Conduit recently gave you a breakdown of Washington County Judge Patrick Deakins’ record on spending.
Under Deakins, county spending increased 51% over four years, while revenues rose just 0.04%. That gap alone should alarm taxpayers.
But the issue isn’t limited to overall spending.
Over the last four years, Deakins increased the County Judge’s budget by 69%, including shifting half of his salary to the Road Department starting in 2024. During the same period, the County Judge’s salary increased 21%.
The County Attorney’s budget increased 57%, while the County Attorney’s salary increased 21% and the Deputy County Attorney’s salary increased 90%.
In recent discussions, some have suggested that these salaries are simply determined by the state. That is not the entire story.
Arkansas law does not set a fixed salary for county judges. Instead, the Legislature establishes minimum and maximum base salary ranges based on county classification. The local quorum court decides the actual salary when it approves the budget of each county department making up the county’s annual budget.
Arkansas Code §14-14-1204 states clearly that the quorum court “shall fix by ordinance the annual salaries” of county officials within the minimum and maximum ranges provided by law.
In Washington County, the 2026 appropriation ordinance (Ordinance No. 2025-074) — requested by County Judge Patrick Deakins and drafted by County Attorney Brian Lester — states on page 3:
“Executive Branch Elected Officials shall be paid at the maximum amount allowed by law.”
This means Washington County chooses to pay the maximum allowed salary under state law. That distinction matters.
Just because something is legal does not mean it is required, and it does not mean it is wise policy.
Many counties across Arkansas set base salaries below the maximum.
For example:
- Baxter County (Class 4) pays its county judge $106,294, well below the statutory maximum of $135,395.
- Boone County (Class 4) pays $77,754, far under the maximum.
- Lonoke County (Class 5) pays $100,244, compared to a statutory cap of $137,889.
- Garland County (Class 6) pays $100,785, despite a maximum of $147,860.
Even among the largest counties in Arkansas, salaries vary significantly.
Washington County and Benton County reported county judge salaries of $165,094 in the 2025 survey — placing them as the highest in the state. To this base salary is added approximately 30% in additional cost to the counties for retirement and other benefits for these employees.
But again, the point is not what the law allows. The point is what local officials choose to do or spend.
Under the current ordinance, Washington County sets executive salaries at the top cap allowed by the Legislature, and when benefits are added, total compensation increases significantly. County benefits typically add roughly 30% to the cost to the county for each employee. These add-ons to base salary include the county retirement contribution, payroll taxes, and health and life insurance.
That is how a base salary at the statutory maximum can translate into a total cost to the taxpayer of roughly $221,000 for the Washington County Judge position for 2026.
Nothing in state law requires this.
Local officials still have the authority — and responsibility — to decide where within that range of salaries (within their own department) should fall.
That decision is made by those elected locally, through the budget process approved by the quorum court.
And as Washington County spending continues to rise, the large ever-increasing salary of its top county official is an important decision by the elected, about which taxpayers are increasingly paying attention.
