County officials are backing off some planned big raises at the top, sources said.

To try to keep a bare majority in favor of a 26-cent property tax increase recommended by County Mayor Claude Ramsey, an item that was to give $10,000 raises to four officeholders is expected to go.

There is also expected to be a limit placed on pay increases for top county staff members.

One commissioner said it was agreed there will be a "moratorium" on those raises, including a large one projected for Jeannine Alday, chief of staff to Mr. Ramsey, who already makes $133,641.

Meanwhile, County Commissioner Bill Hullander said he is calling on commissioners who have indicated support for the tax hike to back off their support.

He said he is recommending that the issue be looked at again next year and that the commission's finance committee get involved now in working with the Ramsey administration on going over the budget.

"We need to start work now on what we will be deciding on the tax rate for next year," he said.

Commissioner Hullander said under the present budgeting system "we sit up there and listen to what the county mayor recommends and it is kind of taken out of our hands. The County Commission needs to stay more involved."

He said the commissioners need to be involved "in looking at the true needs" of the county in relation to a possible tax increase.

Commissioner Hullander said it is a bad time for a tax increase, saying many people have houses for sell and are having trouble selling them. He said there were 2,900 houses on the market in Hamilton County in May of last year and 3,500 this May.

He said under the current system "the only way we may be able to get a certain item for our district is to vote for the tax increase."

The General Assembly passed a bill authorizing $10,000 pay boosts to clerks who oversee two offices, but it has to be ratified by the County Commission.

The raises had been included in the budgets of Criminal Court Clerk Gwen Tidwell, Circuit Court Clerk Paula Thompson, Juvenile Court Clerk Ron Swafford and Clerk and Master Lee Akers - pushing them above $104,000.

The Ramsey proposal included average 4.6-percent pay increases, but some, including Ms. Alday, were set to get much higher percentages based on a factor of comparing the pay here to that of other jurisdictions.

The vote on the tax increase is set for Thursday at 9:30 a.m.