County Employees Get A Raise, With A Catch

June 17, 2011

The Escambia County Commission voted Thursday night to give county employees a raise effective October 1, but there’s a catch.

County employees will receive a 3.1 percent across the board raise, but that will be offset by the new state-mandated contributions they will be required to make to their  retirement plans. The idea, according to County Administrator Randy Oliver, is keep the take-home pay the same for county employees. The increase will cost the county about $1.3 million.

There will also be a 5.5 percent increase in employee health insurance premiums, shared between the county ($550,000) and employees ($1.60 monthly for single on a base plan to $22 monthly for full family coverage on the complete plan). County employees will lose a paid holiday with the elimination of one of two days off at New Year’s.

Comments

45 Responses to “County Employees Get A Raise, With A Catch”

  1. SW on June 22nd, 2011 1:14 am

    @Howard D,

    OK. I call.

  2. SW on June 22nd, 2011 1:10 am

    @PHD,

    Good twist on my words. I was answering the challenge: “Not one of you that work for the private sector can even began to know what it is like to be a government employee now days…”

    I said I had been in public sector 14 years; didn’t say I was still in public sector.

    I left public sector after 14 years. But while I was in it, if the agency I worked for didn’t fulfill my expectations, I went looking for the greener pastures. I usually found them.

    I went into private sector with an A.S. degree in a job outside my degree field. After 10 years, at age 43 (2004), I was forced to look for a new job as the company I worked for went bankrupt-a bankruptcy that was really newsworthy. Realizing I had to compete against people half my age; with twice my education; but none of my experience, I had to do something to get back into the game. I completed my Bachelor’s Degree at age 46 (2007) and received a professional certification that is recognized world-wide; I will have my Master’s in November-at age 50. I work for a good company and still commute to between FL, AL, MS, LA, and TX for my employer. If at some point I get tired of it or it ceases to satisfy me, I will go looking again. That’s how I made myself marketable. In fact, I turn down jobs a couple of times a month from prospective employers. I’m not a lawyer, doctor, or engineer, either. I found something I enjoy doing that has good job opportunities. My Dad told me once that jobs don’t always come to you, sometimes you have to go to them. I heeded the wise man’s advice-still do.

    Easy? Not a day of it. Simple? I never said it was. Sacrifice? Yep. Whining? Nope. Faith? Lots of it.

  3. Howard D on June 21st, 2011 9:16 pm

    Here’s an idea!! How about government just cut services to you and the rest of the cry-baby public! How about that? You know, kind of like when I go to walmart and have to stand in line forever because there are no cashiers, or how about when I go the grocery store or the bank or a drive thru and it takes sooooo long? What if the teacher just called in sick or they all left to get a better jobs?
    What if YOU had to wait to get an ambulance to your home, a fire fighter to save your house from burning or a police officer to aide you at the scene of a crash? Well, get used to it because a lot of them are being streached very thin due to cut-backs and people ARE leaving to seek better jobs. Good for them-they took your advise; now live with the results.

  4. PHD on June 21st, 2011 8:58 pm

    @SW

    “I have not worked 5 years without a pay increase…because, I took it upon myself to change jobs. I made myself marketable and sought more gainful employment. I’ve done it in public sector as well as private sector.”

    You make it sound SO SIMPLE-! What if you are older (45-55) and have already invested so much time in a career? What if you actually LIKE the job you do, just hate the politics? And really?? You “made yourself marketable -14 years ago” I can see that then but…Good luck doing that during this time and age!

  5. geez on June 21st, 2011 6:06 pm

    well, as i work for the state, i have never had a raise, but it has come to the point that either you be happy that you have a job, (a lot of people don’t) or you find another job. Can’t you folks see, just because we live in America, we can’t get everything we want. As long as we the people do not make better decisions about who we vote into office, it will only get worse. Blame no one but ourselves. HEY, IT IS WHAT IT IS.

  6. SW on June 21st, 2011 8:31 am

    @Nomore,

    I’ve been in public sector-14 years to be exact. I’ve been the government employee people yell at; I’ve also been the one they turn to for help and direction. So yes, I can do the job and no, I don’t want to do it again. I don’t want to deal with the low pay and the politics, again.

    I have not worked 5 years without a pay increase…because, I took it upon myself to change jobs. I made myself marketable and sought more gainful employment. I’ve done it in public sector as well as private sector.

