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$32,000 raise for Denver DA clears first hurdle

By Daniel J. Chacon, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published December 22, 2008 at 4:20 p.m.

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The Denver City Council advanced a proposal Monday that would give District Attorney Mitch Morrissey a $32,000 raise next year and an additional $30,000 over the following three years.

The proposal, which amounts to a 43 percent salary increase over four years, will be up for final consideration Jan. 5.

Morrissey, who earns about $145,000 annually, hasn't had a pay raise in four years.

"It's very important that we pay our people fairly," Councilwoman Carol Boigon said.

Council members said the timing of the proposed salary increases was "terrible" in light of the crumbling economy. But they said they had little choice because the state raised the mandatory minimum salary for DAs from $67,000 to $100,000.

"I would have drawn the line differently, but I'm not going to defy state law," Councilwoman Marcia Johnson said.

The state pays 80 percent of the mandatory minimum. The city pays the remaining 20 percent, plus anything above the mandatory minimum.

Under that formula, for example, the state would pay $80,000 of Morrissey's proposed $177,000 salary in 2009. The city's contribution would be $97,000, up from the $91,120 it paid this year.

This is the only time the council can adjust Morrissey's pay. State law requires their salaries to be set now for the entire term.

Morrissey "deserves that pay raise," Councilwoman Peggy Lehmann said.

Comments

  • December 22, 2008

    4:38 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    mytwosense writes:

    "The timing is just terrible," Councilwoman Marcia Johnson said. "I'm going to vote for it, but I'm not in support of it," she added.

    Which leaves your constituents wondering just how many other times you've voted for something you don't actually support.

    Please, Councilwoman Johnson...go with your first instinct on this one and vote No. A $32K raise tacked on to an already very good salary for a public official is outrageous.

  • December 22, 2008

    4:43 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    arvada_mark writes:

    "...vote tonight in favor of a $32,000 raise for District Attorney Mitch Morrissey, whose $145,000 annual salary hasn't changed in four years."

    No raise in 4 years, huh? Well, I suppose that's a good enough excuse to give the man a 43% raise over the next 4. I still think he should use at least $25k of that to put a Denver citizen to work.

  • December 22, 2008

    4:59 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Brain writes:

    Give him a 5% raise like the rest of cabinet members received; 32,000 raise is ridiculous. Kevin Patterson was PROMOTED and received a 12.9% raise.

  • December 22, 2008

    5:03 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    milehighman writes:

    OMG!!!! I so wish I could be there to warn Peggy Lehmann to not vote for this. If I didn't just have surgery, I would be at that meeting and remind everyone of just how great of a job he has done over the last four years. I think I'm going to be sick just thinking about this one tonight. Please Mayor Hickenlooper, say something. If you are going to give someone that much money, don't you think they should have earned it? Do I really need to remind you all of what he has done for the city?

  • December 22, 2008

    5:17 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    HankReardon writes:

    I'm with mytwosense, I thought that when you voted for something you also supported it. Or is this kinda like that vote they took in Washington to pre-emptively invade Iraq? I'll vote for it, but I don't support it. Really? Lousy representation.

  • December 22, 2008

    5:54 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    fifty writes:

    Twenty years ago, I used to earn what Mitch Morrissey earns and I can say there is a night and day difference in regard to the quality of our work. I was good, but Mitch is a master of his domain. Since sitting in on one of his lectures, I have seen his name in national news because he pioneers techniques in crime-solving. There are probably a few dozen top-notch people in this field and Mitch Morrissey is one of them. Using partial DNA matches and low-cost DNA tests to solve burglaries are two new methods that were presented to us. I could see that Mitch had the personality to work well with others. Like Mayor Hickenlooper, he was really impressive and we should reward both people appropriately.

  • December 22, 2008

    6:16 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    BikerChick writes:

    ..
    Wonderful. Perfect timing.

    We need bigger government, higher salaries and more government workers, right ?

    So what if there are hundreds of thousands of Coloradans (not government workers) who have lost their jobs, home and/or vehicles to the recession.

