Three members of the Dallas County Commissioners Court killed a measure to give themselves and other elected officials a raise, drawing criticism from their colleagues Tuesday.

County Judge Clay Jenkins and Commissioners Elba Garcia and J.J. Koch voted against the 4% raise, while John Wiley Price and Theresa Daniel supported it.

The sheriff, county treasurer, county clerk, district clerk, tax assessor-collector, justices of the peace and constables also would have received raises if the measure had passed.

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins speaks during a meeting of The Dallas County Commissioners Court on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2019. (Ryan Michalesko / Staff Photographer)

The opposition to increasing pay didn’t sit well with several elected officials who attended the commissioners court meeting.

“For you to basically tell me, 'The work that you've done doesn't deserve a raise or recognition,' that's very offensive to me,” District Clerk Felicia Pitre told the court. “I devote a lot of time to Dallas County.”

She said that she works from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. most days and that other officials call on her to help with problems that have nothing to do with her job.

Sheriff Marian Brown spoke too, saying that she had been a private person before she became sheriff about a year and a half ago.

“Becoming a county sheriff was never my intent,” she said. “Nevertheless, I have put myself out there and made myself available to the people.”

She told the commissioners who didn't support the raises that she resented the message their votes sent.

Sheriff Marian Brown gives remarks after taking the oath of office during her a swearing-in ceremony at Frank Crowley Court Building in Dallas on Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019. (Shaban Athuman / Staff Photographer)

“I want you to know that the sheriff works hard. She works hard for you, and you, and you, and you, and you,” Brown said, turning to look at each commissioner as she spoke.

County Clerk John Warren and Tax Assessor-Collector John Ames each took the podium too, telling commissioners how the work they do goes far beyond their job descriptions.

Meeting materials for the proposed raises show the county judge currently makes $16,541.11 per month. The sheriff is the next highest-paid elected official on the list, with a monthly salary of $15,063.56.

Garcia and Jenkins said they've voted consistently against raises and have always declined raises.

Garcia said that the only people who should get to decide whether an elected official deserves a raise are voters, but there's no mechanism to ask for their approval.

Jenkins said he has the “utmost respect” for the work the officials do.

“Then show it,” Commissioner Theresa Daniel said.

Jenkins said elected officials know what the jobs will pay before they decide to run.

“I wanted to be as silent as I can today,” Jenkins said, “because I know I'm not going to change your minds, and I don't want to damage ...”

Price cut him off: “But you already have.”

The county will put together a committee of nine members of the Dallas County grand jury — which hears evidence about criminal cases and decides whether to indict defendants on charges — who will hear appeals from elected officials who want to ask for raises after Tuesday’s vote.

Jenkins will be chairman of the committee, but he won’t vote on the appeals for individual raises.