Staffing improved in sheriff's office after increased pay
Sep. 20—Buchanan County voters will go to the ballot box in November to vote on a sales tax increase for police officer pay. This comes after the passage of a tax just a year ago for the sheriff's office, which is already paying dividends.
Since the passage of a quarter-cent sales tax in 2021, the Buchanan County Sheriff's Office has seen improvements in staffing and retention.
Close to $3.6 million was added to the sheriff's office budget in 2022, and Buchanan County Auditor Tara Horn said the budget will be close to the same for the 2023 fiscal year as expected.
The sales tax is designed to create up to 17 to 18 new positions as well as fill current positions.
Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett said the impact of the tax has already been felt. Currently, the department is still hiring, with 13 open positions, but that is still fewer than before the tax was implemented. Deputies receive $49,000 to start and move to $53,000 after two years of good performance.
"It's (the sales tax) has been a game changer, it's been very significant. We've seen a great reduction in the resignations and we've been able to hire," Puett said. "We are not in the shortage level that we were before the tax passed."
The St. Joseph Police Department will also see an increase in pay starting Oct. 1 with part of the new salary initiatives being a starting pay of $49,000 with a 3% yearly increase.
Puett said the cost of living and other inflation will be important to continue to monitor.
"The sheriff's office hasn't had a salary increase for a very long time, so this was well needed and I think a lot of people are excited that they're at least in a competitive market," he said.
Puett said the department appreciates the citizens' willingness to support the sales tax increase and put a priority on law enforcement.
Lee Sawyer, presiding commissioner for Buchanan County, said the commissioners realized the sales tax was the best way to increase pay for the office, but he knows there is a threshold people are willing to accept when it comes to sales tax, as parts of St. Joseph are over 10%.
Sawyer said he does not want the police department and sheriff's office competing against each other.
"You definitely don't want the city and the county chasing pay back and forth. That's something that we talk about and we don't want to have happen," Sawyer said.
Clayton Anderson can be reached at clayton.anderson@newspressnow.com. Follow him on twitter: @NPNowAnderson.
