An ordinance given preliminary Pulaski County Quorum Court approval Tuesday night would raise pay for county Board of Equalization members by $15 per meeting to $125.
The Quorum Court voted 10-1 in favor of moving the ordinance, proposed by District 11 Justice of the Peace Bob Johnson, D-Jacksonville, to a final vote Tuesday.
District 9 Justice of the Peace Wilma Walker, D-College Station; District 10 Justice of the Peace Robert Green Sr., D-McAlmont; District 12 Justice of the Peace Karilyn Brown, R-Sherwood; and District 13 Justice of the Peace Phil Stowers, R-Maumelle, were absent from Tuesday's meeting.
District 5 Justice of the Peace Lillie McMullen, D-Little Rock, voted against the measure, arguing that other boards made up of private residents are not paid.
"I think $110 a day is commendable, compared to other boards I'm familiar with," she said.
Pulaski County Attorney Amanda Mitchell told McMullen that the state law establishing the Board of Equalization states that board members must be reimbursed.
County Assessor Janet Troutman Ward and others argued that board members have a tough job.
"They've been yelled at, screamed at, had things thrown at them," she said.
The nine members of the Board of Equalization, who hear appeals of property appraisals in the county, earn $110 per meeting. The rate was last increased from $100 in 2008.
Johnson said he wanted to give board members a raise because full-time county employees and elected officials had just gotten a 4 percent raise approved in the 2015 budget.
The 2015 budget is sufficient to pay board members for meetings 44 times per year at the new rate, the proposed raise ordinance reads, although the board is not likely to meet that many times except during a reappraisal year. Next year is a reappraisal year.
Also in time for the reappraisal year, the county assessor's office is asking to move $100,000 in reappraisal funds into its reappraisal department budget for contracts, office supplies, equipment, phones and computer leases. The Quorum Court gave preliminary approval to that expenditure Tuesday night, 11-0.
Metro on 12/10/2014