Collin County Commissioner refuses pay raise

by Bill Baumbach of The Collin County Observer

Incoming Precinct 1 commissioner Matt Shaheen has served notice that he will decline to accept the 3.5% raise the commissioners court granted itself for fiscal 2009.

The agenda for the December 9 Commissioners Court meeting includes a notification, "Commissioner-Elect Shaheen's request to have his 2009 salary established at $107,387, which is the rate that was in effect prior to the 2009 pay changes."

Shaheen joins County Judge Keith Self in freezing his salary at the level it was when he was elected.

Shaheen takes the seat presently held by Phyllis Cole on January 1, 2009. He won a hard fought run-off battle against Cole in the 2008 Republican Primary.

I do not know if Shaheen plans to keep his job while collecting a commissioners' salary. At the present time, Commissioners Ward and Jaynes both earn both outside salaries as well as their $111,146 county paycheck.