Supervisors OK 20% Hike in Pay for Sheriff--to $110,000

The Board of Supervisors on Thursday approved a package of raises for Los Angeles County’s highest-ranking administrators that will boost Sheriff Sherman Block’s pay above the $100,000 mark if he wins election later this year.

The board legally cannot raise the pay of an elected official while that official is in office. It did, however, raise the sheriff’s pay from the current $91,319 to $110,000, effective when whoever wins the upcoming sheriff’s election takes office in December.

Block, who took office in early 1982 and won election to the post later that year, is running for reelection.

During board discussion Thursday, board members praised Block’s performance and indicated that they wished to put his salary in line with that of his Los Angeles city counterpart, Police Chief Daryl F. Gates, who received $112,000 last year.

Block’s 20.5% raise was more than double the percentage awarded any other county official. Most of the other pay hikes ranged from 3% to 8% and all but Block’s were effective Jan. 1, 1986.

The county’s chief administrative officer, James C. Hankla, saw his pay jump 8%, from $91,000 to $98,280. Dist. Atty. Ira Reiner’s salary discussions were postponed because he will be in office until 1988.

On Tuesday, the board is scheduled to discuss possible pay raises for Assessor Alexander Pope and county Planning Director Norman Murdoch. Murdoch is the only county official who was not recommended for a pay hike by the chief administrative officer.