    I have no issue with people getting raises, when the employer can afford it. My issue is when those employees feel entitled, at taxpayer expense, to more of the taxpayer money when the taxpayer is already stretched out. Do we, who are not public sector employees, not get to keep as much of our money as we can, too? Or, do we owe it to you first?

    Yes I’ve been to a government agency for their services; I’ve been treated well and I’ve been treated poorly. The same could be said when dealing with private sector employees, too. I’m not sure what your point is.

    There was a time when working for the government or the railroad (arguably for the government, there, too) was a guaranteed lifetime income with a retirement; there was a time when getting a job like Monsanto or Champion had the same promise. Sadly, those times are over for all of us. Many employers are cutting back staff so the job task for those left gets larger, often without an increase in pay; that happened to me in my last position. Personally, i got tired of doing more work without a pay increase, so…I changed jobs-with that change, I got a raise and a better job to boot. Many employers, public and private, are cutting benefits in an effort to cut costs.

    We, as employees, need to decide what our dropping point is, do we stay and deal with it or leave to find a better opportunity. My choice is always to seek the better opportunity.

    So yes, there is one…me…that knows exactly how it feels to work in public sector.

  7. David Huie Green on June 21st, 2011 1:33 am

    REGARDING:
    “I’m against the premise that without government nothing would happen. I am for free market capitalism and minimal governmental interference.”

    Everybody wants minimal governmental interference, they just have widely differing views as to what the minimum is. In general, most want to be left alone but want to tell their neighbors what to do and not do.

    We can look at other countries and see what can happen when government doesn’t limit some actions. In the Sudan, they still practice slavery. In Somalia, they praise pirates. In Afghanistan, they turn to the Taliban for judgment without having to pay bribes first. In Libya they kill black people because Moammar uses central African mercenaries to kill rebels.

    We really need to limit how people are allowed to harm others.

    Of course, once we get started, we get to telling them whether or not they can have a visible antenna, what they can eat, whether or not they have to have health insurance, who they can hire and fire. There’s a constant back and forth regarding what to regulate and what’s none of our business.

    AND
    “I am all in for supporting Constitutional bounds of government,”

    It would be nice. We should try it sometime. We also need to remember the US Constitution has more limits on federal government than it does on state government; it even spells out states have any powers not ceded to the federal government.

    David for maximum freedom

  8. Nomore on June 20th, 2011 10:47 pm

    You can ALL have my job if you’d like!! Go ahead…I DARE you! Not one of you that work for the private sector can even began to know what it is like to be a government employee now days. We were promised so much when we took these jobs; good pay, paid retirement, health care, paid holidays ..cough..cough…And even now as they take away one of our paid holidays, make us pay 3% into our on retirement and then give us a 3.1% increase (the first in over 5 years!) you people have the nerve to gripe about it! Have YOU worked for 5 years without ANY pay increase? Seriously? IF yes, then listen to everybody here-”just go get another job”. By the way-Have you been to a county agency for any services lately?? Do YOU want to wait on those people?? Then fill out your application-they are taking them!

  9. SW on June 20th, 2011 8:09 pm

    David, without entrepreneurs creating jobs and producing goods and services, there would be no taxes to pay to the government.

    I’m not against taxes, just against wasteful spending by government. I’m also against the premise that the government thinks that they are entitled to my money just to give it to someone else. I’m against the premise that without government nothing would happen. I am for free market capitalism and minimal governmental interference.

    I am all in for supporting Constitutional bounds of government,

  10. SW on June 20th, 2011 7:30 pm

    David, surely you jest.

    Please give me time to find a place to escape.

  11. David Huie Green on June 20th, 2011 6:21 pm

    REGARDING:
    “The country was built by entrepreneurs, not taxes”

    Why you trying to make me defend taxes?

    Oh well, here goes: Without the individual and collective efforts of men and women to make this a better country, it would indeed be a worse place to live.

    Ford had a better idea. Edison saw the light–and let others see too. Tesla sent the power. McCormick reaped the benefits or at least the crops. Rockefeller refined the oil. Henry J. Kaiser built the Hoover Dam (with many others) which brought water and power to millions–oops, that was financed by taxes. Bankers, investors and other financiers paid to set up production of improvements.

    Oh, but taxes…..

