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Today's Poll!House staff received 3 raises in year
Friday, October 19, 2012
Even as Gov. Jay Nixon’s administration has worked to cut the number of state workers as a way to save money and many of the remaining employees have complained about getting no raises for five years, most Missouri House of Representatives workers have gotten three pay raises in the last year.
Those raises include two House-specific raises, as well as the 2 percent raise given this past summer to all state employees earning under $70,000 a year.
House Chief Clerk D. Adam Crumbliss said this week he created a pay increase plan last year, after getting then-House Speaker Steve Tilley’s approval.
“I have a fundamental philosophy that, in order for government to do the best that it can for its people, we need to be in the position that we are investing in staff for the long term,” Crumbliss said.
A number of House employees, including several directors, are eligible to retire within ....
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Comments
JCLifer 8 months ago
Good for them! It appears the Republicans are starting to see that you cannot attract and retain good workers with very poor wages, declining benefits, and poor working conditions. I'm happy that a few state employees got some decent raises this year. Now, what are they going to do about the rest?
spelchek 8 months ago
Ahem.......in regards to those at the helm, "we are investing in staff for the long term" is part of the problem. We don't need a legacy running the show, our founders set term limits for a reason. Boasting you're keeping the best you can get when the best you can get is 50th out of 50 for those that work along side you is arrogant. The closer I look the more I start to see a bourgeois class of "representatives" throwing other peoples money at things, failing, then justifying more money to throw at the same problem (after going through committee naturally). I give you public education as Exhibit A
JCLifer 8 months ago
Spelchek, you nailed it!
Also, why should the House have the best employees for their 6-month jobs, when the rest of state government can be happy with the bottom of the barrel #50 employees in the nation? I don't recall the Mo Legislature doing a whole lot while they were in session the last couple of years. They waste our tax dollars hosting receptions paid for by lobbiests, and they don't really start doing any real work until the last two weeks of their session. When they don't get the work done in the last two weeks, they call a special session to milk out some more per diem money.
mia 8 months ago
There are no "term limits" for staff. They are staffers, workers, just like, say for instance, Revenue. And by the way, I sure wish the newspaper would pick on other agencies for money waste. Their are some at the University of MO that are just horribly overpaid and take so much time off, its a disgrace. And yes, we as taxpayers pay for that also.
JCLifer 8 months ago
They only look overpaid because the majority around here are so grossly underpaid.
mia 8 months ago
I will give a hint to the newspaper. There are agencies under the guise of MU that hire uneducated people for big bucks. They make up titles so they can get them a raise. Go to Columbia and do some digging.
asb 8 months ago
When you see the NT doing investigative journalism, let me know and I'll catch and eat a raw rottweiler.
JCLifer 8 months ago
Now that there is funny, I don't care who you are!
CentralMOLady 8 months ago
Are you even aware of the fact that these employees work year-round and are the LOWEST PAID people in the state? Not to mention they took a pay cut in January of 2010 (their pay was not increased but their required hours were). One of my very good friends works there, and she is constantly working more than 50 hours a week with helping constituents from around the state, giving tours, dealing with other state departments never being there or not doing their jobs, and working the her legisislator--who works as a State Rep full-time too. I know that people who don't understand the way the Legislature works think they only work six months a year, but that's just not true, they work 365 days a year helping their constituents with problems, supporting their community, and making sure other state agencies are held accountable. So instead of picking on the lowest paid employees, how about you look into agencies like Conservation who make millions off of the gas tax and STILL come begging for extra money when it's budget time, or perhaps look into the Department of Edication, an agency that pays for their employees to work on the state dime for private organizations like MSTA, or even look elsewhere in the House, to someone who makes a little more than $11/hr? But instead, you focus on their raises, that all total up to $30 a month!
CentralMOLady 8 months ago
By the way, if you don't believe you can easily look it up on the accountability portal. Great work News Tribune...
JCLifer 8 months ago
And they get paid out for every bit of their overtime as comp time or actual overtime $. I have seen how hard they work whenever session is out. During session they work a little, but they also belly up to the free gourmet lunch buffets that the lobbiests put on nearly every day. The booze flows freely after 4:00. Yeah, they are so mistreated and work so hard. However, they are part of the #50 state employees, so I don't begrudge them a dime or a minute that they can relax or have fun. State government anywhere in Missouri cannot be fun to work at unless maybe the Governor's Office.
mia 8 months ago
Amen, Central MO Lady.
Ed1952 8 months ago
What I'm hearing is, the only state employees that work more than 40 hours are those who work in the House... I beg to differ. There are a lot of us that spend well over 40 hours a week and since we are class zero, do not get comp, overtime, or any other perk like the House and Senate staff. What qualifies the House Staff to get more than the rest of state employees? As one of the lowest paid state employees in the nation, I do not understand why they are not held to the same standards that the rest of us are.
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