Magistrates sue Beaufort County over pay raise

BEAUFORT, S.C. (AP) — Three Beaufort County magistrates are suing the county saying their pay raise was late.

The Beaufort Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/txozGf) an attorney for the magistrates pleaded their case before the county council last month, but the council did not agree.

State law requires magistrates get a raise when the population of a county surpasses 150,000 people.

The county implemented the raise last July 1, the start of its fiscal year. The magistrates say the increase should have taken effect March 22 when new census numbers became official.

The magistrates said because of the delay, they are each owed about $1,800.

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Information from: The Beaufort Gazette, http://www.beaufortgazette.com