Off to a Bad Start
Watching the February 6th recording of the Yamhill County Board of Commissioners meeting left me shaking my head in disbelief. The heart of the discussion was about continuing complete transparency on expense reimbursements each commissioner may submit for mileage accrued through travel, meals, and other county travel-related expenses. Our previous Board of Commissioners chose not to submit reimbursement requests but instead decided they could save Yamhill County taxpayers money by absorbing mileage expenses on their own.
When the discussion of commissioners absorbing expenses for mileage turned to putting a cap on expenses that could be submitted, Commissioner King dissented and presented several different statements as to why he didn’t think he should abide by the precedent set by the previous Board of Commissioners. There were two remarks Commissioner King made that were rather remarkable—and disappointing.
The first remark, “…to cap how we do a job is limiting how we do the job,” was disproven by the bar our previous Board of Commissioners set when they decided not to ask for mileage reimbursement. Our previous Board of Commissioners made some very difficult decisions that allowed our county to weather the mandates and lockdowns forced on us by an authoritarian state administration. Since it is clear our previous Board of Commissioners were not limited in how they did their job, I have to wonder: does Commissioner King believe he is hobbled by adhering to the same standards our other two commissioners maintain? Or is Commissioner King alluding to the notion that if his spending were uncapped, his effectiveness would be unlimited?
The second remark made by Commissioner King, I believe, was very telling regarding his perception of the elected position he holds. When arguing about his possible inability to afford a reimbursement cap, he stated, “Let’s be honest, it’s not an amazing income.”
Let’s be clear:
- Commissioner King’s salary as a county commissioner is $78,265 annually (Source: Yamhill County Salary Tables).
- Commissioner King receives $2,500 to $3,000 per month for a complete healthcare plan (as noted by Commissioner Starrett during the meeting).
- Commissioner King also has an annual discretionary fund of $1,500.
- In total, Commissioner King receives between $109,765 and $115,765 in compensation.
By comparison:
- The average yearly salary in Oregon is $59,931 (Source: ZipRecruiter).
- The average annual salary in Yamhill County is $55,802 (Source: Unbiased.com).
My Questions:
- If Commissioner King’s compensation package, according to him, is not amazing, and having a cap on expenses is distasteful, then why did he campaign to be a County Commissioner?
- Is it Commissioner King’s stance that taxpayers should enhance his “not an amazing” compensation package by agreeing to “no restraints” on reimbursements?
My Comment:
As a voting citizen of Yamhill County who is retired and does not make anywhere close to what Commissioner King’s compensation package affords him, I find his comments repugnant, self-serving, and completely out of touch with the people he is supposed to serve.
Steve Howard
Yamhill
Melinda DeShane
February 15, 2025 at 10:01 amI bust my tail 40 plus hours a week and don’t make that much and yet somehow i survive. If commissioner King doesn’t have the ability to survive on that income then maybe he should make some lifestyle changes and maybe he should learn how to budget his money and live within his means instead of looking for a handout .