§11-2A-4. Compensation increases.

(a) Beginning with the fiscal year commencing on October 1, 2001, the local officials covered by this chapter shall be entitled to the same uniform increases in compensation, including cost-of-living increases, longevity increases, merit raises, and bonuses that are granted to county employees by the county commission at the time of the approval of the county budget. The increases shall be in the same amount or percentage, as the case may be, as that amount or percentage increase provided to the county's employees; provided, however, no tax assessor, tax collector, revenue commissioner, license commissioner, elected assistant tax assessor, or elected assistant tax collector shall receive an expense allowance as provided in subdivision (3) of Section 11-2A-2 and an increase under this subsection in the same fiscal year.

Except as otherwise provided herein, officials in Category 2 shall be eligible for the cost-of-living increases beginning on October 1, 2000. If the implementation of any cost-of-living adjustment increases the salary of an incumbent office holder, the increase shall be paid as provided in subdivision (5) of Section 11-2A-2. The base compensation for the purposes of implementation of this subsection shall be that compensation established on October 1, 2000, and shall remain those respective amounts until increased as provided under the provisions of this chapter.

(b) Any provision of this chapter to the contrary notwithstanding, the Legislature, by local law, may increase the compensation for local officials covered under this chapter. However, if a local law increases the compensation of a local official, such local official shall not be entitled to any cost-of-living adjustments pursuant to the procedure in subsection (a), until such time as the total compensation he or she would have received under subsection (a) is equal to or exceeds the increase provided by the local law.

(Act 2000-108, p. 148, §4.)