441,000 people. They each represent a district of nearly 100,000 people while serving the entire county.

• Supervisors oversee a budget of $1.6 billion annually.

• Supervisors work with the County CEO to oversee a staff of 4700 employees.

• The County is the 2nd largest employer in our county, behind UC Santa Barbara and ahead of Cottage Hospital.

It is a full-time job. Supervisors often work seven days a week to:

1. Set policy (such as determining where the best way to meet the state’s housing mandates)

2. Exercise fiscal oversight (such as reviewing contracts, holding budget hearings)

3. Represent the needs of the people they serve (such as hosting fire preparedness forums).

Governance

• Three out of four Tuesdays a month supervisors participate in 8 hour + hearings which require extensive preparation in the weeks preceding.

• They are also required by statute to serve on such interagency bodies as the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments, Air Quality Control District and the Local Agency Formation Committee that require participation and preparation.

• They are each required to serve on roughly 8-12 governing boards, such as the Behavioral Wellness Commission, Community Corrections Partnership, etc.

• Supervisors work with the CEO of the County in her astute management of 18 departments, including Behavioral Wellness, Planning and Development, Public Works, and General Services.

Representation

• Supervisors directly represent more people than the populations of the Cities of Santa Barbara, Goleta, Buellton, Solvang and Carpinteria combined.

• The people who live in unincorporated Santa Barbara represent the largest population within our county, totaling140,000 or 31% of the county.

• On a daily basis supervisors advocate for their constituents, regardless if they live in cities or the unincorporated county, answering their questions, fielding their concerns, and delivering services to them.

• Supervisors partner with the elected officials and staff in the 8 cities that make up Santa Barbara County: Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, Lompoc, Goleta, Guadalupe, Solvang, Carpinteria and Buellton.

• Supervisors are regularly out in the community engaging to understand the issues and needs of dozens of neighborhood associations, nonprofit organizations, interest groups, businesses and educational institutions.

• It is typical to attend 4 evening events each week and 4 events each weekend.

The proposed salary increase

By way of context, the County Human Resource Department is recommending salary adjustments for all elected officials to secure pay equity, an objective and transparent system, and a market-based approach involving data of comparable counties.

Wisely, the proposal before the board would set Supervisor compensation to 70% of what our local Superior Court Judges make. This is an approach used by many other jurisdictions because of the information below:

In California, the salaries of judges are set by the California Citizens Compensation Commission (CCCC), which is an independent body responsible for determining the pay for state officials, including judges. The commission reviews and adjusts the salaries periodically, considering factors like the cost of living, inflation, and the responsibilities of the position.

That means that if passed, from this point forward, the Board of Supervisors would not be voting to set their own salary – an action that is justifiably unpopular with the public.

Supervisors are currently paid $115,000 annually.

• According to a recent survey of comparable counties, Santa Barbara County Supervisors are paid significantly less than their counterparts, including Ventura ($171,000), Monterey ($171,000) and Sonoma County ($174,000).

• In fact, their salary is significantly lower than the comparable salaries in all comparison counties except for San Luis Obispo ($105,000).

• The current salary is equal to what an entry level professional might earn in the county organization, yet as stated above, they are responsible for 4700 employees and a budget of $1.6 billion annually.

• Approximately 2,400 county employees earn more than the Supervisors who lead the county.

• “Perhaps more striking, Santa Barbara supervisors are paid 27.8 percent less than their own chiefs of staff.” (SB Independent.)

I understand the proposed salary increase may be alarming, especially when presented without accurate context, and want to thank those who have shared thoughtful opinions. The first time the board will discuss this proposal will be Tuesday and I know we will keep your perspectives in mind.