Vineyard officials testified before the state legislature yesterday in support of a bill that would merge the Dukes County Sheriff’s Department into the state system and place it under control of the Executive Office of Public Safety.

Dukes County sheriff Michael McCormack, who would see a 27 per cent increase in his salary if the bill passes, appeared at the hearing, along with county manager Russell Smith and county treasurer Noreen Mavro Flanders.

The bill has drawn controversy over the pay raise, which would go to both Mr. McCormack and Nantucket Sheriff Richard Bretschneider so they are paid at the same level as other sheriffs across the state. Mr. McCormack would see his current salary of around $97,000 increase to $123,000.

The county commission and the sheriff’s department generally support the takeover, but they are pressing for amendments requiring the state to also take over unfounded liabilities such as health benefits for retired employees.

As written, the bill does not commit the state to paying those post-retirement benefits for employees of the sheriff’s department.

Cape and Islands representative Tim Madden said last night he supported the broader concept of the state taking over the sheriff’s departments, but he would like to see the state take on all financial obligations for both current and former employees.

“We have to make sure this won’t create additional financial burden for [the counties]. We don’t want any unintended consequences,” Mr. Madden said.

Mr. Madden said he would support the bill if it streamlined government and created savings for the state and county.

The one component of the plan he did support was the substantial pay increase for the two sheriffs on the Vineyard and Nantucket.

“I don’t think this is the time to give any state or county employee a 27 per cent pay increase. And if you are being honest, you have to admit the Vineyard and Nantucket are different from other counties around the state. Nantucket doesn’t even have a correctional facility . . . fair is fair,” he said.

Mr. McCormack was initially opposed to the state takeover, but changed his position last spring when it was revealed his department was running at a deficit. The sheriff’s department asked for, and received, over $100,000 in emergency funding from the state county government finance review committee to make up for that shortfall.

The proposal is part of Gov. Deval Patrick’s budget plan, and would merge the seven sheriffs in Dukes County, Nantucket, Barnstable, Bristol, Norfolk, Plymouth and Suffolk counties into the state system. The county governments would not be affected, and the sheriffs would remain elected positions. Other sheriffs in Massachusetts have been part of the state system since their county governments were abolished, beginning in the mid-1990s.

Data from the executive office for administration and finance said the merger would streamline the sheriffs’ offices’ finances, resulting in savings in future years. For example, employees would fall under the state insurance and retirement systems, saving an estimated $8 million to $11 million a year once the restructuring is complete.

In recent years, the Dukes County sheriffs’ department, along with other county sheriffs, have faced problems due to the current funding system. Under that system, sheriffs’ departments receive a portion of their funding through a deeds excise tax. But as the housing market has plunged, so have revenues, and sheriffs have had to ask the state legislature for additional funding to cover their deficits.

Similar proposals in past years have been shot down by those opposed to the abolition of county governments. Gov. Patrick proposed a similar bill last year, but it was scraped after several sheriffs’ departments fought the plan.

Now some state lawmakers are questioning whether the Dukes County and Nantucket County sheriffs deserve to be paid at the same rate as the 12 other sheriffs across the state.

“If you look at Suffolk County versus Nantucket County, there’s no way they have the same workload,” said Rep. Jeffrey D. Perry of East Sandwich in a published article yesterday. “The salaries should be based on objective criteria, not the whims of those who are in political power.”

The Dukes County sheriff operates the Dukes County correctional facility, which housed 25 prisoners as of last month, according to the Massachusetts Sheriff’s Association. The sheriff’s department here also transports prisoners, serves legal papers and collects court-ordered child support.

Under the plan, the state would take over the Edgartown House of Correction and other property currently occupied by the sheriff, including his office in the county courthouse, the communications center at the Martha’s Vineyard Airport and the community corrections center.

Cyndi Roy, a spokesperson for Gov. Patrick’s office, told the Gazette last year the takeover would represent an improvement for both the sate and the county sheriffs. “This would make things more consistent,” she said.

Dukes County commissioner Leslie Leland yesterday agreed the takeover plan has merit. But he said the best plan was for the state to takeover all financial aspects of the sheriff’s department, including unfounded liabilities for current and former employees. “If they approved the amendments to shift the financial burden to the state, then yes, I support this. We are looking for any financial help we can get right now,” he said.

Mr. Madden said the matter could come to a vote as early as next week.