Douglas County commissioners on Monday agreed to stick with their previous plan of providing a 3 percent cost of living wage increase to employees in 2008.

Commissioners were told at their Monday meeting that the county’s finances were able to absorb the wage increase, which is projected to cost the county about $500,000. They also were presented information that suggested the cost-of-living in the Kansas City area had increased by about 4 percent, excluding housing costs.

Commissioners approved the increase on a 2-0 vote. Commissioner Jere McElhaney was absent from the meeting.