The 25-year-old county resolution setting minimum pay raises each year for elected officials was a bad idea when it was adopted, because it failed to account for changing economic conditions.

That problem has remained valid over the past quarter-century, as officials' paychecks have gotten fatter, even during times of significant economic downturn — like now.

During the course of those two and a half decades, taxpayers have been required to feed the growing paychecks of the officials they elected, even if they themselves were hard-pressed by recessions or other economic hardships to find the money to pay their county tax bills. And, during some of those years when officials accepted their minimum pay raises of at least 4 percent, the county increased taxes because of a purported shortage of funds.

Amid all that has remained a valid point: The elected officials in question knew what their pay would be when they ran for office. If they didn't think that pay was sufficient and they couldn't live without annual increases, they should not have run.

Now, the current board of commissioners says it might take the long-overdue step of revising the 25-year-old rule. Commissioner Dale Pinkerton said Monday that current economic conditions make a revision to the policy necessary.

In addition to the commissioners, the policy covers the treasurer, controller, clerk of courts, prothonotary, sheriff, register of wills and recorder of deeds. The salaries of the judges and district attorney are set by the state.

According to Pinkerton, the commissioners will meet publicly with the affected row officers on dates to be set to discuss the raise issue. Any change would take effect during those offices' next term.

If there are going to be any annual raises in the future, those raises should be tied to the inflation rate — regardless of what is happening in terms of pay raises on other levels of government.

It also can be said that county officials should not be immune to the kinds of sacrifices others in the county — the people who are paying their salaries — are enduring.

The 25-year-old rule, which most taxpayers have forgotten about over the years, has been a vehicle for boards of commissioners to be free from the politically sticky matter of approving pay raises. The current board should be praised for considering changing the rule in a way more in the taxpayers' best interests.

Whatever the commissioners' action, it won't solve the county's budget headaches. However, small savings can add up.

That's what most taxpayers try to achieve during their daily lives.