The bill introduces several modifications to the salary structure for elected county officials and district attorneys in Colorado:
Key Provisions:
Salary Elections:
Elected county officials in any county may choose to receive a salary that is lower than the amount set by law or opt to receive no salary at all.
This salary election must be made annually and submitted to the county treasurerno later than 30 days before the start of the county's next fiscal year.
District Attorneys:
District attorneys are granted the same ability as county officials to elect to receive a lower salary or no salary.
Timing of Election:
The salary election for county officials and district attorneys must be made annually, instead of during the month of November as previously required.
The election must be submitted 30 days before the county’s fiscal year begins.
Salary Categorization:
The bill modifies the categorization of Mesa County, changing it from category I-D to category I-A, effective January 1, 2029.
This change results in an increase in the salary for Mesa County’s elected officials, as it moves to a higher salary category.
This bill provides greater flexibility for county officials and district attorneys to adjust their compensation, allowing them to choose a salary lower than the statutory amount or to forgo payment entirely.
The bill also creates a salary increase for Mesa County officials by reclassifying the county into a higher category, which will affect their salary levels starting in 2029.
Summary
Under current law, elected county officials in certain counties may
elect to receive a salary that is 50% lower than the salary amount for that county official as set by law. This election must be set forth and recorded with the office of a county's clerk and recorder during the month of November.
The bill modifies this election to allow elected county officials in
any county to elect to receive any amount of salary lower than the amount set by law or to receive no salary. The election must be made annually and submitted to the county treasurer no later than 30 days before the county's next fiscal year. The bill also extends to district attorneys, in substantially the same manner, the ability to elect to receive a lower salary than the amount set by law or to receive no salary.
For purposes of establishing the salaries of county elected officers,
each county in the state is delineated into a specified category. The bill changes Mesa county's categorization from category I-D to category I-A, effective January 1, 2029, which will result in an accompanying percentage increase for the county's elected officials.
