Buyer's remorse
Guilford County commissioner Paul Gibson voted himself a 40 percent pay raise last week, but now he doesn't want to take it. Or maybe he does. He can't decide.
Gibson said he's uncomfortable with the lack of discussion on the commissioners' pay increase, first made public as he read a list of Democrat-created changes to the county's 2005-06 proposed budget at Thursday's board meeting. The board passed the spending plan moments later, and the raise was included.
"I'm not against the pay raise. I'm against how we got there," Gibson, the board's vice chairman, said Tuesday. "The process was flawed. It was wrong."
As we reported Sunday, Guilford commissioners are now paid more than virtually every other commissioner in North Carolina. Guilford is the state's third-largest county.
Gibson said commissioners should have discussed the raise publicly before the vote. And while he said the raise brings commissioners' salaries more in line with what board members make in other large counties, he said the Guilford board should have ordered a market study first.
Now, just a few days before the raise takes effect, Gibson says he's not sure if he'll accept it. He'd like to reject it because he's unhappy with the process, but if he does he fears he'll show up other commissioners. All six of the board's Democrats voted for the budget with the pay increase, while all five Republicans voted against it.
"I'm having buyer's remorse. And it's all internal," he said. Other commissioners have received calls from residents expressing their displeasure about the raise, but Gibson says he hasn't received any.
The raise was the first for the board since 2001, when commissioners' salaries were set at $14,700 annually. The chairman and vice chairman earn $18,300 and $15,000, respectively.
When the raise takes effect July 1, rank-and-file commissioners will make $20,700. The chairman ($24,300) and vice-chairman ($21,000) will earn more.
Gibson says he'll make some sort of statement on the raise and the entire budget process at the board's July 7 meeting.
"My conscience is hurting because of the process," Gibson said. "I thought it was a train wreck."
Comments (7)
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The democrat commissioners Will steal any thing they can from the county tax payers. They increased my taxes,then gave their self a 40% raise for me to pay.
Posted on June 28, 2005 7:41 PM
I would suggest that Mr. Gibson donate the money to directly to a school in the form of supplies, etc.
Posted on June 28, 2005 8:18 PM
I would suggest that Mr. Gibson refuse the raise. Similar to the School Board he ran in November, knowing what the pay would be. In the short time he has been on the job I cannot rationalize how he merits a 40% raise.
I do not see where he has improved anything in the county.
Posted on June 28, 2005 8:48 PM
Skip is the king of guilford county the democrat clowns will vote for any thing he wants. If he told them to jump from a window they would have a bloody mess every one would try to jump at one time.
Posted on June 29, 2005 7:41 PM
I am one of those "little ole ladies" that live on a fixed income and I think Gibson should feel guilty and I hope all the rest of the democrats spend some restless nights over it to.
Posted on July 1, 2005 3:23 PM
The GC commissioners get a raise. The school board members get a raise. With all of these raises taking place, you think we would be seeing major improvements in our county. However, the opposite is true. The N & R reported recently that even our teachers will unlikely get the raise they were promised. What's going on here?
Posted on July 2, 2005 10:12 AM
Paul Gibson is King Skips lap dog,Skip will pet him on the head and he will run and bark trying to please King Skip.
Posted on July 17, 2005 5:14 PM