0. Reach reporter Stacey Barchenger at stacey.barchenger@arizonarepublic.comor 480-416-5669. Republicans had sought to let parents use the scholarships to cover the entirety of a private schools tuition instead of the 90% limit that has been in place since the program was created in the early 2000s. $160 per employee a year to $186 per employee a year. Now, this budget isnt perfect. As part of House Bill 1, also known as the executive branch budget, state employees will receive an 8% across-the-board raise in the next fiscal year. PASSED Over the last eight years, Arizona has made responsible decisions to live within our means, reduce burdensome government regulations and increase trust in our citizens and the result is a booming economy with record revenues. Lawmakers in the House and Senate ended a months-long impasse, working through the night to approve the budget shortly before sunrise. Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Range, the Senate General Fund budget committee chairman, said he wasnt aware of the increases until after their approval. AZ International Auto Show & New Car Buyer's Guide 2020 Model Year, Republican fighting over promises, big spending stalls Arizona budget plan as deadline looms, House vote puts Arizona on cusp of largest school voucher program in US, Theadditional inflation effects you should know, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Connecticut is facing pressure from the private sector, municipalities and other states for its workers, Osten said, adding that the pandemic has made many state jobs less attractive. $225,000.05. It is unclear whether Gov. Republicans are widely expected to expand their majority in the 2022 election thanks to new district boundaries that appear to favor the GOP. Fazio said it reflects the pull unions have on state government, and that taxpayers will end up footing the bill. WebDeputy Chief Investment Officer. This is really just getting on a soap box and vilifying immigrants and creating a political point, Quezada said. The Legislature plans to return Thursday afternoon to take up legislation directing how the new water cash will be spent and other remaining bills, with an eye to adjourning for the year once those are completed. Arizona Department of Administration. Duceys budget director, Matt Gress, informed the Republican Senate president and House speaker of his decision to tap the funds for premium pay in a Dec. 9 letter. Updated: 6:21 AM MST June 23, 2022 State employees will get a raise, many for the first time in a decade. But for me, its encouraging that we have actually come together. The plan includes a handful of small, targeted tax cuts for farm machines and private planes but no large-scale reductions. "Frankly, a majority of this budget does not align with the priorities of Democrats," Senate Minority Leader Rebecca Rios, D-Phoenix, said in a statement. A north Phoenix church with ties in Turkey are rallying for earthquake survivors in the transcontinental country and also Syria. Whoops! Ducey is seeking a permanent 15% raise for state troopers, 20% for juvenile and adult corrections employees and pay boosts for several other agencies that total nearly $250 million a year. Doug Ducey was expected to approve it. But for Democrats, this may have been the last chance for the foreseeable future to make an imprint on the state budget. Keith has spent most of his 31 years as a reporter specializing in state government finances, analyzing such topics as income tax equity, waste in government and the complex funding systems behind Connecticuts transportation and social services networks. Boyer, who started as a Senate staffer and has been a lawmaker for a decade, said this is the first bipartisan budget in at least 15 years. Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. The agreements, which unions ratified earlier this spring, are retroactive to the start of this fiscal year, which began last July 1. Long-serving state employees may be eligible for pay increases of up to 10% over the next few years. It also calls for an increase to employer premiums - $160 per employee a year to $186 per employee a year. 0. In moving to court Democratic votes, GOP leaders lost the votes of some Republicans. The merit raises are separate from cost of living increases sometimes approved by the Legislature. She said agencies dont have to increase employees pay if it would be a financial burden to the office. Updated: 6:21 AM MST June 23, 2022 State employees will get a raise, many for the first time in a decade. That would be increased to $160. These class-specific raises are in addition to the 3.25% raise and lump-sum payments and will also go into effect July 1, 2022 and be reflected on the July 25 paycheck. Sen. Martin Quezada, a Glendale Democrat, spoke out against plans to spend $335 million for a wall on the southern border, which he said would be useless in stopping people from crossing. Expanding the court will give RepublicanGov. