Kosciusko County Republican sheriff candidate Jim Smith issued a news release Thursday thanking Indiana Sen. Ryan Mishler for authoring Senate Bill 349 and is in full support of the bill.
Senate Bill 349, as currently written, would require the county to enter into a contract with the sheriff and repeal provisions that allow a sheriff to retain a portion of tax warrant collection fees, requiring the tax warrant collection fees to go to the county general fund.
When Smith filed to run for office, he noted one of his goals as sheriff is to be fiscally responsible, including taking a salary less than the current sheriff, the news release states. Smith “never went into law enforcement to get rich, but rather to serve the public. The current sheriff opted to retain a portion of tax warrant collection fees, something that recent sheriffs had not done,” the release states.
What is being proposed in Senate Bill 349 is what Smith plans to do, regardless of whether the bill becomes a law.
In his first year, Sheriff Kyle Dukes received a $35,000+ increase from the previous sheriff’s salary, and his maximum approved salary has increased each year with his July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022, maximum approved salary currently set at $164,950, making him among the highest paid sheriffs in the state, according to Smith’s news release. Smith believes the current sheriff’s salary has gotten out of control.
“As sheriff, Jim Smith will enter into fair-minded negotiations with the county council for his salary and pledges it will be considerably less than the current sheriff’s salary,” according to the release.
The public is invited to come out and meet Smith, listen to his ideas and ask questions from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Jan. 26 at the Warsaw American Legion, 301 N. Buffalo St., Warsaw.
