Orange County Supervisors will not rescind the 25% raise they gave themselves last year despite a scathing grand jury report that called them out for a lack of transparency and urged them to return the money by the end of this month.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis decision was not only tone-deaf\u2014it reflected a deeper disconnect from the Board\u2019s duty to serve the public with transparency and fiscal responsibility,\u201d the OC Grand Jury wrote in a report released in December<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cFollowing a corruption scandal, elected bodies typically respond with transparency, humility, and a renewed commitment to ethical governance. They engage the public, restore fiscal integrity, and demonstrate that they understand the gravity of their responsibilities,\u201d they continued. \u201cRegrettably, in this instance, the Board chose a different path.\u201d<\/p>\n On Tuesday, supervisors narrowly voted 3-1-1 to issue a response rejecting and disagreeing with the Grand Jury\u2019s harsh report on their decision to quietly hike their pay last year.<\/p>\n [Read: Santana: Why Did County Blow Off Grand Jury Questions on Supervisors\u2019 Pay Hike?<\/a>]<\/p>\n Supervisor Katrina Foley voted against the response, arguing she didn\u2019t agree with the way it was worded without elaborating.\u00a0 She was the only supervisor last year to vote no on the pay raise.<\/p>\n Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento said he regretted voting in favor of the pay raise, but they could be sued if they rescind the pay like Grand Jurors recommended.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe learned that state law significantly limits the board\u2019s ability to reduce compensation once it\u2019s been approved,\u201d Sarmiento said at Tuesday\u2019s board meeting. \u201cIf we move forward with an ordinance to decrease the board\u2019s salary we would more than likely invite a lawsuit, which we would likely lose.\u201d<\/p>\n Sarmiento abstained from the vote.\u00a0<\/p>\n He and Supervisor Doug Chaffee donated the extra money from their salaries to local charities following Voice of OC\u2019s coverage on the issue.<\/p>\n [Read: Two Orange County Supervisors Donate Raise to Charity After Backlash<\/a>]<\/p>\n Leon Page, the board\u2019s attorney, said they could apply a salary reduction prospectively but would likely not receive support from supervisors.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause some members are in the middle of their terms, as opposed to starting new terms in January, that would lead to an inequality, that some members would receive higher compensation than others,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just very difficult to do this to reduce compensation provided to an elected official during his or her term.\u201d<\/p>\n Click here<\/a> to read the Grand Jury report.\u00a0<\/p>\n