    Taxes built the roads and dams. They paid for law enforcement. They paid for a legal system to settle disputes. They paid for the patent office to allow inventers to benefit from their better ideas. They paid for an army and a navy to protect us from invaders and from Indians who didn‘t like how we kept taking their property. They paid to educate our parents, grandparents, selves so we could do those other things. They forced some people to stop dumping some poison on other people. They forced some people to stop doing things which killed their workers. They fed the hungry and the sick when we didn’t do it ourselves or you could say they were the way we fed the hungry and the sick and the old.

    Much is wasted but taxes are part of what built this country.

    David for reality some of the time

  12. David Huie Green on June 20th, 2011 6:05 pm

    REGARDING:
    “You must have been asleep in American history class. This country was built upon us not wanting to pay taxes to England before we left there to come to the new world and start our own country. There was a little party called the Boston Tea Party”

    Someone was asleep, anyway. People didn’t come to America to avoid paying taxes. They came for religious freedom, to get rich, to avoid the hangman, for personal freedoms. They came for many reasons.

    They had children. Those children had assorted other desires and grew up used to not paying taxes to the King of England. They had other taxes to pay and they paid them with the standard griping everybody does but then Parliament needed money, realized the colonies were a large potential source of money which had been ignored because they just hadn’t thought of it before.

    When Parliament started to put taxes on colonists, they made them mad because the colonists had no representation in the House of Commons. Their complaint was NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION. Taxes like tax on tea. But notice they did not reject taxes altogether, just taxes without a voice in government.

    We now have that voice and it says, “FEED ME!” We have many demands for financing and politicians buy votes by yielding to those demands. Some are reasonable demands, others not so much.

    This has nothing to do with the fact that I am now scheduled to pay a three percent tax on my income to my retirement or whatever. It’s only money and money isn’t real. I’m just talking about the history involved.

    David for representative government
    and wiser representatives

  13. JIM W on June 19th, 2011 7:52 pm

    @To everyone: You must have been asleep in American history class. This country was built upon us not wanting to pay taxes to England before we left there to come to the new world and start our own country. There was a little party called the Boston Tea Party does any of that ring a bell with you? Hey Americans as a general rule do not mind paying their taxes they just don’t want their hard earned money wasted. So, the taxpayer is asking the Government to be more responsible with the moines they are already getting. We all know and understand your not getting rich working for the county. I don’t think in any of the commentary on this subject has even come close to saying that. What a lot of them are syaing is we know you earn your money and work hard for your money and you should be proud like the rest of us to just have a job.

  14. SW on June 19th, 2011 6:56 pm

    The country was built by entrepreneurs, not taxes. People who own businesses that provide a service or product that people want, hired employees to work for the company so the product or service could be provided.

    Major road projects are contracted out anyway; I, frankly, could care less if the grass grows up beside the road; they are not going to cut the sheriff’s and fire departments-that’s a bluff.

    The more I hear on this discussion, the more I’m convinced the county should consider contracting. It’d be cheaper in the long run.

    Of course, the county should consider cutting a lot more little bureaus, too.

    I’m a former government employee, too.

  15. To everyone on June 19th, 2011 3:55 pm

    Pay your retiremetnt, less goverment work and jobs. This country was built on taxes. So let me get this straight. You wanna get rid of the road department fine. Pave your own roads. Have fun with that. Mow the grass by the roads. have fun wuth that. The bank is getting robbed that holds your money to retire. Go catch them. have fun wuth that. Your house is on fire with your family in it. Go put it out. Have fun with it. Why is it everyone is so quick to judge people and the jobs they do. These people work for a crap wage and a crap pension. Yeah yeah they can get another job. But some people love there job. No in e is getting rich working for the county. I promise you that. I work for the county. I get paid 26,000 dollars a year take come. I risk my life everyday im at work for the citizens of escambia county. I LOVE MY JOB and dont do it for the money. I am glad they gave us 3.1 to offset the costs. Things arent getting cheaper.

  16. JIM W on June 19th, 2011 3:42 pm

    @Wharf Rat, I have no idea of what may or may not be made under the table by businesses if any. But I can tell you with certainty that in my business we are so regulated that it can not happen and if it were to happen and you went thru an audit (of which we do evry other year) your licenses would be pulled immediately. In other words your livelyhood would be terminated regardles of how much you had invested or how hard you had worked. Again this is the real world that a lot of people do not get to be a part of as the business person is responsible for taking care of. The employee does not have to deal with any of this responsibility as a general rule.

