Gwinnett.talk

By Duane

January 16, 2007 10:49 AM | Link to this

The Commissioners could use a small increase, but remember they are only part time. The Chairman is full time but this particular Chairman is already overpaid….

By RDI

January 16, 2007 10:49 AM | Link to this

If they don’t like the pay, why do they spend hundred of thousands of dollars running for the office in the first place? We are not getting our monies worth now out of them, and I doubt giving them more money will improve the situation.

By J Drake

January 16, 2007 11:18 AM | Link to this

I think they should have to prove they have earned their pay raise just like everyone else. They ran for office knowing what the job paid.

The taxpayers voted for them and the taxpayers should determine if they’ve earned a raise. How about actually doing something to fix the mess this county is in?

By Bruce Wilcox

January 16, 2007 11:21 AM | Link to this

Well we know what other great idea they came up, besides the ballpark, at the taxpayer funded retreat.

By Bruce Wilcox

January 16, 2007 11:24 AM | Link to this

Well at least we know what the other great idea they came up with at the taxpayer funded retreat, the first was the ballpark.

By Michael H. Smith

January 16, 2007 11:56 AM | Link to this

Double the pay of commissioners is a bad idea; getting rid of a chairman who didn’t even live up to his campaign promises, that said he wasn’t going to walk backwards when actually he did, is a very good idea.

By Jim J.

January 16, 2007 12:05 PM | Link to this

I have never seen any company double a persons salary for a pay raise. We must be dealing with the government here.

By Jill P

January 16, 2007 12:20 PM | Link to this

I’m with the others. I don’t recall seeing any company double ones salary. NO ONE is worth that - and that so includes them. May be a 2-3% raise like the majority get. Is this where THEY have decided to spend my tax money? Easy come easy go. You know I sure don’t get to vote on if I get a cost of living raise or not. It is determine by others. I don’t see justice in this at all.

By Matt G.

January 16, 2007 12:23 PM | Link to this

Cut the budget and give yourself a raise? Something about that doesn’t sound right to me. Keeping up with the Jones’ is no excuse for a raise either. Give the county Firefighters and Police a raise first, other county employees second, then if there is anything left over, maybe the council could get a raise. Give the money to those that actually do something productive for the citizens.

By BobG

January 16, 2007 12:28 PM | Link to this

There is no standard measurement for the salaries of elected officials so, to come up with a fair figure consultants compare the salaries of comparably-situated officials from different jurisdictions. The Commissioners’ salaries were included in the comprehensive pay study four years ago; the consultant recommended raising the district commissioners’ pay to approx. $25K (from $12.5K) but no increase was justified for the full-time Chairman.

Knowing what I do about the district commissioners’ workload, an increase has been and still is justified. In my opinion, a raise for the Chairman is still not justified, especially in light of the fact that we now have a county administrator with real authority and have recently increased his staff.

By Bruce Wilcox

January 16, 2007 12:39 PM | Link to this

Instead of the raise add more commissioners, it seems the job is just too big for the number we have.

By BobG

January 16, 2007 12:43 PM | Link to this

I agree with Bruce. Some high-powered politics prevented the expansion of the commission to six districts a few years ago. If the “problem” is that the commissioners spend too much time fulfilling their public reponsibilities and believe that they deserve more compensation, the best solution would be to increase the size of the commission (lowering the workload and raising the quality of the representation).

By Carter

January 16, 2007 12:49 PM | Link to this

Absolutely not! All the commissioners are well paid via their “day job”. They need to excel at their [Comissioner] job in order to justify a raise — just like everyone else. As it is, they’re not doing the job they were voted in to do. I don’t think anyone should be allowed to give themselves a raise.

By CKB

January 16, 2007 12:54 PM | Link to this

NO, I don’t agree with a pay raise, but this may explain why my property taxes increased by 58% in 2006

By DG

January 16, 2007 01:00 PM | Link to this

I think a raise is in order. Gwinnett is no longer a county of half a dozen or so sleepy little country towns. It is a thriving metropolitan area with all the problems that go along. Traffic, crime, zoning issues, etc. The people we elect to deal with those problems sacrifice a great deal in terms of family time and earnings and should be fairly compensated for their efforts.

By BobG

January 16, 2007 01:06 PM | Link to this

CKB, the county property tax rate has remained the same or decreased over the past four or five years, if not longer. In fact, the Commission currently UNDER-taxes county property owners (2005 data). The Commission can’t be blamed for over-taxation.

What may have increased is the assessed value of your property. That’s what happens when you live in a county in which, despite its problems, everybody wants to live.

The Commission can be blamed for promoting an overheated growth economy and failing to manage growth so that it doesn’t exceed the county’s ability to provide services. It is the cost of government that prevents the commission from passing back to you the benefit of a rising assessment in the form of a lower tax rate.

