Mayor Bob Young has written the Richmond County legislative delegation objecting to the bill that would raise the salaries of local elected officials.

Mr. Young said he was disappointed the delegation had introduced the bill without consulting with him and commissioners who have to find the money to pay the increases.

Mr. Young said the initial salaries of the mayor and commission were set in the original consolidation bill and have been increased at the same rate as those of other city workers during the past 10 years. For example, cost-of-living raises during the past decade have increased the mayor's original salary to $71,634 this year.

"The salaries of constitutional officers and independently elected officers should be indexed to receive the same salary increases each year that city of Augusta employees receive," he said. "This action would preclude such exercises as the delegation is now engaged in and assist the commission in budget planning."

The salary bill has the effect of creating two classes of city employees, the mayor said. Rank-and-file workers have received only one pay raise in the past three years. Also, the city's salary reclassification study has not been implemented because of a lack of funding, Mr. Young said.

"I ask you to carefully consider the impact of your actions not on the few dozen elected officials, but on the 2,700 other employees of our government," he said.

Reach Sylvia Cooper at (706) 823-3228 or sylvia.cooper@augustachronicle.com.