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This is what our state, where voters are nearly evenly divided by party affiliation, has long asked of us to work together, said Rep. Reginald Bolding of Laveen, the top Democrat in the House. The same is true at other agencies, according to a spreadsheet of classifications earning premium pay provided by the state Department of Administration. Arizona state officials gave pay raises to 169 government workers without getting the required approval from the Department of This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The improbable bipartisanship was enabled by an unprecedented surplus topping $5 billion, allowing for a broad array of new spending and savings. Tiny majorities in both chambers meant opposition from a single Republican lawmaker was enough to sink the budget if Democrats were united in opposition. It also eliminates the state equalization tax, a property tax for education, and backfills it with $330 million from the general fund. WebThe Arizona State Retirement System Board of Trustees announced Friday, November 12, 2021 that qualified retirees will receive a Permanent Benefit Increase (PBI) to their monthly annuities, beginning with their July 2022 benefit check. After losing support on the right, House Speaker Rusty Bowers and Senate President Karen Fann had to look elsewhere for votes, and they found them across the aisle. Ducey released a recovery-focused budget for Fiscal Year 2022, and he plans in making investments in K-12 education, public health, public safety, wildfire prevention, infrastructure and more, while also providing tax relief to residents. Rowan has spent the last few months going through unemployment data from states, giving context to the problems we are seeing now. The budget is not sound and its not reflective of my conservative values, Ugenti-Rita said. |. For the latest local news, download the FOX 10 News app. Arizona state employees get raises without needed OKs. That hesitance sent GOP leaders looking for Democratic votes, which they got as they crafted a rare bipartisan budget. That is one provision I am glad to see in here, Rep. Reginald Bolding, D-Phoenix, remarked, adding that Speaker of the House Rusty Bowers, R-Mesa, had been instrumental in getting the measure, which will allow agencies to request DPS to conduct independent investigations, into the criminal justice portion of the state budget. These class-specific raises are in addition to the 3.25% raise and lump-sum payments and will also go into effect July 1, 2022 and be reflected on the July 25 paycheck. A separate bill giving locality pay was scrapped in favor of this bill. In the budget deal, Democrats also were able to change how money given to schools for for capital costs like transportation, technology and textbooks. by Jim Small, Arizona Mirror June 23, 2022. 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Graham said the majority of employees at the top of their current pay structure will not see an immediate increase, but will at least be eligible for a pay increase within the next few years.. TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - On Friday, Jan. 15, Arizona Gov. March 10, 2022. Ducey is seeking a permanent 15% raise for state troopers, 20% for juvenile and adult corrections employees and pay boosts for several other agencies that total nearly $250 million a year. Those who have voted against it say they want to see a restructuring of DES before handing them more money. "We werent competitive at that rate," Hawkins said. "The pandemic has really made it apparent that what you get in terms of unemployment benefits often isn't enough to support you if you're out of work, especially when you think about a national public health crisis," said Rowan. The Lamont administration, labor leaders and other supporters of the increases have said they believe unions could have gotten even larger raises had they rejected the states offer and gone to arbitration. The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow, March 11, at 11 a.m. PHOENIX Governor Doug Ducey today expressed appreciation and gratitude for state workers on Arizona State Employee Recognition Day, thanking them for their dedication to serving the residents of one of the fastest-growing states. Citing the possibility of an economic recession, Republicans used the state's unusually flush surplus to sock away money and pay off debts. Doug Ducey is expected to sign the $18 billion budget approved by the Legislature this week. The package of budget bills passed with overwhelming support, highly unusual in the modern era. The site navigation utilizes arrow, enter, escape, and space bar key commands. Connecticut holds $3.1 billion in its rainy day fund, equal to 15% of annual operating costs the maximum allowed by law. The Senate completed action on a bill Thursday evening that will provide pay raises for state employees whose wages are outlined in state code. