Sheriff Wants $2 Million For Employee Raises

August 28, 2009

Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan is seeking a three percent raise for his employees, and he has taken his case to the Escambia County Commission.

The commission is considering a $74 million budget for the Sheriff’s Office, but Morgan was to see that number increased to $76 million to fund the raise. Even with the three percent employee raises, Morgan said his department would still have a 3.2 percent lower budget than  2008-2009 — about $2.5 million less.

The starting salary for an Escambia deputy is currently $32,895, below comparable counties, according to Morgan, and he said that needs to be increased because “it is evident that our employees are working with some of the highest crime, highest inmate populations, and a higher percentage of violent crimes”.

Read Morgan’s letter to the county commission by clicking her (pdf).

Comments

13 Responses to “Sheriff Wants $2 Million For Employee Raises”

  1. joe on August 31st, 2009 5:23 pm

    TO how about this
    why not use your name.
    Yes I am an officer and have been now 19 years every thing I have said is 100% true please tell me who at the road camp you know are is this a lie trying to help dave .I know everyone there tell them to come and talk to me if you really know someone.If some one told you are all three told you we got 5% they have all Lied.If any one wants proof call 937-2100 the county road prison. And I see you can not read dave spoke of the last two years and i spoke of the last three so no we are not ahead of the SO. We got nothing this year and one percent the year before and two percent the year before that. Maybe we can have William check with the county as I said this information is public record.

    AND by the way If the sheriffs deputies get a raise the officers at the road prison usually do to so good luck.

  2. Just Because on August 31st, 2009 12:17 pm

    How about this—–
    I’m not misdirecting information, if you know how to read a calendar, you will realize that August comes before October, AS I SAID, my pay has been the same since early 2007, and if you can understand this, it was also the same on October 1, 2007, and October 1, 2008. I’m making a point that I work for the county and I didn’t get a 6% raise the past two years like David so wrongly states in his opinion. I will say this, if the sheriff can get 3% for his people then I don’t have a problem with it, they deserve a raise along with most other people. Just don’t go accusing me of misdirecting information when I have the facts to back it up. David and you are the ones misdirecting information and I have the check stubs to prove it, Thank You.

  3. How About This on August 31st, 2009 9:45 am

    Hello – I am with you. I know what Joe said but maybe he is not an officer at the Road Camp or he is trying to cover the truth. I have a friend that is an officer there and another friend at the Sheriff’s Office whose dad works as an officer at the camp and all three said there was a 5% last October. So Joe is out numbered three to one. Even if Joe only got a 1% to make up for a previous 2% he is still 2% ahead of the Sheriff’s Office.

    Just Because – Why start at August 2007 or before? The fiscal year starts October 1st 2007 nice try to misdirect the information. I know you are not a court house employee because Ernie Lee has always looked out for his people, which is good not a complaint.
    So what about Oct. 1st 2007, 2008 that David is talking about? Besides Steve Stevens was heard explaining last year at a budget meeting why he did not put the 3% in the Sheriff’s budget, while all the other county budgets did have it in it. The County Commissioners did nothing to try to resolve it whether it was a misunderstanding or not. Things happen in this county that does not look right or even is right, but when facts come out about it people do their best to cover it up by demonizing the one with the facts by calling them liars or misdirect the discussion.

  4. Just Because on August 30th, 2009 10:17 pm

    Hello—–
    Not when he is wrong, as he definitely is in this case. I can show him a check stub from August of 2007 or for that matter several months before that where my pay is the same now as it was then, and I’m sure Joe can do the same.

  5. hello on August 30th, 2009 6:45 pm

    well cant you all just agree with david

  6. joe on August 29th, 2009 1:04 pm

    David
    Get your facts before you start telling lies.. The County Road Prison did not I repeat did not get 8% or 5% over the last Two years. This year we got nothing and last year we got ONE thats ONE percent. Our pay is public record go and look.. Before you start a fire and throw gas on, get your facts. The only reason we got one percent last year it was owed to us from the previous year when we were told all the non union employee got 3% and we got 2% If you want to see my pay checks I have them…
    Just for your info We at the road prison understand hard time and have asked for no pay raise in the up coming year.

  7. Just Because on August 28th, 2009 1:52 pm

    I work for the county and I wish David would show me that 6% raise he says we have got over the past 2 years. I can show him a 2 year old check stub and a recent one, the gross pay is the same but the net pay is a good bit less because of insurance going from free for a single person to $83 a month.

  8. Raise past due on August 28th, 2009 1:13 pm

    After reading the Sheriff’s report , looks like they deserve twice that amount. County Commissioners need to make this happen.

  9. Typical on August 28th, 2009 11:13 am

    Social Security got a 5.8% raise this past January… I think they could skip this year, but only a 1% raise for deputies over the last two years?

  10. Lynn on August 28th, 2009 9:38 am

    Just read David’s post. . . . .it sums it up very well.

  11. Bobby on August 28th, 2009 8:11 am

    Why should any one get a raise when Social Security is not getting one. Social Security says that inflation went down. Inflation went down so why do We need a raise????

  12. David on August 28th, 2009 7:52 am

    Tracy,
    I know we all want raises and probably will not get them, but we also do not get the facts or history behind an issue in the news media. First of all the Sheriff has to budget a 3% raise every year per the contract with the PBA Bargaining Unit or else face an unfair labor practice for not following the contract. The contract says that he has to ask for it, but it does note that the County Commissioners have to approve it. It is nice to see though that the Sheriff is doing more than asking about it and is actually trying to get it approved. If you read his letter that is linked in this article you will see the facts that a 3% raise can happen while still decreasing the budget, just not as much as the Commissioners want. Notice that the Sheriff’s Office has only received a 1% raise over the last 2 years while the rest of the county, except the Road Prison has received a 6% over the last 2 years, which leaves the Sheriff’s Office employees 5% behind the other county employees. I said except the Road Prison for a reason because they received a 5% raise last year giving them 8% over the last 2 years and leaving the Sheriff’s Office 7% behind them. Why would the Commissioners give the Road Prison 5% and not care about the Sheriff’s Office? Maybe because inmate labor cleaning up the districts gets votes and people just call their Commissioner to get something cleaned up for free. Why would the Commissioners not want a 3% raise for the Sheriff’s Office to offset the difference over the last 2 years? Maybe because if they agree to it they may not get the votes they need to stay in office so it is not about the reality or facts in an issue it is about their own self- gain and self-interest in the issue. No Tracy, the raise may not happen at all, but you can now see what has happened over the last 2 years under the County Commissioners and way the Sheriff and his employees might be asking for a 3% raise while still cutting the budget at the same time.

  13. Tracy on August 28th, 2009 5:32 am

    WHY? We all want raises… But can we afford to give them? Why is the Sheriff’s department any different than any other government entity or business? I haven’t heard of any other government or business getting raises (unless you’re a bailout bank or business) , in fact all you hear about are layoffs. Mr Morgan needs to wake up and smell the recession.