County budget proposes 3.6 percent pay hike

Cole County government employees would see about a 3.6 percent pay increase under a proposed 2012 budget that was given to the County Commission on Wednesday.

County Auditor Jim LePage presented the budget, saying the increase would be given as a combination of 3 percent cost-of-living adjustment and .6 percent for merit/longevity.

He said the proposed increase was put in the budget to attract and keep a qualified workforce. He said the recommendation is based on projected inflation rates nationally as well as the federal government's adjustment to Social Security recipients of 3.6 percent.

The proposed budget of just more than $56 million is down from the $58.3 million LePage proposed for 2011 and the $61 million that commissioners eventually approved.