h_lg_2016a_2016-04-07t11:12:17z0 Hearing Summary

Date: 04/07/2016

11:13 AM -- HB16-1367



Representative Hamner and Representative Rankin presented and summarized House Bill 16-1367 concerning county categorization for salary purposes. The salary of county officers is set in statute and determined by the category of the county in which the officer serves (I through VI). Four subcategories, A through D were added to each category in 2015 under Senate Bill 15-288 for the purpose of increasing or decreasing county officer salaries. All counties are currently in subcategory A, which would result in a 30 percent increase to county officers beginning January 2019, when they are sworn in. This bill recategorizes counties resulting in smaller increases for the elected officers of those counties.



Representative Hamner and Representative Rankin provided and informational handout on county elected official salaries subcategories (Attachment A). They also presented and distributed amendment L.002 (Attachment B).



16HouseLocal0407AttachA.pdf 16HouseLocal0407AttachB.pdf



Representative Hamner and Representative Rankin answered questions from the committee regarding salaries for county officials.



11:20 AM -- Steve Child, Pitkin County Commissioner, spoke in favor of the bill. He discussed the salaries for county officials in Pitkin County.



11:23 AM -- Eric Bergman, Colorado Counties, Inc., spoke in favor of the bill. He provided an overview of existing county categorization requirements and the need for changes to accommodate county budgets.



11:24 AM -- Rod Pelton, Cheyenne County Commissioner, spoke in favor of the bill. He discussed the budgetary issues in Cheyenne County and the need to adjust salaries for county officials.



11:26 AM -- Jim Murphy, Jackson County Commissioner, spoke in favor of the bill. He discussed the current categorization of Jackson County and discussed the need to adjust salaries for county officials.



11:28 AM -- Jason Anderson, Saguache County Commissioner, spoke in favor of the bill. He discussed the amount of federal land in Saguache County and the need to adjust salaries for county officials.



11:29 AM -- Merrit Linke, Grand County Commissioner, spoke in favor of the bill. He discussed the tax revenue in Grand County and the need to adjust salaries for county officials.

Representative Hamner and Representative Rankin provided closing comments on the bill.



The committee provided closing comments on the bill.