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High salaries, but low profiles

Constitutional officers usually keep low profile, with high pay

Date published: 11/17/2009

BY JONAS BEALS

Voting in Virginia can inspire a fit of curiosity. What is a clerk of the circuit court, and what does that elected official do?

The clerk of the circuit court is a local constitutional officer who maintains court records, collects fees and issues marriage licenses, among many other duties.

They are also well-paid.

Every clerk of the court in our region makes more than $100,000. In Spotsylvania and Stafford, their salaries exceed $135,000—more than twice the average household income in the state.

Nearly every Virginia city and county has a clerk of the circuit court, along with four other constitutional officers. Clerks are elected every eight years while the sheriff, treasurer, commonwealth’s attorney and commissioner of the revenue are on the ballot every four.

Together, these officers serve important functions that keep residents safe, collect funds for the county and ensure the courts run smoothly.

Unlike most political figures and elected officials, however, many constitutional officers tend to disappear from the public eye between elections.

Their jobs are technical rather than legislative, and many residents probably think about them only for the moment it takes to fill out their ballot.

the long term

Fredericksburg Treasurer G.M. Haney, who ran unopposed this month, was re-elected to another four-year term. He has held the position since 1970.

Haney’s salary this year: $101,703.

Every constitutional officer receives a majority of his salary from the state Compensation Board, based on the population of their city or county. Localities are allowed to supplement that state salary however they wish.

In the case of Haney, the state pays $68,184. The city of Fredericksburg picks up the rest of the tab—$33,519. Haney’s is the highest local supplement among all constitutional officers in the region.

On the other hand, King George and Orange counties do not augment the state salaries of most of their constitutional officers.

ABOUT THE SERIES The Free Lance-Star filed Freedom of Information requests earlier this year for the name, position and salary of every local government and school employee in our area making $100,000 or more. This is the last in a three-part series looking at those salaries. PART 1: School superintendents are top earners in local government. PART 2: Spotsylvania School Superintendent Jerry Hill is the highest-paid government official in the Fredericksburg area, but county School Board officials say he is well worth the money. Meanwhile Spotsylvania County Administrator Doug Barnes makes less than his counterparts in Stafford and Fredericksburg, but he says the timing wasn’t right to ask for more money. PART 3: Except for sheriffs and prosecutors, most constitutional officers in Virginia keep a low profile. But these jobs come with impressive salaries.

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Date published: 11/17/2009