Nye County Commissioners voted 3-1 Tuesday to give themselves a raise, just a little over a month after the Nevada Legislature passed a bill giving them the right to hike their own salaries.

Joni Eastley voted against the motion; Chairman Gary Hollis was absent.

Senate Bill 516, passed in the waning days of the 2007 state legislative session, authorized county commissioners to increase their pay 4 percent over each of the next four years.

"I do believe that the salaries have been way behind what they really should be. I think all we're asking for here is barely over the cost of living (increases)," Butch Borasky said in introducing the item.

Borasky noted Lyon County commissioners just approved a pay raise. Clark County commissioners also voted themselves a pay raise.

Lobbyist Bob Swadell said Nye County commissioner salaries should be closer to $40,000 per year in managing a county with a general fund budget alone of $36 million.

"This 4 percent is almost an insult, but you should take it anyway," Swadell said. "We can't punish people who want to work for the community."

The raise will increase commissioner salaries from $22,796 annually to $23,708 this fiscal year. Next July 1, their annual salary will go up to $24,657, in the 2009-2010 fiscal year to $25,632 and in the final year, 2010-2011 to $26,669.

Swadell predicted the pay increase would be opposed by "a few soreheads who believe you should work for nothing."

Amargosa Valley town board Chairman Jan Cameron also advocated a pay raise. She said the pay raises would apply for anyone serving on the county commission in the future as well.

"We all knew this job was not a part-time job when we took it. However, if anybody had any idea the hours Joni Eastley logs in on her tail feathers in a week, they would probably spend the money," Commissioner Roberta "Midge" Carver said.

Carver said business owners, referring to Borasky, shouldn't have to put their own businesses on hold or earn less income, because they're taking care of county business.

Eastley said afterwards, "My moral compass would not allow me to vote in an increase for myself when we have denied county departments that need employees."

The last pay raise for county commissioners was enacted in 2003.

Commissioners also recently approved the purchase of two 2007 Chevrolet Silverado pickup trucks for Peter Liakopoulos and Borasky to travel to meetings in Tonopah.

Commissioners' travel expenses are also covered.