Based on a survey showing Utah woefully behind the pay scales of surrounding states, a citizens advisory board charged with setting executive and judicial salaries recommended on Tuesday a 4 percent increase for all judges and hefty raises for each of the state's five elected executive officials.

Topping the list is Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, who was pegged for a $10,000, or 11.9 percent, hike on top his current annual $85,400 pay.

The six-member board also suggested a 4.5 percent bump in pay ranges available to executive appointees.

The total cost to taxpayers: at least $1 million.

"We need to be continually vigilant to provide adequate salaries in order to compete with neighboring states," said advisory board chairman John T. Nielsen, who fears the state is already losing its best and brightest. "We feel these numbers are more than fair."

The biggest hot spot, according to Nielsen, is the judiciary where "judges are leaving and retiring early" and fewer top-ranked attorneys are vying to replace them.

Utah's chief legal officer also ranks among the most severely underpaid. Shurtleff, who manages a team of 211 attorneys and 187 support staff, earns 7.5 percent less than his Rocky Mountain peers.

Even more alarming, said Nielsen, "54 of the lawyers in the AG's office make more than [Shurtleff]. There is no other state agency where this occurs."

It is the Legislature's prerogative to set public employee wages, and lawmakers have been slow to heed past years' recommendations.

Utah's five executive officers - governor, attorney general, lieutenant governor, treasurer and auditor - haven't seen raises since 2001. And aside from a 1 percent increase last year, the same goes for Supreme Court, appellate, district and juvenile judges.

"The last few years were tough because we just haven't had the money," said Nielsen, who holds out hope that new legislative leaders will be eager to make nice with incoming Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., who is being recommended for a $5,000 boost over Gov. Olene Walker's $101,600 annual pay.

"State employees haven't had raises for two years. We can't continue to do that," said Nielsen.

Lawmakers spent zero time discussing the salary report at Tuesday's Executive Appropriations Committee hearing. But when pressed later, recession-weary Senate and House leaders said it's too early in the budget cycle to bank on anything, especially in light of competing demands in education, transportation and skyrocketing health care costs.

Salary equity is "one of our top priorities," says appropriations Senate budget chairman Leonard Blackham, R-Moroni. "I agree we're a little under on our judges. And there is a good indication that there will be more revenue. But it's too early to say."

The state is on track for a more than $100 million surplus for fiscal 2005. But in the wake of the 2002-2003 recession, lawmakers eye signs of an economic rebound warily.

Said House appropriations chairman Ron Bigelow, R-West Valley, "If we learned anything during the downturn, it's that we need to be cautious."

kstewart@sltrib.com