ELLIS COUNTY: Readers question DA, district judges salaries

ELLIS COUNTY – Last week this paper published a chart of the amount of money taxpayers in Ellis County pay their elected officials.

The Ellis County Press received several calls regarding the low $13,376 salaries listed on the chart supplied by Ellis County Judge Todd Little’s office.

The salaries in question included not only the Ellis County District Attorney’s salary, but also the 378th, 340th and 443rd District County Judge’s salaries.

The state average for these offices is $140,000 to $172,00, according to a state resource.

While Little’s office had a hard time getting a return call from the county’s Auditing Department by deadline according to Little’s Public Information Strategist, Corey Rogan, County Commissioner Paul Perry, pct. 3, made himself available to answer the questions residents were asking.

Perry said the amount is correct regarding Ellis County’s portion of what these positions are paid.

“District judges and district attorneys are compensated mostly by the state,” Perry explained.

“The county pays them ‘juvenile board pay’ since all the judges serve on that board.

“Years ago, there was agreement to pay the district attorney a supplement equal to the juvenile board pay as well.

“Other trial judges such as our county court at law judges and justices of the peace are fully compensated by the county.”

As for what the state pays in addition to the $13,376 paid by Ellis County, these four positions make roughly $100,000 plus, depending on seniority.