| It's been eight years since West Virginia's elected officials have had a pay raise.
Calhoun's commissioners Weaver, Helmick amd Westfall opposes increases.
The issue was raised by the state's county commission association, to possibly put the issue before the WV legislature in 2014.
The legislature sets the pay scale for elected officials.
A decisive 70% of the CCAWV membership voted to not support any salary increase bill in 2014, including Calhoun's commissioners.
While Calhoun commissioners said dedicated county officials should get a pay raise, they cited reasons not to support the measure.
â The still-lagging economy.
â Dire warnings from state leaders of impending money woes for 2014 for both State and local governments.
â Continued decreases in coal severance monies.
â No surge expected in oil & gas prices to make up the loss.
â The rise of drug-related incarcerations and subsequent soaring jail bills.
â Budget cuts on the state and federal levels that could reduce grant funding and other resources to counties.
â Slowed production of plants and mines, leading to layoffs and shutdowns across the state, further reducing the counties' tax base and leaving many county taxpayers jobless, along with unfunded mandates.
While some counties supported a raise in theory, due to recent county budget constraints, many would not have enough money in the county coffers to cover the cost of a salary hike.
Calhoun is struggling to pay a base salary for a full-time prosecutor, whose duties have continued to increase with a large case load.
| 
