EL PASO, Texas – (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso County commissioners are weighing how much to raise pay for county employees as the cost of living continues to climb, but they have not agreed on what the increase should be.
The county’s recommended budget currently includes a 1.5% cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, and a 2.5% increase for employees on a step plan, meaning workers who receive set pay increases based on years of service or performance.
Commissioners asked county staff to price out higher COLA options.
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Staff said a 3.25% COLA would bring the county’s lowest wage to about $16 an hour and would cost about $1.7 million more than what is currently included in the budget.
“I think we need to take that into account every every budget cycle that we need to be paying people as close to a living wage as possible,” said Commissioner David Stout, who represents Central and South Central El Paso.
Commissioner Jackie Arroyo Butler, who represents East El Paso, said she was hesitant to commit to an increase without more financial details.
“I’m not comfortable voting on any numbers that we don’t know what the impact to to our budget or tax rate are going to be,” Arroyo Butler said.
The commissioners court did not take action on a general employee COLA.
However, commissioners did approve a 4% increase for employees not on a step plan.
That increase also applies to certain elected officials, but the county judge and commissioners voted to exclude themselves.
The motion passed 3-2.
“I think the court limiting its own salary and not raising its own salary goes a long way to show the public that we really are still trying to make as many reductions as we possibly can,” said Commissioner Iliana Holguin, who represents East El Paso and the Lower Valley.
Commissioner Sergio Coronado, who represents West and Northeast El Paso, said elected officials should be included in the raises.
“Having all elected officials included in these small raises regularly along with all of their employees is the way to go forward because that takes it politics out of the situation,” Coronado said.
Commissioners asked staff to return with additional COLA options and information on how those choices would affect the tax rate and county reserves.
The county’s new fiscal year starts Oct. 1.
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