With the Auburn Enlarged City School District operating under a contingency budget this academic year, its leader has turned down a pay raise beyond his contractual entitlement.

By contract, Superintendent J.D. Pabis receives a fixed raise of 4 percent each year and is also eligible for an additional raise determined by the board of education of between 0 and 4 percent based upon his annual performance and other considerations.

“Being in a contingency budget, I didn't feel it was appropriate,” to take the performance raise, Pabis said.

He still will receive the contractual raise, increasing his salary of $155,000 last year by 4 percent and each year thereafter until his contract expires in 2012.

Pabis said he initiated the dialogue with the board about the raise following his performance evaluation, adding that the evaluation meant more to him than receiving extra money would.

The district is operating under a state-mandated contingency budget after voters twice defeated a proposed 2008-09 budget in May and June.

Board President Charlie Cator said the performance-based raise is a concept the district employed for the first time with Pabis' contract, and many school districts across the state are also jumping on the bandwagon.

While the board will look at the raise next year, Cator said Pabis cut off any consideration.

However, Cator and former board President David Lansford were unable to say if the board was prepared to give him a raise, citing confidentiality due to personnel.

“He took the budget defeat personally - too personally, and I've told him so,” Lansford said, “and he said right off the bat that he wouldn't take a performance increase, so we haven't considered it.”

Cator said Pabis' decision takes into consideration the decision of the community.

“I think that it shows on his part that he's sensitive to the community,” Cator said. “The budget did get defeated, and at this time you don't go out and ask for more money.”