Taxpayers do ultimately pay for Weaver appeal

letter to the editor
Published: June 26, 2008

Editor:

While I’m not particularly “disgruntled,” the nomenclature du jour, I am disappointed in the “debate” about just what is paid for by the State Compensation Board.  In this case, the subject is the legal expenses for the FOIA case against Sheriff Weaver, based upon an opinion from the FOIA Council in Richmond (and the FOIA law). As citizens, taxpayers often form opinions based on “facts,” and to me, those facts should be fully disclosed.

A recent letter to the editor gave the impression that taxpayers do not somehow pay for the services and related expenses of our constitutional offices – that the State Compensation Board does this (magically, from a money tree, apparently).

First, the taxpayers fund the State Compensation Board. Whether a salary or legal expenses are paid by direction or indirection, it is nonetheless paid for by us.  Any legal expense reimbursements from the SCB are “proportionate,” indicating that 100 percent will not be reimbursed but will be borne, in part, by Madison County taxpayers directly and by Virginia taxpayers indirectly.

“Such legal fees and expenses shall be paid from the treasury of the county or city, and reimbursement shall be made from the Compensation Board in the proportions set out in § 15.2-1636.14 .”

To understand this more fully, taxpayers need to understand how the system works.  Madison is authorized one sheriff, nine deputies and two court security positions, according to the Web site of the State Compensation Board (“Sheriffs/Superintendents FY09 Staffing Standards – Law Enforcement and Court Services”).  (§ 15.2-1609.1, Code of Virginia). We supplement these salaries and fringe benefits beyond SCB payments as well as fund seven deputies in whole for starters.

When we look at the overall budget, the proposed amount for the sheriff’s office (2008-2009) was $1,840,336. The amount of state funds for Madison for this office was $742,325 (letter dated March 21).  We pay.

The long and short of all this is that we, the taxpayers, do pay for everything in the life of government. 

We just need the facts.

Disappointed – not disgruntled,

Kim Johnson Smith
Brightwood