    So what if the BLS and Department of Commerce fudge the numbers to make it appear that unemployment is not a problem. Tell that to the kids of the unemployed.

    So what if not one 'permanent' government worker in Colorado has lost their job due to the recession.

    Get real !

    Three cheers for the POLITICALLY CORRECT COUNCIL MEMBERS. Certainly is fun to watch members of the same political party, such as Kennedy and Ritter, play blind-man's bluff with YOUR tax dollars, right ? How clever that they will wait until after the national coronation to reveal the details of the horrible Colorado government budget situation.

    Listen carefully, can you hear the cry; "LET THEM EAT CAKE."

    THIS IS SERIOUS STUFF. Riots are absolutely inevitable. The taxpayers will rebel against garbage such as this. That will make more work for the district attorney, right ?

    THE HEIGHT OF HYPOCRISY. The City Council does not like the idea, but will vote for the raise anyway ? Sweet. Explain that to YOUR kids.

    By the way... Mitch is a good guy, and this is a bad situation. Nonetheless, absolutely nobody in a government job in Colorado should receive a raise during a severE recession - when other Coloradans are in such dire situations.

    What are we thinking ?
    ..

  • December 22, 2008

    6:44 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    spyder writes:

    Are these the same people that are ADVISING the police,fire and EMTs to take a pay CUT???
    BikerChick and I have differences in opinion quite alot of the times, but she is right that the people are getting tired of the bureaucratic double speak.
    Politicians need to remember...they are OUR employees...WE pay THEIR salaries.
    WE THE PEOPLE are NOT THEIR serfs!!!
    Check your history books.
    #1 - READ THE CONSTITUTION and THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE!!!

  • December 22, 2008

    7 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Buffs writes:

    Bottom line is Morrissey deserves a raise. All of the naysayers have no idea what it takes on a daily basis to run the DA office with over 200 employees and do so very effectively. Not only has he lead the nation in DNA research/matching, under his leadership, burglaries in the Denver area have dropped dramatically. Not all people serving the city/state are bad and out to get something for nothing. He has not received a raise in 4 years and to my knowledge, hasn't complained about it. Just goes about his daily business of helping to put criminals behind bars. It's not like he's getting a 32K raise all at once. It will be more like 6% this year and less than 2% his final year. That to me is not unreasonable considering the fact that he has not had an increase during the past 4 years when other officials may have received raises.

  • December 22, 2008

    7:33 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    JINX writes:

    He may deserve it and will probably get it, but what kind of message does it send to the police, fire and EMT's. You guys give your money back so he can buy a new vetteor mercedes. What a joke, police do the right thing and vote no on the 2 percent give back. If they can find the money for payraises for all the guys that sit in their office arm chair quarter backing and issuing orders, they can find the money to pay you to. No way I would find a way to make it easier for the political elite to make more money on my back.

  • December 22, 2008

    10:54 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    jgd writes:

    Buffs,

    "The Denver City Council advanced a proposal Monday that would give District Attorney Mitch Morrissey a $32,000 raise next year and an additional $30,000 over the following three years."

    You should reread the article, he gets 32k this year and another 30k over the next three years. That comes out to a little more than 6% this year

  • December 23, 2008

    1:38 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    jmfslots writes:

    When Police and Firemen are being ask to take a hit on their salary- we give some attorney a $32,000. raise this year and set him up for $30,000. more over the next 3 years. Not right!
    Politician just thinking about themselves. Greedy Ba&$%*#.

  • December 23, 2008

    6:08 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    xeeian writes:

    freeman2night writes:
    | That's why I vote Democrat!
    |
    | They're very liberal with our money!

    They got nothing on GW. He just handed out over a Trillion dollars, cash money: no receipts required.

  • December 23, 2008

    7:23 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Art writes:

    Boo hoo hoo. We all fell so sorry for this poor man who has to work for just $145,000. But on the other hand $32,000 would pay the salary for one new full time employee and the further $30,000 would pay for one more employee. So what if the state mandates a minimun salary of $100,000? Why is this justification to raise his salary? In these times of economic problems raising the salaries of anyone making more than $100,000 per year is just a slap in the face of the taxpayers. Use the extra $62,000 to give work to other people who are now unemployed. If our city, state, or county truly want to help out the citizens in these times they will not give outrageous salaries to anyone, but will use all the funds available to try to get as many people to work as they can.