  17. SW on June 19th, 2011 8:06 am

    The last time I looked, America is still a free country; at least to a degree.

    We are not assigned by the leaders of the country to a job or a skill. If the pay or the conditions or the people at a place of employment are unacceptable to you, then you are free to leave and find more gainful employment. Your only limitations are the ones you place on yourself.

    If the majority of public sector employees feel this way, maybe governmental leaders should find more ways of cutting costs, like closing departments and contracting to vendors.

  18. tlad on June 19th, 2011 6:56 am

    Public employees get a grip! Private employees have had to give up raises, health benefits, etc. for the past 5 years! I am growing tired of enabling, (and financially supporting) your rose-colored glass world! And to the commissioners who voted in favor of the raises. . .I’ll see you at the polls!

  19. River Rat on June 18th, 2011 11:57 pm

    To msc::
    I know 4 a fact that the county employees that were called “AWAY” got first hand news of when Wal-Mart (closed) & got in ICE, GENERATORS, ETC, ETC! SO QUIT U’RE WHINNING! Yes I work for the county but I do not get special tereatment! The only reason ANY of us got a 3% raise is to cover what we have to pay into the retirement system! Thank you Rick, you have got 2 go!

  20. wharf rat on June 18th, 2011 10:39 pm

    Many years ago, I tried to enter the “work force.” I was denied, because I was a member of the National Guard. This would not happen today. I became a state employee. I probably made less salary working for the state, but I was a good employee, made good assessments on my evaluations. I retired, and made a decent retirement, but paid around $1300 each month for my state family health insurance plan. My income tax is collected each month. I wonder how much under the table income, not taxable, is incurred by “private sector” businesses….just wondering?

  21. JIM W on June 18th, 2011 12:41 pm

    @swc in your statement you drew a lot of conclusions which may or may not be correct. So, I will entertain the ones about me not making 12.00 per hour. You are correct I do not make 12.00 dollars an hour. I have seen the time I wish to God I could have made 12.00 an hour. In fact my first job working in the public was fo 95 cents per hour and got paid once per month. So I happen to know a little bit about poverty in fact I know enough about it that I never relish the thought of having to ever live in it again as that is where I came from. Notice I said from. The reason I said from was like you and they many other people who work their rears off I have bills to pay as well and still do just on a much larger scale. But, I did work extra jobs and save to start a business. For the first 4 years my employees made more than I did as a matter of fact if I had missed a payment on the loan I would have been out of business and the employee out of a job. A person who owns a small business take seriously their business as it’s not just his or her lively hood as it is all the employees as well. A business person realizes what it means to have to make the hard decisions like raises and lay offs and how it effects people and the communities they are from. Oh by the way the line share of taxes that are paid to the government are by the small business of America. So, we take risk we take loans that could result in us loosing everthing in life with no gurantees and you think we have it made. Again there have been many times in life I wish I could have made 12.00 dollars an hour like when I was in the Army making 98.00 per month and a war going on. So, before you start the blame game you might want to consider that it is those of us who are generating the income for you to get paid. In this case taxes and we are all about paying our taxes but are demanding the leaders be responsible for how those taxes are spent. Which is why they are trying to balance things out and retain their employees as the same time. The economy has a lot to do with it as the monies have declinded for income and the taxes are relative. This is a very ruff time for America and we all including me have to suck it up for awhile. By the way since 9-11 my business has declined bu 38% so I know what it is like once again to tighten my belt. After having invested many dollars over the years this is what I get in return and it’s not my fault nor my employees. But we shall survive because an American is a survivor!

  22. eab on June 17th, 2011 10:57 pm

    Ouch. The posts at June 17th, 2011 7:56 pm and June 17th, 2011 7:23 pm were certainly strident, not to mention nearly incoherent.

    The day after Ivan, I went to work. Most of the people I worked with were there as well. We went for whatever reason….to get paid, to help clean up, just for a sense of stability…whatever. Bur folks went. That wasn’t really anything special.

    A cook out may not pay the bills but it does help a person to feel appreciated (err…at least some of them). I think one of the reasons many companies have gotten away from those types of things is the ingratitude many people show.

    Casinos…now there’s an idea. If we build one on every corner then we can each have our own.

