Video: Sheriff Pay Raises Up to Gov. Bryant

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JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – A big pay raise for Mississippi’s 82 sheriffs is close to becoming law.

The Senate passed House Bill 1409 Tuesday, which would raise sheriff’s pay. Depending on a county’s population, pay currently ranges from $55,000 to $90,000. The bill would raise pay to a range of $75,000 to $99,000.

Proponents of the bill say that an earlier fee increase was meant to finance pay increases, but legislation to mandate it was never enacted.

A number of senators, though, question whether small counties would be able to afford increases as large as $20,000 a year without raising taxes. They tried to amend the bill to allow county supervisors to approve the raise, but failed.

Proponents say they don’t want to give supervisors control over a sheriff’s pay.