Council members used the FY26 budget hearing to press administration officials on how raises and new benefits would be applied across departments.

County Executive Casley said the budget provides a 6 percent salary increase for sheriff deputies to match a 2022 pay study and that a $1,000 merit payment plus a 3 percent COLA is included for county civilian employees and allied agencies. He described the county's intent as keeping deputy pay competitive to avoid turnover.

Council members raised equality and implementation questions. Sergeant Eaton (deputy union leadership referenced by members) and council members said some deputies reported that about half of the rank-and-file received the full 6 percent while others saw smaller increases or no $1,000 stipend because of step-system mechanics in the sheriff's pay plan. Casley and budget staff said the county provided the funding for the sheriff to implement the pay plan, but that the elected sheriff has discretion to allocate the funds within his department; the administration said it intended that the budget match the pay-plan cost. Budget staff described the complexity of step systems and said uniformed plans often differ from civilian plans in pension and benefits.

Council members also highlighted health and retirement costs. Budget staff noted health and dental benefit rates in the FY26 projection rose by 5 percent to a per-position estimate used in the budget. The pension contribution rates were also adjusted in the budget: staff cited a general pension rate bump to 13 percent for most county employees, a LEOPS (law enforcement) rate to 39.5 percent and the sheriff detention pension rate to 35 percent.

Council members asked about a new voluntary group long-term care benefit the county planned to make available to employees; staff said open enrollment is live and cautioned employees to enroll within the designated window to avoid medical underwriting.

Why it matters: Salary steps, differing pension formulas and elected-agency discretion on allocations mean that a headline percentage can produce uneven outcomes for individual employees. Council members asked the administration for spreadsheets and county-to-county comparisons to validate competitiveness and equity.