  23. SWC on June 17th, 2011 7:56 pm

    TO JIM W. WELL JIM IF YOU OWN A BUSINESS I BET YOU DONT WORK FOR 12.00 AN HOUR. YOU REMEMBER WHEN ENGEEIRING DEPT. GOT A BIG FAT RAISE .SOME OF THEM 70 PERCENT.IF I MADE OVER A 100 GRAND A YEAR I WOULD BE HAPPY TO. IF THEY COULD GIVE THAT DEPT SUCH BIG RAISES WHY CANT THEY GIVE THE LITTLE PEOPLE A LITTLE RAISE.IF WE HAD SOME POWER WE COULD BRING JOBS TO PENSACOLA INSTEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT THE BEACH ALL THE TIME.IF THEY WOULD ALOW CASINOS HERE THE REVENUE WOULD GO CRAZY HERE.IT WOULD BRING JOBS TO.THE CRIME HERE IS BECAUSE THEYRE NO JOBS HERE.YOU HEAR LESS OF CRIME IN BOLOXI AND THE STATE HAS PLENTY OF MONEY. AND AS FOR YOU THE UTILITY GUY THE ROADS ARE GETTING PAVED BECAUSE YOUR WATER MAIN BREAKS AND RUINS OUR ROADS.AND YOU ARE NOT PAYING FOR COUNTY RETIREMENT.

  24. msc on June 17th, 2011 7:23 pm

    TO LEFT BEHIND, I AM SORRY I LEFT YOU OUT.YOU DESERVE A GOOD RAISE TO AND THE FIRE FIGHTERS TO. ALL OF YOU DERERVE IT.MY HUSBAND HAD TO LEAVE US DURING HURRICANE IVAN CAUSE THE COUNTY MADE HIM.WE HAD NO WATER ,ELE.COOL AIR AND ALOT OF DAMAGE BUT THEY ALL WERE MADE TO SHOW UP .IT DONT MATTER ABOUT OUR FAMILIES OR OUR DAMAGE SO YEA YALL HAVE TO LEAVE YOUR FAMILIES TO.AND YEA SOME PEOPLE THINK THEIR AIDS DESERVE MORE MONEY.I BET THEY GET TO STAY HOME WHEN A HURRICANE COMES.WE ARE THANKFUL FOR A JOB BUT HEY WE DONT MAKE 30 TO 50 THOUSAND A YEAR. ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES ARE JUST DOWN HEARTED BECAUSE THEY SAY YOU ARE DOING SUCH A GOOD JOB AND YALL MAKE US LOOK GOOD.WELL THEY SURE DONT SHOW IT EXCEPT WITH A COOK OUT. THAT DONT PAY OUR BILLS.

  25. SW on June 17th, 2011 4:25 pm

    Could be worse: The BOC could decide to contract everything out and close down some departments; or, there could be no raise and still be increases in deductions.

  26. jcellop on June 17th, 2011 3:42 pm

    excellent perspective, jimw….this story needed a touch of reality (looking at the entire BIG picture)

  27. State CO on June 17th, 2011 3:34 pm

    Well that’s a good thing the county is doing for it’s workers. The State of Florida’s DOC branch hasn’t done one thing to benefit it’s workers except the possible 12 hour shifts, the cuts on staffing, with no pay increase in 6 years. I guess it wouldn’t be so bad if we just had a few good leaders to back up the CO’s on the floor. If we could get back to the old days of Corrections this job would be a little more fulfilling.

  28. JIM W on June 17th, 2011 2:05 pm

    To those of you who seem to think one department is more important that the other you are wrong. You all are important to all of us as team to keep things running. I will have to say you are lucky to have a job to complain about. The hidden cost of having an employee should be revealed to you sometime. I don’t think unless you have owed a business as I have for the last 37 years you have any idea the amount of monies an employee cost. For and example. The 7.65% FICA you see coming out of your check is also matched dollar for dolar by your employer and the medical coverage and dental if you have it cost thousands of dollars per year per person. And, here you have generous coverage for your familys for a small price. Your employer pays for most of the coverage not you. What your employer has done is try to off set with retirement (oh by the way they participate in as well) and a good medical program. What your your employer shold do is lay out all the cost of having you work for them so you will know what it is costing. Then maybe you will understand why employers have to take a hard look at what they are doing. In the government’s case they can not just raise their price like a private employer they have leavie taxes which is not easy to get thru as we are all tired of having to pay more taxes every year. So please don’t be upset if I sound a whole lot firm on the issue. I pay a whole lot more taxes than most by way of owning a business and on my personal income. I am just glad to be able to make a living so I can pay my taxes. Just saying think about what your asking for and be thankful you have a jpob to grumble about. There are a lot of people in America today wishing they had a job must less being able to complain about making money!

