pinion: By Lee Tannenbaum, President of the El Dorado County Taxpayers Association
El Dorado County Calif. — is staring down a $20 million deficit. Services are being cut. Economic development and tourism—the very programs that support our small business economy—are being defunded. And yet, while departments tighten belts and hiring is frozen, one thing keeps growing unchecked: raises under Section 504 of the County Charter.
Section 504 was adopted in 1995 with a very specific purpose: to ensure that “Deputy Sheriff I” and “Deputy Sheriff II” classifications received salaries competitive with nearby law enforcement agencies. It was narrowly designed to support recruitment and retention, while insulating deputy compensation from political interference.
But over the years, Section 504 has been quietly mutated into a powerful and expensive tool to give guaranteed raises to employees who were never intended to be covered—and without voter approval. Board resolutions, internal policy changes, and labor negotiations have steadily expanded the list of 504-linked positions to include attorneys, a significant portion of the District Attorney’s Office, roles within the Public Defender’s Office, parole officers, county jail officers, and high-level administrative positions—both elected and appointed.
These are not sworn peace officers. Yet they’re now receiving automatic raises tied to law enforcement benchmarks—even in the midst of a fiscal crisis. Some of these raises reach as high as 35%, totaling more than $30,000 per person, while other departments are asked to scale back services.
And worse: these raises are being and have been buried in the consent calendar—the portion of Board agendas typically reserved for routine, uncontroversial business. There’s no presentation. No debate. No justification. Just a quiet vote and an expanding financial obligation the public never signed off on.
That’s the irony. The County says we’re broke—but there’s always money for quiet raises at the top.
Current Auditor-Controller Joe Harn and former CAO Don Ashton have both warned publicly that the unchecked expansion of Section 504 is creating long-term financial risks. Their concerns deserve serious attention—not dismissal.
This isn’t about attacking public employees or undermining law enforcement. This is about transparency, fiscal responsibility, and honoring the will of the voters. Section 504 was approved to protect deputy salaries—not to create an untouchable, automatic raise machine for high-level management. The El Dorado County Taxpayers Association is calling on the Board of Supervisors to agendize a full review of Section 504—its origins, its current applications, its fiscal impact, and whether it’s time to return the matter to voters for clarification or correction. Because right now, Section 504 has gone far beyond its original intent—and the taxpayers are paying the price.