By James

January 16, 2007 01:40 PM | Link to this

Absolutely not. None of the commissioners are doing a good enough job that they deserve a raise that doubles their salary. At least Bannister knows it isn’t a good idea. He’d be committing political suicide if he voted to give himself that raise; even he knows they aren’t doing a good job.

Maybe if Lorraine lived up to her promises and cut back growth in her district, she could have a raise. Maybe if Bert stopped proposing ridiculous ideas and paid attention to the CRIME in his district he could have a raise. Maybe if Kevin stopped letting developers control him he could have a raise. And maybe if Mike would stop voting for all these other yahoos plans he could have a raise.

By CKB

January 16, 2007 02:15 PM | Link to this

Bob G. I don’t have a problem with my property taxes going up only if it is appraised at a 20 year old house and not compared to houses that are 10 years newer have lake frontage and larger square footage. My property was appraised 3 years ago and went up then to.

By David

January 16, 2007 02:20 PM | Link to this

I do not believe the comissioners have done a job worthy of a raise. We have a chairman who campaigned on limited growth. We have comissioners who want to build a ball park. We have comissioners who want to put high rise apartments near our airport and neighborhoods. We have crime and neighborhoods turning into slums. We Lawrenceville residents voted out councilmen who did not do a good job nor what the voters asked for. We can - and will do - the same thing to our comissioners. Wake Up Gwinnett voters!

By Sarah J.

January 16, 2007 02:21 PM | Link to this

Dang..I wish I could me a pay raise too!!

What have they done for us lately???

out of control crime and illegal immigration, crappy roads and clear cutting for cluster homes all over the place…when they get something done to actually earn a raise- then they get a raise..but now, NO!

By Dave

January 16, 2007 02:22 PM | Link to this

Sure go ahead and vote yourself a pay raise. Then the voters can vote on your vote the next election. If you vote for a raise, it should only be effective for the next commissioner to be elected to the position.

By AM

January 16, 2007 02:35 PM | Link to this

They don’t deserve what they are being paid now. They have done nothing - except turn a blind eye to the people they represent. Maybe the illegals could donate something to them. That is who they represent anyway. Vote out all incumbents.

By ELLE

January 16, 2007 02:49 PM | Link to this

No pay raise! What SNEAKS!!!

I would probably feel better if they told all of the tax paying citizens to hold their hands up in the air…. That way we would know a robbery took place.

THEY DO NOT DESERVE RAISES. I agree with BobG… lets get twice the number of commissioners. A shared workload, that is better for our growing county.

By Woodie

January 16, 2007 03:27 PM | Link to this

If we take our county seriously, we’d pay the people we have to run it a decent salary. If we don’t care about the county government, then we shoot our own foot. You want a volunteer government, you’ll get what you pay for.

By John

January 16, 2007 03:40 PM | Link to this

I would rather pay them on a percentage of the money they save the taxpayers each year…

By Margeret B.

January 16, 2007 03:41 PM | Link to this

A PAY RAISE! ? They should pay the county citizens back a commission on what they make on under the table, real estate deals. Just look at the millions gained in personal worth by Kevin Kennerly. He claims he came into office with less than $600 and now has property in at least two states worth more than $4 million. Maybe thats why the call it the county Commission?

By AM

January 16, 2007 03:47 PM | Link to this

It seems to me that a volunteer or maybe not even having a government would yield the same results. Woodie, you may need someone to explain that to you.

By Jill

January 16, 2007 03:56 PM | Link to this

No, I don’t believe the board of commissioners or the chariman deserve a pay raise at all; I don’t support their dimly reported efforts in improving the quality of life in Gwinnett.

By Regularjoe

January 16, 2007 05:17 PM | Link to this

I would rather see an increase of comissioners from four (not including the chairman) to six or eight. Take the two “deputy” administrator positions, eliminate them, and use the saving to give the commissioners a modest raise.

By travis

January 16, 2007 06:25 PM | Link to this

hey, i think that if a citizen can get elected and bilk citizens of their hard earned money, DO IT!! the irresponsible voters will have forgotten by election time and will vote them back into office, anyway. this all goes back to the voters. they don’t demand recalls, when something foolish goes on and they always re-elect or don’t fully know who they are voting for anyway

By Wow

January 16, 2007 06:33 PM | Link to this

I’ve never seen government officials given 50% pay raises! No wonder they’re so pro-development these days. We see where an extra $60,000 in tax money will be going.

By art

January 16, 2007 06:35 PM | Link to this

A pay raise?!?!? How about a pay cut! As utterly stupid as each and every one of these people are, they should be paid what they are worth, namely $0.50 each per meeting.