  29. Seriously! on June 17th, 2011 1:05 pm

    This is unbelievable! My brother has worked for the county road dept for abt 9 yrs now and I know for a FACT that he brings home less than $1400 a month and has to support hisself as well as his teenage daughter on that lousy pay. Try living in a decent place, paying bills and raising a child with $1400 a month. Its almost impossible to do. I’d like to know exactly how much the “county” gets paid for each of these projects that are going on right now (Hwy 297 being one of them)..because I’m sure its outrageous and the workers are not the ones who benefit..its the ones in office who prosper. The people who are out there sweating in the 100 degree heat are the ones who deserve the pay increase-not the rip off insurance companies! I remember back in the day when working for the county was a great job with great benefits..no longer the case. These poor people could make more money working for Tom Thumb or McDonalds..and guess what-they have better insurance than the county does now…HHHMMMMM Whats wrong with that picture??? This is such a slap in the face to the employees….

  30. fed up on June 17th, 2011 11:54 am

    We should have fewer government hand outs, fewer government services, fewer government employees, lower taxes, and more personal responsibility.

  31. bama54 on June 17th, 2011 11:00 am

    to bogia: I have thought about the county commission job, but all I would do is make people in the downtown click mad. I remember a Alabama Governor saying I am going to pave your roads, and make myself rich, but I will take care of you. I guess that is what I think about when thinking of the county commissioners job. I can be you commissioner, make myself a little on money, make my family a little money too, but I’ll take care of the “North End of the County”. At least up front you know I am going pad my pockets first, but I’ll take care of you. Vote for Bama54!!!

  32. bogia on June 17th, 2011 10:42 am

    bama54,maybe you should go to work for the county then!!!

  33. joe on June 17th, 2011 10:08 am

    I’m with Frank on this,
    having a private business there is no one to make sure I get a pay raise or have enough of a wage increase to cover my benifit costs…..
    Private sector does not have this and with the economy the way it is, this will not help the local, county, state or federal goverments budgets. so the employees get enough of an increase to cover new expenses and the citizens loose some vital service in the county. the health department already closed some offices and there was talk of fire cuts as well.
    I would rather see the employees tighten up the belt for now and keep vital services available for all. that is just me though, if some of you are ok with no fire, EMS, or other vital services then go ahead, but remember when we loose services people loose jobs as well.

  34. Kay on June 17th, 2011 10:03 am

    @eab
    I agree with you on this one. Nobody else is getting any raises and this
    raise for the county is coming right out of OUR pockets. Millions paid
    for by “yours truely” who haven’t seen a raise in years.

    As long as the town is run by these people everyone else will pay, while
    we slowly go down the drain.

  35. Frank on June 17th, 2011 9:34 am

    So where is the money comeing from?
    The private sector sure isn’t getting a raise and no one to make up our losses …What the’

  36. State Employee on June 17th, 2011 9:18 am

    CONTINUED……
    cost of living expense has increased much more than 3% in the past 5 years.

    Our government, county & state, are taking away one of the major reasons we do these various public service-type jobs. More often than not, many of these jobs are thankless, very dangerous on many levels, carried out while weathering the elements, etc. If WE don’t stand up for ourselves and be heard, WE have no one to blame but ourselves. Also, it is our responsibility as voters to educate ourselves BEFORE voting !!!!!

  37. State Employee on June 17th, 2011 9:11 am

    Most State & County workers sought their jobs due to the decent pay (for the area) & the benefits of long-term employment. The fact is we are being forced to take more from our salaries to pay toward health care & retirement WITHOUT low-percentage cost of living raises in many years. I don’t know the figures for the county. I do know the last pay raise for state correctional officers was 3% effective 10/1/06. I would venture to say that EVERYONE’S

  38. eab on June 17th, 2011 8:24 am

    I feel your pain,msc (oh,and your caps lock is stuck on).

    But they *are* getting a 3.1% increase to pay for retirement. If I understand correctly this would come out of their take home were it not for this increase.My heart goes out but unless you work on Wall Street, a 3.1% raise ain’t bad.

