Come clean, Miami-Dade commissioners. Who snuck that huge raise into the budget? | Editorial

For a group of people whose careers as elected officials live and die by touting the bacon they bring home to their constituents, the members of the Miami-Dade County Commission have been awfully quiet about who snuck a 130% raise for commissioners into the proposed budget.

Look, there’s no shame in asking for a raise. Employees across South Florida, and far beyond, want and need to earn more, too.

However, most don’t have to rely on voters to grant them raises, nor do they have the option, as county commissioners do, to do it themselves.

No, the only shame here is that somebody, or somebodies, didn’t want us to know that commissioners stood ready to more than double their compensation for salary and benefits to about $130,000.

As per the county’s charter, commissioners’ salaries are set at a wholly outdated $6,000 a year. However, expense allowances, car stipends and retirement contributions boost that to $60,000.

Let’s discuss it

Notice, we are not saying that commissioners should not earn more. There is a valid case to be made. These public servants, if they’re doing the job right, are putting in more-than-full-time hours. As former Commissioner Katy Sorenson said in a Herald opinion piece this week, “Legislative and budget responsibilities take an enormous amount of time. Reading, preparation, getting questions answered, understanding all points of view — hours and hours go into the job. The issues in our county are complex and huge.”

Plus, there’s the constituent service, meeting with those who need their help — or their vote — and keeping on top of their district challenges.

A 2017 County Charter Review Task Force gives county commissioners cover to seek more in compensation. It recommended setting commission salaries at about $100,000, which would match a state formula used for government employees. In fact, this is what city of Miami commissioners earn to represent residents of a much smaller municipality (and given all the time-wasting back-biting, sniping and hostility toward the public displayed from the Miami dais, we have every reason to ask if a couple of city commissioners are truly worth it).

Voters say No — repeatedly

Five county commissioners are term-limited and serving out the final weeks of their tenures. So, the desire for a raise is not a self-interested initiative for them. Of course, the same can’t be said about that ridiculous proposal for an “ambassadors” program that would pay former commissioners $25,000 to cut ribbons or whatever.

Miami-Dade voters have rejected giving commissioners a raise 13 times since 1967. Polls from years past have found that most Americans like their congressional lawmaker, but can’t stand Congress. Perhaps the same can be said about the County Commission: Voters like their own county commissioner, but loathe the County Commission. The first part is why incumbents so often are reelected. The second part is why voters refuse to give them a raise.

In her op-ed, Sorenson concluded: “I will gladly use my tax dollars to fairly compensate county commissioners. In return I expect professionalism, diligence, honesty and integrity — in other words, true public service.”

She’s on point. In this case, “professionalism, diligence, honesty and integrity” mean commissioners must be absolutely transparent with us before giving themselves a raise. And if the commissioner or commissioners who stealthily inserted the raise in the budget boldly step forward, that would be a great start.

This story was originally published September 14, 2022 at 6:02 PM.