Charter Review: Commissioner Salary Referendum
Summary
A proposed charter amendment would remove the fixed $37,000 commissioner salary and the requirement that pay changes be approved by voters, instead tying salaries to the state formula for non-charter counties. It cleared its second public hearing with no public input and heads to the final hearing May 18 before going to the county commission.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 8
- Last 30 days
- 1
Last discussed Jun 23, 2026.
Impact analysis
Commissioner salaries could rise or fall with the state statutory formula instead of staying frozen at $37,000 a year.
County taxpayers gain a salary tied to state law, and commissioners gain pay that adjusts with the statutory schedule.
Taxpayers who oppose any increase, and who twice rejected prior salary measures at the ballot, would bear the added cost.
Mentions & discussions (8)
Clay County voters to decide whether to remove $37,000 salary cap for commissioners
Clay County voters to decide whether to remove $37,000 salary cap for commissioners firstcoastnews.com
Board of County Commissioners Meeting - Jun 23, 2026
The Charter Review Commission's lone surviving proposal would tie commissioner salaries to the state formula — roughly $96,000 versus the charter's fixed $37,000. It now heads to a November 2026 special election ballot.
Charter Review Commission - May 18, 2026
The proposed amendment would scrap the charter's fixed $37,000 commissioner salary and the requirement that voters approve any raise, instead tying pay to the state formula used in non-charter counties. It heads to the Board of County Commissioners for the November 2026 ballot.
Charter Review Commission - May 4, 2026
A proposed charter amendment would remove the fixed $37,000 commissioner salary and the requirement that pay changes be approved by voters, instead tying salaries to the state formula for non-charter counties. It cleared its second public hearing with no public input and heads to the final hearing May 18 before going to the county commission.
Charter Review Commission - Apr 20, 2026
The commission is moving a charter revision that would change how Clay County commissioners' salaries are set, tying them to the salary set in Florida Statute 145.031. The ballot language was approved in March; three public hearings are required before it advances. Residents can still weigh in at the May 4 and May 18 hearings.
Charter Review Commission - Mar 16, 2026
A proposal to stretch the CRC cycle from four years to eight — matching most other charter counties and saving an estimated $20,000-30,000 per cycle — failed 9-5. Members worried eight years would lock in the salary provision too long, and a six-year compromise was floated but not pursued.
Charter Review Commission - Feb 9, 2026
The commission advanced a ballot question asking whether commissioner pay should follow state law (roughly $98,000) instead of the charter's $37,000, unchanged for 18 years. Supporters say the job is full-time and pay is near minimum wage; opponents fear voters will reject a big raise.
Charter Review Commission - Jan 12, 2026
The commission is weighing whether to ask voters to replace the charter-fixed $37,000 salary with 70% of the state statutory rate (state formula currently around $96,455). Supporters say the pay is outdated for a fast-growing county where commissioners have no staff; opponents note voters rejected similar measures twice and community sentiment online is strongly against it.
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