  • December 23, 2008

    8:19 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    justiceisblind writes:

    Morrissey should put his money where is his mouth is and decline the raise. Just because you have the right to do something doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. Greed gets you everywhere and that $32,000+ $40,000 = salaries for 2 city employees...but you do what you have to do to take care of yourself. Make sure you use that money to buy a really nice brand new car Mitch. He's not that good at what he does. Most of the cases are plea-bargained and a lot of those pleas are coerced. And remember this is the guy who says he can't charge that Denver cop with perjury even though he lied under oath in court. What kind of magician does it take to prove something like that???

  • December 23, 2008

    8:57 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    DDuke writes:

    You've got to be kidding me! Police, Fire and Sheriffs are subject to giving up 2% because the city is broke...again(every year as usual) After making over 200 million with the DNC. People are losing their jobs, are being threatened with layoff and Mitch Morrissey gets this kind of raise? City council should be ashamed of themselves and so should the Mayor. I suppose the city cried "Home Rule" on this one also.

  • December 23, 2008

    8:59 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    toocool writes:

    Thank hevean the bail out finally trickled down to at least one of our taxpayers. Struggleling on a paltry sallary of $145,000 a year is an unimaginable burden what with those Lexus car payments, $700,000 dollar mortgage, milk barely hits the breaffast table.

  • December 23, 2008

    9:29 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    davies writes:

    You people who are complaining are just envious. The job is extremely important, it requires extensive education, training, experience and ABILITY, and you get what you frickin' pay for. Go ahead, scream and run him off and pay your new DA bottom dollar. Then don't be surprised when the new DA screws up, or worse, gets influenced by outside money.

    "That's way more than I make - waah waah waah!" How many of you have a Juris Doctorate and comparable management experience? The way you envy this guy's proposed salary, is the way that 95% of the rest of the world feels about you and your own standard of living! "You're rich, you don't deserve it, blah blah blah..."

  • December 23, 2008

    9:42 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    records writes:

    Mitch Morrissey is an extremely gifted and talented DA and Denver is lucky to have him. Few should have a problem paying him what he is worth.

  • December 23, 2008

    10:26 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Fred writes:

    Davies hit the nail on the head with this gym.

    Quote:
    The way you envy this guy's proposed salary, is the way that 95% of the rest of the world feels about you and your own standard of living! "You're rich, you don't deserve it, blah blah blah..."

    Class envy rules the vote these days.

  • December 23, 2008

    11:23 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    JINX writes:

    i don't think most are saying he doesn't deserve a raise that is compatible with the field. What is being said is that it is hypocritical to askpolice, fire and city civilians to hand over hard earned money through contract negotiations over to save the city so that the "city fathers" may collect their dues. If you have the money to pay the man, pay all your men are make everyone contribute across the board. When everyone makes sacrifices it's alot easier for the guys scraping by on one income to sacrifice. The number one value of being a leader is to be first into the fight, Morrissey and you other city leaders, be just that, leaders.

  • December 23, 2008

    12:08 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    cdmdenver writes:

    Morrisey has posted alot of PRO DA remarks
    in this forum under different aliases!

    Gotta hand it to the guy, he never stops trying!
    NO, if Morrisey thinks he's irreplaceable, hand
    him his pink slip. This raise is NOT what
    the people want during these difficult financial times
    Hickenlooper!

  • December 24, 2008

    4:30 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Jlight47 writes:

    Wrong...it's not a $32,000 raise, it's a $62,000 raise. The City wants to take 2% from it's cops, firefighters and deputies but sees reasonable to give this raise to a guy who earns MUCH more than most. That is just wrong.
    And, who did we see running to the crashed and burning Continental jet a few days ago? It was fire and police personnel, not the DA or anyone else from his office.
    Mitch...give it up, tighten the belt and drive the BMW or Mercedes for another year without a raise. Give us working types a break for once!