The record-union., 1893-03-10
A COUNTY OFFICIALS IDEA.
He Sees Nothing Wrong in the Pro-
posed Salary Increase.
According to His View of the Case,
1t Would Be But as "Drop
in the Bucket

Appointment county official yesterday
took exceptions to the statements made
in the RECoRD-UNIoN with regard to the
increase of the salary roll of the county
if the amendment to the county govern
ment bill now before the Legislature
should pass. He thinks there is another
side to the question, and the increase of
officials is necessary and iustifable. In
support of his position he makes the fol-
lowing statements.
First" said he, ''take the County
| Clerk. His present salary is Sc, 600, of which
he has to pay to two court clerks 81, 500
each, or S3, 900, and one deputy at 81 200,
total of $4,000, leaving him the enormous
sum of Sl,S00 for his services, and he
must at the same time act as Clerk of the
Board of Supervisors.
The Sheriff has $1,000 as his present
salary, and 81 500 as Tax Collector, and
such fees as are allowed, and mileage for
all services performed in actions coming
from another county, and for all criminal
service necessarily performed outside of
his county, and all necessary expenses
incurred in arrestlng and conveying priS-
oners before court or to prison, besides
his expenses in keeping property seized
! under attachment or levied under eXecu-
| ton, provided that the keepers fees shall
not exceed three dollars per day of
twelve hours, except at night. when he
shall be allowed additional fees. Out of
| this he pays his Under Sheriff, two court
Dallitfs, TWO jailers, tax collector, and
from one 10 two deputies. Not less than
$3.50 out of his salary is paid for assist
ance in running his office. OF course his
fees will tuctuate, but whatever they
| AmDunt To ont individuals
estates and the State.
The District Attorney has $1,000 per
annum and must pay his deputy.
The Assessor gets $4,000 per annum,
10 per cent. on poll-taxes and per cent.
on personal property taxes collected by
him, amounting to $500, or Il total OF
$3.50 per annum. Out of this sum he
must pay all help. 1t requires thirteen
deputies for four months IN the year,
three tor about tive months, and two all
| the year round at cost OF 81, 800 leaving
! him balance of s., 300.
The Superintendent of Schools gets
81 800 and $500 for travelling expenses.
1.-The Recorder has $4,000 per annum
and the Auditor 81 900; total S., 600, out of
which he pays one chief deputy and two
clerks at total salary of $1,000.
The Treasurer gets S2,400 per year.
! The other officers are not affected by
either of the bills now pending, nor will
the county government bill, No. IA,
affect present incumbents. The substi-
tute, if passed, will go into effect at once,
| but the new office created by it will go
| out of existence in 1895, the first Monday
in January.
The Federal census taken in 1890
would have placed Sacramento County in
the third class, but reclassiiication was
made, and We were put back into the
fifth class at the same salary as had been
formerly paid for counties in the fourth
/ class.
Every one," said the gentleman,
that has had any business within the
Courthouse knows that the duties inn
! posed upon the officers have increased
| from year to year much more than the
ratio of increase in population.
The Board ofSupervisors, KNOWN gthe
! increased labors put upon the officers,
have from time to time given assistance
in the form of deputies land Justly and
rightly, too, until the decision of the
Supreme Court in the case of Austin VS..
Daugherty, completely knocking out all
deputies, two of the distinguished Judges
dissenting from that opinion, and the
wording of some of the asserting opin-
| ions might be construed to acknowledge
that they thought the necessary help
should be granted the officers, though the
law did not allow it under their con-
struction.
county government bill will increase the
salary of the County Clerk $500, the
Sheriff S2,40O, the Recorder 2,40O, the
Auditor $500, the Treasurer 81 200, the
Tax Collector 81 800, the Assessor $500,
the District Attorney $1,000 and the
| Superintendent of Schools $500, making a
grand total increase of 81, 800.
1T does not seem to be taken into con-
sideration that the County Recorder,
County Clerk and Sheriff pay into the
county treasury annually a sum not less
| than 600 in the shape of fees, that do
not come out OF the taxpayers, but from
individuals. Deducting this amount
from the increase in salaries leaves bal
ance ofnet increase s., 900. or just about two
cents on the 500 increase in taxation. In
other words, the salaries of the county
officers is not drop in the bucket in
comparison to other expenses connected
with running the affairs of our county"