Orange County Supervisors Tuesday approved a 2.75 percent increase to the salary range for executive employees, pushing top executive salaries at the county to over $250,000.

Supervisors voted 4-1, with Andrew Do voting no, to authorize the salary increase for executive management, executive aides and executive assistants, effective in their next pay period following the vote.

Executive management would be eligible for a maximum hourly rate of $121.35 and or $252,408 annual salary if they have outstanding performance. That compares with the maximum compensation in 2008 of $118.10 an hour or $245,648 annually.

Executive aides and assistants will be eligible for a maximum hourly rate of $62.26 or $129,500.80 annually. In 2008, the maximum compensation was $60.59 an hour or $126,027.60 annually.

The hiring of executive aides at the county, which are widely seen as political appointments, has generated controversy in recent years. A year ago, supervisors voted to increase the number of executive aides, which added $365,000 to the budget.

The vote is not a guaranteed raise and all salary increases must be approved by county CEO Frank Kim.

Contact Thy Vo at tvo@voiceofoc.org or follow her on Twitter @thyanhvo.

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