Hennepin County commissioners vote to raise their salary by 49%

Hennepin County commissioners voted for a 49% pay raise for themselves by 2025 after approving the proposal during Tuesday's committee meeting.

District 2 member Irene Fernando proposed the pay raise during Tuesday's Administration, Operations, and Budget Committee meeting. The proposal would increase the current salary cap for commissioners from $122,225 to $182,141. The first part of the proposal would also increase the salary of the Hennepin Sheriff and Attorney's office, which was unanimously voted through.

While commissioners can choose a lower salary, it would increase the maximum standard by 49%, a move that Fernando says is more comparable to other county commissioners and will attract more diverse candidates.

"In 2019, Commissioner Conley and I were sworn in as the first and only commissioners of color," Fernando said. "I believe in a county where generational wealth or additional income is not a prerequisite to serving as a Hennepin elected official."

Lead Chair Debbie Goettel seconded Fernando's motion and voted in favor of the raise.

"We have a diverse work group, and we try to pay them a living wage so they can go home and pay the bills that they have," says Goetell. "It is long overdue that we look at ourselves."

The committee voted in favor of the proposalwith a 4-2 vote, with Vice Chair Heather Edelson and District 7 Commissioner Kevin Anderson voting against the raise. The proposal still needs to be voted on next week by the entire committee board before it officially passes.

"I do take some issue with being put in the same classifications as our assistant county administrators; the jobs are different and very distinct," Anderson said before voting against the proposal. "I think a modest increase to make sure that we're reaching our cost of living is completely appropriate, but I can't vote in good conscience for the level of increase for the commissioner salaries."

Edelson noted that while she agreed with the first part of the proposal, she does not "know anybody that gets a 50% increase" and ultimately voted against the increased pay for commissioners.

Related: Another Walz-appointed commissioner forced out by Senate GOP