JACKSONVILLE, Fla.-- Action News has learned employees with the clerk of courts office got bonuses.
Action News obtained a memo from the Clerk of Courts Jim Fuller. He is asking for 35 employees to get bonuses. Some are as high as $8,000. We tried to track down Fuller to ask him why people should get such a big increase when times are tight.
We went to his office, tried calling and waited for him, but he did not return our calls. So, we asked the city council president. "The raw numbers, some look high," said Bill Bishop. "Mr. Fuller owes it to the public to explain why he did what he did."
But Fuller is not the only city leader giving out raises. Earlier this week Action News showed you how appointed civilians at JSO are getting raises. Some of those are upward of 20 percent, even after the sheriff laid off patrol officers. JSO just sent us reasons for some of the raises. They include a promotion or just a good review. But they aren't raises required by a contract.
In both cases, it's taxpayers money being used. The council president says it's a fine line being walked. "It's complicated because I don't have a problem with giving raises where it's warranted...Everybody is still in tight times; we just laid off 150 people," said Bishop.
The sheriff's office would not comment on the explanations for the pay raises.
City council will vote on the budget Tuesday.
