Bills › 88th General Assembly
Relating to the annual compensation of county supervisors
Sponsored by the House State Government Committee
Topics:Elections & votingCities & counties
Same legislation: HF 2035
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 16, 2020
- Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 22, 2020
- Done: House committeeFebruary 19, 2020
- Stopped: Passes the HouseDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: Senate committee
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The 2020 session adjourned on June 14, 2020, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary If a county board of supervisors wants to pay its members more than the middle household income in that county, they must let the voters decide. The board would send a question to registered voters to see if they approve of the new pay schedule. If most voters say no, the supervisors' pay will stay the same as it was the previous year.1
Read the official explanation
This bill relates to the annual compensation of county supervisors. Under current law, a county compensation board recommends the annual compensation of certain county officials, including supervisors, after reviewing the compensation paid to comparable officers in other counties of this state, other states, private enterprise, and the federal government. The bill provides that if the county board of supervisors adopts a compensation schedule that annually compensates supervisors in an amount greater than the median annual household income for the county, the board must direct the county commissioner of elections to submit to the registered voters of the county the question of whether the adopted compensation schedule shall be approved. If a majority of those voting do not approve the adopted compensation schedule prior to the date the county budget is certified, the compensation for supervisors shall be the same as provided in the current fiscal year. Current law prohibits the county board of supervisors from adopting a compensation schedule that exceeds the county compensation board’s recommendation.
Fiscal note
Cost: up to $590,000 Compare with other bills
AI summary This bill requires a special election if a county board of supervisors proposes pay for a supervisor that is higher than the county's median household income. It is estimated to cost Johnson, Linn, Polk, and Story counties a total of $590,000 annually to conduct these special elections.3
Read the fiscal note
Description
House File 2518 requires a special election for voter approval of a county compensation schedule, adopted by the board of supervisors, that compensates a supervisor in excess of the county’s median household income based on the most recent U.S. Census data.
Background
Only four Iowa counties currently have supervisor salaries that exceed the median household income. Those counties are Johnson, Linn, Polk, and Story.
In the remaining counties, supervisor salaries are far enough below the median household income that it is unlikely those counties will be affected by the Bill in the next two years. If enacted, the Bill will take effect July 1, 2020, and first impact the adoption of annual county compensation schedules in FY 2021.
Assumptions
The four counties likely to be affected by HF 2518 provided the following information regarding the estimated cost of a special election:
- Johnson — $80,000
- Linn — $200,000
- Polk — $225,000 - $250,000
- Story — $85,000
The estimated fiscal impact assumes each of the four counties will maintain or increase supervisor salaries compared to the current level. However, the boards of supervisors in the four counties could choose to reduce supervisors’ salaries below the median household income to avoid special elections.County
Current
Supervisor
Salary
2018 Median
Household
Income
Salary vs.
Median
Johnson 81,864$ 61,395$ 20,469$ Linn 114,843 63,754 51,089 Polk 122,739 66,112 56,627 Story 82,665 61,381 21,284 County Supervisor Salaries Compared to the Median
Household Income
Fiscal Impact
If enacted, HF 2518 is estimated to cost Iowa counties a total of $590,000 annually to conduct the required special elections in Johnson, Linn, Polk, and Story counties.
Source
- Iowa State Association of Counties
- County Board of Supervisors, Pay · February 25, 2020 · $590,000
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88th General Assembly