Thurston County will head into the new year with pay increases for elected officials and staff as well as property tax increases for taxpayers.
The Board of County Commissioners finished its final meeting of 2024 by approving 13 resolutions related to the 2025 midterm budget Tuesday, Dec. 17.
Non-represented county employees will receive a 3% cost of living increase, as well as pay increases based on merit. Such employees include non-union employees, those in the management and technical pay plan, those at will, non-union civil deputy prosecuting attorneys, defense attorneys and official court reporters.
Commissioner Emily Clouse said elected officials will receive a 6% increase, and her fellow seatmates noted that the original recommendation from the county’s salary commission was higher than the approved 6%. Clouse abstained from voting, while the rest voted to approve. County commissioners do not get to vote on their own salary, but the vote was for salaries for the county assessor, auditor, clerk, coroner, prosecuting attorney, sheriff and treasurer.
Clouse disagreed with elected officials receiving a higher pay increase than county staff, and Carolina Mejia recommended that the commissioners’ salaries should be aligned with other elected officials.
“This year’s recommendation for salaries for elected officials calls for a 6% increase, while our county staff, who keep our systems functioning every day, are only slated to receive a 3% cost of living adjustment,” Clouse said. “This disparity raises critical questions for me about equity, fiscal responsibility and who we value in our community. The reality is many working families in Thurston County are struggling to keep up with rising costs, including housing, food and essential needs. I remain firm in my position that any salary increases for elected officials should not exceed the cost of living adjustment provided to our county staff.”
The county commissioners also authorized an increase in property tax revenue in both dollars and percentage for the current expense, roads and conservation futures funds up to 1%, as well as an increase up to 7% authorized by voters for the Medic One fund in August 2021. County fiscal manager Summer Miller said, the total general fund property tax levy in 2025 is an estimated $53 million. Assistant County Manager Robin Campbell said the 1% increase amounts to $450,000.
The county also approved a flurry of budget-related resolutions, including the midterm operating budget, capital budget and other improvement plans. Miller told the board that the 2025 total operating budget is $505,880,436, and the operating revenue is an estimated $669,385,392. The capital budget resolution included adjustments to the road fund and other county funds. The 2025 total capital budget is $160,311,915, while the total capital revenue is $102,884,575.
The county commissioners also swore in Rachel Grant, Carolina Mejia and Wayne Fournier following their November general election victories, and they reaffirmed Tye Menser as chairman of the board and Fournier as vice chair.
