(a) After August 1, 2016, the local officials covered by this chapter shall be entitled to receive the same uniform increases in compensation, whether the uniform increases are based on a percentage of compensation or a flat dollar amount, that are granted equally to all county employees by the county commission. The increases shall be in the same amount or percentage, as the case may be, as that amount or percentage increase provided to the county’s employees.

Except as otherwise provided herein, officials in Category 2 shall be eligible for the cost-of-living increases beginning on October 1, 2000. If the implementation of this chapter increases the compensation of an incumbent office holder, the increase shall be paid as provided in subdivision (5) of Section 11-2A-2. The base compensation for the purposes of implementation of this subsection shall be that compensation established on October 1, 2000, and shall remain those respective amounts until increased as provided under the provisions of this chapter.

(b) Any provision of this chapter to the contrary notwithstanding, the Legislature, by local law, may increase the compensation for local officials covered under this chapter. However, if a local law increases the compensation of a local official, such local official shall not be entitled to any uniform increases pursuant to the procedure in subsection (a), until such time as the total compensation he or she would have received under subsection (a) is equal to or exceeds the increase provided by the local law.