I am reminded of a meeting I attended recently where Kevin “Pretty Boy” Kenerly had trouble putting a grammatically correct sentence together.

The Board has gone downHill ever since Wayne “The Growth” Hill was in charge. I thought we got over the largesse to the undeserving when he left office. Apparently not.

By Karen

January 16, 2007 06:39 PM | Link to this

Do these commissioners think we’re so stupid that we won’t remember this come election time?

We have calendars, PDAs and a damn good memory. We will NEVER forget so, you have pay raised yourself right out of office.

By B

January 16, 2007 06:56 PM | Link to this

Maybe a small increase and not 50%. Atleast the chairman has some sense. When you can balance the budget and not make a huge cuts, only then should you propose a raise for yourself.

By Brenda

January 16, 2007 08:21 PM | Link to this

I would remind the posters that the raise doesn’t go into effect until 2009.

D-2’s Nasuti and D-4’s Kenerly are the only two commissioners who will not stand for re-election before the raise goes into effect in 2009.

D-1’s Green and D-3’s Beaudreau are up for re-election in 2008. They in effect made it easier for someone to challenge them.

According to the video of today’s BOC Business meeting where the raise was voted on, D-3’s Beaudreau made a motion to NOT raise the Chairman’s salary based on the Chairman’s own objections.

Video of today’s BOC Business Meeting. Scroll down to item 2007-0187. http://ecweb4.ecstreams.com/EarthCastIndexerViewer/programViewer.aspx?client=gwinnettcoga&show=BOCbusiness011607.ecx

By Gwinnett Taxpayer

January 16, 2007 08:32 PM | Link to this

They are part time and Kevin Kenerly has made enough money off of the taxpayers of Gwinnett County. He has gone on gambling trips with developers, promised my neighbors in north Gwinnett he would vote one way on development detrimental to the area and then postponed his decision until after he was re-elected. After his re-election he voted in favor of developers rather than the people who voted his sorry a** into office. He should get all the money he can now, because he will be voted out in the next election and then he can go back to installing car stereos with Tommy.

By DD

January 16, 2007 08:48 PM | Link to this

That’s alot of taxpayer money to give to someone to be a rubberstamp to developers.

By Jeff

January 16, 2007 09:24 PM | Link to this

Otay, lets see Kevin give this salary to charity. The crooked puppet of developers shouldn’t need it anyway.

By Who's Your Daddy

January 16, 2007 09:41 PM | Link to this

A pay increase is an investment in the future, for future candidates. A more equitable salary may be more enticing to the “regular citizen” and not a position for an elitist who would fall into a former Neely Farms resident and the like (now a judge). The last thing Gwinnett needs is MORE commissioners, lest we become another Fulton County.

By Brenda

January 16, 2007 09:54 PM | Link to this

Gwinnett Taxpayer, I agree with your assessment.

However, I encourage you to think in terms of the position or office responsibilities and what is appropriate compensation rather than the individual character or personality of the person holding the office today.

In 2000 we voted in Marcia Neaton and John Dunn. They both proved to be major disappointments. In effect, they committed political suicide. The same people who voted them in voted them out in the next election.

More importantly the control of how Gwinnett County is governed was taken back by the citizens and today’s commissioners know that they have to prove themselves or they will be shown the door as well.

By aldga

January 16, 2007 10:20 PM | Link to this

Wow! I’m going in to work in the morning and tell my boss that I’ve voted myself a pay raise!

By Henry

January 16, 2007 10:28 PM | Link to this

Look at what Gwinnett County has beocme. Just take a good look and then tell me if any of these people deserve a raise. I say run all of them out of town…

By justin

January 16, 2007 11:18 PM | Link to this

Most of you folks should read your comments and be embarrased by them. Each of you need to consider serving as a commissioner and being subjected to the same ignorant abuse you have given out. Just maybe some of these folks are doing the best they can and what they think to be the right thing to do. I personally would not consider putting myself in the position of serving the likes of people commenting here. It would not be worth any amount of money to me. Thank God some are willing to do it.

By Michael

January 17, 2007 12:05 AM | Link to this

A raise is one thing but to double their salary is PLAIN CRAZY! There can be no justification for this. I voted for Lorraine once, but not again.

By Bob

January 17, 2007 06:55 AM | Link to this

As usual, the AJC cannot get a story right and resorts to distortions. The commmssioners did not raise their pay. They raised the pay of the person that gets elected in the next cycle.

But distortion sells papers, right? Not working for the AJC - try truth sometinmes - it might sell.

By duh

January 17, 2007 07:39 AM | Link to this

Thank you, Bob, for being the voice of reason. I was beginning to think that I was the only one here that actually READ the article, rather than just the inflammatory headline.

