Tarrant County commissioners approve raises for themselves, sheriff and other officials
The Tarrant County commissioners voted to approve raises of about 3% for themselves and Sheriff Bill Waybourn on Tuesday.
Both County Judge Tim O’Hare and Sheriff Waybourn earn $217,952 a year. Effective Oct. 1, their annual salaries will be $224,191, a raise of 2.86%.
The raises are part of the county’s 2025 budget, which passed 4-1, with O’Hare voting against.
Before the vote to approve the budget, O’Hare asked the commissioners if they wanted to “freeze” the elected officials’ raises and “undo them” from the budget. He did not say in Tuesday’s session why he voted against the budget, nor did he respond to an email requesting comment.
All four commissioners earn $207,952 a year, and their annual salaries will go up to $214,191 on Oct. 1. That’s a raise of 2.99%. The same raise was approved for the tax assessor-collector.
O’Hare and the commissioners’ automobile allowances will increase from $17,256 to $17,640. Waybourn’s will go from $10,080 to $10,320.
Tarrant County residents disapprove of raises
Doreen Geiger of the Tarrant County Justice Network was the only person to speak during public comment on the item.
In May, the county judge and commissioners approved a $1.2 million settlement in the case of Chasity Congious, whose 10-day old baby died after she gave birth in the county jail without medical services.
The family of Anthony Johnson Jr., who was killed in the county jail in April, sued the county and the jailers involved in his death in July.
“Since Tarrant County has had to pay millions of dollars to settle lawsuits from deaths and beatings in the jail, I do not understand how the sheriff qualifies for an increase in pay,” Geiger said. “We cannot afford this.”
Fort Worth activist Teena James, founder of the community organization Safe in the Six, did not speak before the court, but expressed dismay to the Star-Telegram over O’Hare’s raise in light of the county’s recent cuts of community programs.
The county canceled one of those programs, Youth Advocate Programs, in July after O’Hare opposed language about “diversity initiatives” and “systemic racism” on the nonprofit’s website.
“You’re cutting all the programs that actually help the students, but then you give yourself a raise,” she said. “You don’t build these families, you don’t build community. You’re not walking in the community. You’re not walking in the schools. And you think you can get a raise while everyone else gets the shaft? Doesn’t make any sense.”
She also denounced the raise approved for Waybourn.
“Why would Waybourn get a raise? You got so many deaths under your belt. What are we rewarding you for?” James said.
Waybourn said in an emailed statement that he was unaware that his pay raise was on Tuesday’s agenda.
“I am humbled by the increase in pay and the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office will continue to provide the best possible services to everyone in the County,” he said.
Who else had a raise approved for 2025?
Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney Phil Sorrells will get a raise of around 1.34% beginning in October. His salary will increase from $253,643 to $257,053.
The raise for constables from all county precincts came in at slightly over 3%, from $135,169 to $139,224.
Similar raises were approved for District Clerk Thomas Wilder, as well as the county’s eight justices of the peace.
County and probate court judges and district court judges did not receive a raise.
Correction: An earlier version of this article stated that the county’s district court judges received a raise.
This story was originally published September 17, 2024 at 1:30 PM.