    Keep Scott and his cronies in office (lots of public employees voted for these folks, how’s that working out for ‘em I wonder?) and you ain’t seen nothing yet. The only thing we know for certain about this downturn is that at the end of it,however it resolves, Rick Scott and his pals will be richer than ever.Remember, Rickie is a businessman. That’s why he ran for governor.

  39. another County employee on June 17th, 2011 8:17 am

    atleast we wont be taking a 3% paycut but we wont be getting a raise either they call it a raise so they can say we got one and make them selfs feel better when they get theyget there pay raises if the administrator wants to keep takehome pay the same why is health insurance going up Again The BOCC has no problem giving there aids and staff payraises so why not the people who who make them look good to all the voters come election time

  40. Bama54 on June 17th, 2011 8:02 am

    to MSC: I notice the roads everytime I go down them, they are terrible!! I work for a utlity company so I know the weather conditions, but if I did not likie the conditions then I would find a new job. If the road workers can’t get food stamps, then they are making to much money! I don’t like the idea of the 3.1% at all!! I don’t think I should pay for anyones retirement except mine. This 3.1% is coming out of my pocket to pay for their retirement and this my friend is taking away from my family needs. I work hard for my money just like everyone else and no one is giving me a raise to pay for my retirement. ONE more thing, I was told in January I would not get a raise for the next 3 yrs. I am not happy about it but my life goes on.

  41. left behind on June 17th, 2011 8:01 am

    To msc. Do you think you are The ONLY County Employee in that position?. EMS works 24/7, NO HOLIDAYS OFF, ONLY every-other weekend off, Works heat, cold, rain or what ever the weather. Must ALSO leave their family and homes for days at a time during hurricanes, On-call at a moments notice during any large scale disaster. Has had no raise in years just like you, insurance premium has gone up every year with what they pay decreased every year. Makes life or death decisions daily and is exposed to every sickness out there. So don’t think you are paddling this creek alone, we are there right with you!

  42. tallyho on June 17th, 2011 7:51 am

    Gov Scotts madness. If you pay taxes then you should cheer him for trying to move deadbeats off the tax payerrs. And as far as living from pay day to pay day you are the only one who can change that and you along. You make your destiny. Being raised poor made me work harder instead of being trapped at the bottom looking up. You and You along can change this. America is the only country that you can do that.

  43. McDavid resident on June 17th, 2011 6:50 am

    What’s the point of this raise if the employees aren’t going to even see the increase on their paychecks? Seems the only ones coming out ahead in this is the county.

  44. County Employee on June 17th, 2011 6:03 am

    Well at least this will be some relief from Gov. Scott’s madness. For those who are the backbone of the work force at the bottom of the pay scale, which is the majority and making less than 34k/yr, taking a $50 or more pay loss a month to cover this new contribution could cause financial problems. The deductions start July 1st and the county increase won’t take effect until Oct 1, so county employees are still taking a pay cut that they won’t recover. So, calling this a “pay raise” is a bit of a stretch and maybe it should be more appropriately called a “pay off-set.”

  45. msc on June 17th, 2011 5:29 am

    THATS RIGHT THEY GET A RAISE BUT THEY DONT BRING HOME NOTHING MORE. EVERYTHING GOES UP BUT THEIR PAY. ROAD DEPT DESERVES A GOOD RAISE.WHEN A HURRICANE COMES,WHO HAS TO LEAVE THEIR FAMILIES AND ANY DAMAGE THEY HAVE BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO REPORT TO THE ROAD DEPT.THE BP CLAIM MONEY SHOULD GO TO THE ROAD DEPT.EMPLOYEES BECAUSE THEY HAVENT HAD A RAISE IN 4 YEARS. THEY HAVE TO WORK IN THE HEAT AND COLD WEATHER NO MATTER WHAT. THE COMISSIONERS COULD NOT LIVE ON WHAT THE ROAD DEPT.PAYS. THEY DONT UNDER STAND WHATS ITS LIKE TO LIVE FROM PAY DAY TO PAY DAY. THE ROAD DEPT/ IS THE MOST UNNOTICED DEPT. THERE IS. THEY CANT EVEN GET FOOD STAMPS TO HELP OUT. IF IT WASNT FOR THE ROAD DEPT. THE ROADS WOULD GO TO HELL. WHY DONT THE COMMISIONERS SEE THAT THEY ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT DEPT. THEY DESERVE A GOOD RAISE TO KEEP UP WITH THE RISING GAS AND FOOD COST.