By Mom4

January 17, 2007 07:43 AM | Link to this

The raise doesn’t go into effect until January 2009. Not sure when the current commissioners are up for re-election

By Rick in Lawrenceville

January 17, 2007 07:53 AM | Link to this

Don’t give them a raise, give them a one-time bonus based on their performance as a group when they have earned it.

We have poor infrastructure in this county, the residential development is always ahead of the capacity of schools and roads. There has either not been enough effort or successful effort to bring new employers to this county. A large portion of the county residents must commute into Atlanta on our overcrowded roads.

The county is also a haven for illegal immigrants who provide cheap labor for developers, but raise the tax ante for the rest of the county’s taxpayers.

By Dean

January 17, 2007 07:59 AM | Link to this

I believe the tax payers should be the ones that vote on raises for any public office. Of course, if they vote on their own raises they are certainly going to agree. Well, let us see if they earn this raise and make a difference. Otherwise, just like any employee…they will be fired (aka not reelected).

By Tim

January 17, 2007 08:26 AM | Link to this

No matter what you think of the leaders, they were fairly elected (by 5% of the registered voters). They spend MANY hours at this job, and no matter what the blogger nutcases say, they are worth much more than what they were being paid. Higher pay will most definitely get more business professionals to run for a commission position. Charles, you need to kick yourself in the tail for not taking what the job is worth. Now that the adjustment has been made, they need to set it to increase 2-3% a year so another major adjustment will not be necessary. When only 5% of the voters show up to put these people in office, NO ONE has a right to complain. Gwinnett non-voters are pathetic. However, I can’t think of one Gwinnett commissioner or commission chairman past or present that does not truly care about the district they represent, or the county at large. If our citizens choose to continue to believe internet blogger crap instead of getting involved and seing how things really are, then Gwinnett is in for some bad years ahead.

By Gwinnett Voter

January 17, 2007 08:36 AM | Link to this

Thank you Mr. bannister. At least one person may get reelected. Voting to give yourself a 100%+ raise is shameful. Especially after cutting the county’s budget. To all Gwinnett voters, do not forget next time you VOTE!

By Not Surprised

January 17, 2007 08:38 AM | Link to this

Who didn’t see this coming? The only surprise here is that they merely doubled their pay. I live in Kenerly’s district and I’m sure he is disappointed that his pay was not tripled or even quadrupled. I guess he can make up the shortfall by demanding more money from the developers who are paying him under the table. The current board members will be remembered as “fondly” as the other crooks and thieves that have served us so well over the years, a la Wayne Mason, Lillian Webb, Wayne Hill,…..

By Not surprised's Mama

January 17, 2007 09:58 AM | Link to this

You never would listen to me! Always had to go runnin that big mouth without knowing what ya were talking about. I remember that time ya called me a thief for taking the hambone out from around your neck that your Dad had stuck on ya to make the dog play with ya. I guess you just never will be happy cause ya was born so ugly.

By SteveF

January 17, 2007 10:18 AM | Link to this

As you can see from these posts, their job is a thankless one. It does involve many hours of time away from your family and “day job”. If so many people do not understand the importance of adequately compensating the very people charged with improving the health, safety and welfare of their community, they themselves should try running for office and see what a juggling act it is to attempt to provide for their constituents while pleasing everyone.

By des

January 17, 2007 11:47 AM | Link to this

Thankless job. Good one. How do you justify cutting budgets, letting road projects go and then giving the commissioners a raise. These people all have businesses. They have “special interests” when they get into these jobs. I don’t think they are hurting for money

By des

January 17, 2007 12:00 PM | Link to this

Speaking of Kenerly, isn’t it interesting that the owner of US Auto Sales put up this huge billboard for Kevin Kenerly. Also, this owner contributes much to Mr. Kenerly’s campaign. It should also be noted this owner is a builder who builds conveneience stores and sells them at an alarming rate.

By des

January 17, 2007 12:01 PM | Link to this

Speaking of Kenerly, isn’t it interesting that the owner of US Auto Sales put up this huge billboard for Kevin Kenerly. Also, this owner contributes much to Mr. Kenerly’s campaign. It should also be noted this owner is a builder who builds conveneience stores and sells them at an alarming rate.

By Not Surprised

January 17, 2007 01:16 PM | Link to this

To my Mama: Yes, I am ugly but everyone knows that I got my looks from you. At least I got my smarts from Daddy. What was his name again? With your IQ of Pi (that’s approximately 3.14, Mama), I guess you’re both ugly and stupid. Other than to insult me, did your post have a point? I thought we were discussing pay raises for the greedy SOBs on the Gwinnett County Commission.

By NAMELESS

January 17, 2007 02:11 PM | Link to this

I believe they should give everone a raise… You know that if this was ya’ll you wouldn’t be b@#$%^&!