The taxpayers are the beneficiaries of a Butler County Salary Board decision Wednesday to end county-paid health care benefits for part-time row office solicitors.

The action translates into an annual savings of about $58,000.

However, more savings would have been possible if the elected officials in charge of the row offices had exercised more accountability on behalf of the taxpayers.

While, under state law, the respective row offices cannot be denied the right to a solicitor, it can be argued that the legal workload in some of the offices doesn't justify the $6,000 annual retainer that will be paid to each of their solicitors under the new compensation setup.

Taxpayers can reasonably argue that a couple offices could share one solicitor, creating more savings.

If county Controller Jack McMillin's office can operate without a solicitor, some others could do so as well.

Meanwhile, it can be asked why over the years the county has paid a $1,500 annual retainer plus annual health insurance costs of $12,000 or more for a solicitor in charge of representing the county's district judges when those judges had access to legal representation through their state organization.

That "fiscal management" ignored the best interests of the taxpayers.

All of that considered, the county's new board of commissioners, although taking the positive step approved Wednesday as part of their salary board responsibilities, should revisit the row office solicitor situation prior to 2009 budget preparation in an attempt to exact more savings.

And, candidates for row offices in the 2009 elections should be asked whether they would be willing to give up or share solicitors to benefit the county budget — and, they should be asked to justify their need for a non-shared solicitor.

Clearly, the savings plan approved by the salary board Wednesday is not enough.

McMillin said the newly approved $6,000 individual retainers were an improvement over the current situation under which each row office solicitor was paid a $650 annual retainer plus county paid health, dental and eye-care benefits.

McMillin, who favors paying solicitors by the hour for work performed, contended that the cost of the health benefits amounted to more than $14,000 annually for each solicitor; county Treasurer Diane Marburger believes $12,000 more accurately reflects the benefits cost.

Those row offices that will continue to have their own solicitor are clerk of courts, prothonotary, coroner, recorder of deeds, sheriff, treasurer and register of wills. The solicitors will receive $6,000 annually, whether or not they are called upon for any legal advice during the course of the year.

That $6,000 won't cover any litigation that might occur; the retainer is merely an access fee for routine advice.

The commissioners, in their role as the salary board, deserve praise for taking this money-saving step that their predecessors ignored.

But with a window for more savings, they should not consider the solicitors issue closed. The taxpayers should be rewarded with the maximum savings possible, and the row officers should be fully dedicated to that goal also.