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State Employee Pay Hikes On The Table
February 2, 2017
Florida would have more state employees, and at least some of them would make more money, under a budget proposal unveiled this week by Gov. Rick Scott.
But whether to provide employees with their first across-the-board pay raises since 2013 will be decided in the upcoming legislative session, with one powerful senator gearing up to push the issue in his chamber’s spending plan.
Scott’s proposal would add a total of 596 positions, while cutting 266. The vast majority of the new jobs, 327, would be at the Department of Corrections, which is in the middle of a turnaround effort after revelations of prisoner mistreatment. Among the other new openings would be 90 for the state’s mental-health system and 46 counterterrorism jobs at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
According to the governor’s office, 86 percent of the jobs that would be cut are already vacant, with “many more” likely to be empty by the time the budget year begins July 1. A handful of state services, like the print shop at the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, would be outsourced to private companies.
A net increase in jobs would still be a rarity for Scott, who generally has pushed to shrink the number of state employees in earlier budgets.
And while Scott wouldn’t provide an across-the-board pay increase, he would make state employees eligible for one-time performance bonuses of up to $1,500 in increments of $500. For example, employees would get $500 if agencies reach certain benchmarks, another $500 if employees are rated at least “satisfactory,” and a third increment based on budget savings.
Scott has pushed for such an approach before, as he noted to reporters Tuesday after presenting his budget plan.
“I wish the Legislature would go through (with) that,” he said. “We have great state workers. You really have to thank people for what they do. The people that work in state government are on a mission. They really try to do their job really well. So I think we’ve got to make sure we pay them well.”
Some lawmakers are shooting for more as they prepare for the March 7 start of the annual legislative session.
Senate Appropriations Chairman Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, has signaled that he will push hard for salary increases. The last boost came in 2013, when lawmakers approved a $1,400-a-year raise for workers making up to $40,000. Those making above that mark got a $1,000-a-year increase.
At the time, it was the first pay hike for all state employees in six years, as the state’s budget was crimped by fallout of the financial downturn.
Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, told reporters at the Associated Press’ annual legislative planning session Tuesday that Latvala’s insistence means some sort of pay raise will likely be in his chamber’s budget proposal.
“Senator Latvala has made it clear to me and to other senators that this is his No. 1 policy initiative,” Negron said. “As we’re preparing the blueprint for our budget … I think my operating assumption is that based on Senator Latvala’s commitment to that issue, I would expect to see a pay raise for state employees in the Senate budget.”
But House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, sounded ambivalent about the possibility. Corcoran has called for cutting the budget to avoid projected shortfalls in future years. Still, the speaker didn’t rule out either Scott’s bonus program or raises.
“I think those are things that are on the table and are capable of happening,” he said Tuesday. “What we have said in the House is that you’re going to have to cut the budget.”
Scott’s plan would also make a series of tweaks to health insurance for state employees. An audit to re-examine dependents on the state health-care plan could help save $45 million a year, though it would cost $1.2 million to perform. A new way of managing drug prescriptions could save another $51.2 million.
And Scott has once again proposed having all state employees pay the same rates for their health insurance, something that would increase the premiums for a select number of higher-ranking state officials. It would save the state $21.8 million — but seems as unlikely to pass this year as in each of Scott’s previous budgets, which unsuccessfully included the same provision.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Comments
8 Responses to “State Employee Pay Hikes On The Table”
I would like to point out that as a State employee, my daughter qualified for reduced lunch this year. Next year, I’m expecting she’ll qualify for free lunch. What does that say about my income? I wonder how many Statesmen realize how many state employees are at or near the poverty level?
Rick Scott is a fiscal conservative and he is doing the job he was voted into office to do -cut spending and lower taxes.If that means no raises, then it means no raises. All good conservatives know that. It’s better to take care of the economy of this state than to worry about if state employees can feed their families. Most of the people in Northwest Florida voted for him not once but twice. So, you get what you get and you don’t have a fit. Suck it up buttercup.
I work for the State of Florida and have for several years and I have no idea what raise he is talking about because I have yet to ever see one. I make at the high end of poverty wages $22,000.00 per year after 8 years of service and am an only income in my home. You did however not think twice about taking money from me that did effect my retirement and was one of the draws in my decision to take my position. I was not given a vote about that or even asked if I felt if it were fair or given other options. Now that being said no raise in at least the 8 years I have been here, you take my hard earned money and then you want to tell me I might (maybe) if I am in the right place at the right time get part of some of the 3 – $500.00 bonuses you are trying to set up. Please tell me would you consider this expectable if it was for you? Not likely!!!!
Has anyone noticed that particularly in the Department of Corrections proposals there are raises talked about for Correctional Officers, Senior Correctional Officers, Probation Officers and Probation supervisors, however once again, there is nothing at all planned for the lowest paid – the support staff. Can anyone working in an institution or probation office imagine what it would be like without your support staff? How about any other agency – could you do without your support staff? The probation office I work for had 5 support staff 10 years ago. We now have 2. The work load certainly hasn’t gotten any smaller, and the pay certainly hasn’t gotten any larger. Do more with less and for less.
Really…. This is what you come up with after all this time??? That proposal is an insult. Obviously people that continue working for the State are not doing it for the pay!!! That should count for something period!! Over worked and under paid seems to be the motto. Not to mention you get hit with the typical be glad you have a job quotes etc…. Unacceptable!!! Try walking in s State employee shoes, you wouldn’t even be able to afford a decent pair of shoes to walk in.
Although appreciative of my job, I cannot help feeling somewhat offended by this weak “raise” proposal. For someone who has not taken care of State Employees for years, and actually taken from them in benefits and retirement $1500.00 in conditional increments of $500.00? I don’t think that even makes much of a dent in the years without a cost of living raise. If you need it that bad keep it.
Welcome to Rick Scotts world, Scott wins, Tax Payer loses
If The money that was spent out of the State General fund to settle
law suits filed against Rick Scott for Florida Sunshine Laws, violations . State employees
could have had a raise a long time ago. No cross the board raises for State Correction officers in eleven years, such a disgrace. When Putnam asked for a raise for State forestry fire fighters, Scott Vetoed there raise. Scott and his wife attended a children’s Special Olympics event and then went back to his office and signed legislation cutting funding to handicapped children, what kind of a man would do such a thing and be able to sleep at night. Keeps all his assets hidden in a blind trust in his wife’s name.
You can’t reach anyone in any department now, It like voiding jobs is the greatest thing to do, but service is affected sadly and so is the taxpayers who support the system that is busy providing corporate welfare with no assistance in any manner to the taxpayer.