Budget director: State employee raises just not possible this year

State workers say lack of pay hikes have taken toll

Sunday, January 23, 2011

State employees would see no raises for the third straight year under Gov. Jay Nixon’s proposed budget.

“The governor really would have liked to be able to (give raises), but given the reductions that we’re having to make to some of the programs, we just couldn’t get there this year,” said Linda Luebbering, Nixon’s budget director.

Read additional details in our newspaper or e-Edition. Newspaper subscribers: Click on an e-Edition article and log in using your current account information at no extra charge. For e-edition help, e-mail circ@newstribune.com. Click here to purchase the full version of archived articles.

On Thursday afternoon, many state employees exiting state buildings downtown said they were unaware of the governor’s recommendation, which is a starting point for the budget that will be crafted by the Legislature and finalized in May.

More like this story

two_cents_worth 2 years, 3 months ago

No kidding...duh...here, let me show you my shocked & outraged face...

DO...WHAAAAT!!!! AARRRRGH...NOOOO!!!!

Better?

Another report from the obvious file.

Let the dissing begin...

brashbutton627 2 years, 3 months ago

I just wonder who in the governor's office will get a raise? Which one of his cronnies he found a job for will get a raise? I bet there will be several.

JCsleeper 2 years, 3 months ago

And this was "news" ?

Gotigers 2 years, 3 months ago

This just continues to hurt the economy of Jefferson City.

JCLifer 2 years, 3 months ago

Lots of big raises given in the governor's and deparment heads offices. Just no raises for the people who do the work. They have to eat the higher cost of insurance, co-pays, natural gas, electricity, gasoline, food, etc. etc etc.

JCLifer 2 years, 3 months ago

Bet that Bernskoetter, Barnes, and Kehoe do nothing to rally to protect the central missouri economy on this one...

usmc00 2 years, 3 months ago

Well no. They don't care there in there to pad the wallet is all.

yonomo 2 years, 3 months ago

Agreed

MommaR 2 years, 3 months ago

Okay, print out copies off past and current bluebook pay, take it to your senator or rep, heck call KRCG, send a copy to Nixon....Take a copy to Lubbering....DO SOMETHING! Ask the NT to check into it.....QUIT WHINING!

wcywing 2 years, 3 months ago

you forgot to hit the reply button, instead of posting a new comment. i'm sure there are many state workers taking excedrin because of budget cuts. you would think of all of cuts that he did, hewould cut his pay.

JMO 2 years, 3 months ago

You know, I didn't even think twice about this. I just assumed I wasn't getting a raise. After all, my last one was in 2008. It was a whopping $62 a month, gross. After taxes and other adjustments, my net income was actually less after that raise. In fact, the biggest increase I've seen, net, since 2006 is $39 a month and I suspect that was because I adjusted my cafeteria plan or some other pre-tax deduction. Gosh, we all miss those 1% and 2% COL raises.

Seriously, I don't care, the raises are so small and I'm just glad to have a job with benefits in this day and age. I just wish they'd act like they appreciate the work we do in some other way!

JCLifer 2 years, 3 months ago

Jime Dyke's chart are interesting. On one chart he accurately portrays an average state worker by showing the $12.00 an hour wage. On the other chart he seems to have included special raises for Corrections, etc. that may not have been given to all employees.

JMO 2 years, 3 months ago

True, people in corrections did get raises other's did not, or larger ones, over the years. Same with the highway patrol. They pretty much always get higher raises than the rest of the state. I always figured it was a "dangerous job" bonus. Which is wasn't, but it made me feel better about it. :)

gofish 2 years, 3 months ago

It was because of organized union lobbying that fought for Corrections. They recieved sizable raises at a time when no one else in the state did.

gofish 2 years, 3 months ago

It's okay Linda and Jay. State employees love being underappreciated, underpaid, and doing the work of the 3 positions you never refilled. Good job. You should pat yourself on the back and then motor over to the welfare office and greet the growing numbers of state employees that qualify for food stamps. You guys are real winners.

And the worst thing of all is that Kinder would be even worse for this state. At the time that the Republicans were slashing my elderly mother's health care benefits, Kinder was leading the charge to give state money away to build the new Busch Stadium. No Peter, we haven't forgot.

She was already participating in the cost of her care and they raised that portion to 1/2 of her social security benefit. Thus, she was no longer eligible by exclusion. So now what? We get to choose between the lesser of the evils...when there is no lesser. Oh Joy. No end in sight.

Or login with:

OpenID

News Tribune