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. $225,000.05. The Legislature set aside $84 million for much-needed job-class-specific pay increases. State workers get a 10% pay raise, the first across-the-board pay hike in more than a decade. But for Democrats, this may have been the last chance for the foreseeable future to make an imprint on the state budget. The improbable bipartisanship was enabled by an unprecedented surplus topping $5 billion, allowing for a broad array of new spending and savings. Doug Ducey was expected to approve it. The Senate gave final approval Friday to a four-year package of raises for state employees that includes $3,500 in bonuses to help stem a surge in worker retirements. WebFY 2022 Appropriations Report - General Fund Salary Adjustments for State Employees Since FY 2012 and Salary Adjustments for Elected Officials Created Date 8/4/2021 4:55:37 PM Private-sector employees can only dream of having that, said Sen. Henri Martin, R-Bristol. In addition, full-time workers would receive a $2,500 bonus in mid-May and another $1,000 bonus in mid-July. The two-term governor, who leaves office in about six months, has made border security a goal throughout his tenure. March 10, 2022. The Senate completed action on a bill Thursday evening that will provide pay raises for state employees whose wages are outlined in state code. State law gives the board the autonomy to change employee classifications and pay plans. May 4, 2022. That paperwork sets the guidelines for how Arizona can spend its influx of cash, including a$4 billion-plus surplus to end the current year. Only a handful of dissenters from each party voted against the package of bills, and Republican Gov. Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy | Arizona Mirror. State employees will get a raise, many for the first time in a decade. The budget is not sound and its not reflective of my conservative values, Ugenti-Rita said. Kay Ivey approved of the step changes prior to the boards decision. Its not just line DPS troopers that are getting premium pay; dispatchers, crime lab technicians, radio repair staff and many others are getting premium pay, which ends on June 30. State lawmakers worked overnight and passed a $15.6 billion budget in the early morning hours of June 23. $225,000.05. They also cover the next two fiscal years and potentially 2024-25 as well. Arizona's legislature approved a bipartisan $18 billion spending plan early Thursday that will make substantial investments in public schools, build new highways and pay down long-term debts. This is really just getting on a soap box and vilifying immigrants and creating a political point, Quezada said. State employees will get a raise, many for the first time in a decade. Sen. Michell Ugenti-Rita, R-Scottsdale, blasted the spending plan as grotesque and loaded with pork. Last year, Graham told ADN agencies were struggling to find employees and her department was reviewing ways to keep them. Arizona's legislature approved a bipartisan $18 billion spending plan early Thursday that will make substantial investments in public schools, build new highways and pay down long-term debts. KTARs Community Spotlight focuses on the Boys & Girls Club of the Valley and the work to incorporate esports into children's lives. They also agreed to technical changes in a formula for distributing money to schools and $4 million each for school testing and 2022 election costs. Arizona State Retirement System (employees) Ghaddar Samer. The budget also makes a $1.1 billion deposit into the pension fund for public safety and corrections officers, paying off the state's unfunded liability for future retirement benefits. Arizona Revised Statute (A.R.S.) The governor in2016 signed a bill expanding the Arizona Supreme Court to seven judges from five, saying it would improve efficiency even as the chief justice at the time objected, citing more dire court needs. $225,000.05. Kay Ivey approved of the step changes prior to the boards decision. The budget also gives raises to judges throughout the court system, from Superior Court up to Supreme Court, costing about $3 million a year, according to budget documents. Bipartisan budget boosts school funding, state employee pay raises, transportation. By: Jim Small and Jerod MacDonald-Evoy - June 23, 2022 5:24 am. Each year includes a 2.5% general wage increase, as well as a step hike for all but the most senior workers. May 6, 2022 Updated May 7, 2022. Lawmakers in the House and Senate ended a months-long impasse, working through the night to approve the budget shortly before sunrise. Arizona State Retirement System (employees) Ghaddar Samer. Ducey is seeking similar permanent raises for troopers and at other agencies in the budget proposal he released on Friday. From cost of living increases sometimes approved by the Legislature an unprecedented surplus topping $ 5,. @ arizonarepublic.comor 480-416-5669 and her Department was reviewing ways to keep them well as a step hike for but! For an increase to employer premiums - $ 160 per employee a year to $ per... For much-needed job-class-specific pay increases of up to 10 % pay raise many! 3.1 billion in its rainy day fund, equal to 15 % annual. 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