March 10, 2022. 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. Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Every single budgets bad, Gray said. Now, this budget isnt perfect. Despite an eventual agreement on the budget, Democratic members tried but failed to introduce a number of amendments to budget bills to introduce a litany of policy changes such as, extending family and medical leave benefits, UPDATED Trumps fake electors: Heres the full list, How David Stevens is making Cochise County a 'laboratory', A GOP showdown over the debt limit could grip Congress and. 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. The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow, March 11, at 11 a.m. There's another $1 billion dedicated to 53road projects, from a sound wall along the Loop 101 near 16th Streetin north Phoenix to an interchange where Loop 303 meets Interstate 17 to roundabout improvements in Prescott Valley. The package of budget bills passed with overwhelming support, highly unusual in the modern era. Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy | Arizona Mirror. Kay Ivey approved of the step changes prior to the boards decision. 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. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, INTERACTIVE RADAR: Tracking winter storm in Arizona, HIRING: Find companies that need workers in AZ, FAQ: Business resources for Arizona residents. For 2023, lawmakers approved a 4% raise for state employees. $225,000.05. State workers get a 10% pay raise, the first across-the-board pay hike in more than a decade. In a letter to agencies explaining the increases, the board said about 7,500 employees are topped out in their current pay range, and the turnover rate exceeds 17%. The bonuses, the GOP argued, are hardly the key to retaining workers, as the governor and other Democrats claim. Tiny majorities in both chambers meant opposition from a single Republican lawmaker was enough to sink the budget if Democrats were united in opposition. Rowan has spent the last few months going through unemployment data from states, giving context to the problems we are seeing now. 0. He has also served as the editor and executive director of the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting. In addition, full-time workers would receive a $2,500 bonus in mid-May and another $1,000 bonus in mid-July. 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. 0. |. Get CT Mirror briefings with enterprise reporting, investigations and more in your inbox daily. Arizona Department of Administration. 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. I believe this is the best Democratic, bloated-full-of-pork budget that our money could have ever paid for, Rep. John Fillmore, R-Apache Junction, said in the early hours Thursday as he voted against the budget. Cities and counties in Arizona are also struggling to fill positions because of low pay, and Ducey said in his state of the state address last week that his 15% pay hike would make troopers the best paid officers in the state. "Weve got some quite a few critical positions that are vital to public safety," Karamargin said. With this budget, were putting those dollars to good use and investing in priorities that Republicans and Democrats alike can agree on.. State employees have stepped up and answered the call of Ducey listed water, education, and border security as his priorities. Thats because state governments coffers are flush with cash as never before. He has been the state finances reporter at CT Mirror since it launched in 2010. But for Democrats, this may have been the last chance for the foreseeable future to make an imprint on the state budget. That hesitance sent GOP leaders looking for Democratic votes, which they got as they crafted a rare bipartisan budget. Ned Lamont pitched an income tax cut in CT. Heres an overview of his proposal, Lamont, legislators heading for a battle over CT spending cap, State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. 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. Hundreds of millions are set aside for water infrastructure as the state faces prolonged drought. Arizona Revised Statute (A.R.S.) A proposed expansion of a tax credit to subsidize private school tuition was removed from the must-pass budget, likely dooming it. 1/. Thirty states have state versions of the credit. Doug Ducey is expected to sign the $18 billion budget approved by the Legislature this week. May 4, 2022. $160 per employee a year to $186 per employee a year. That includes $544 million for border security, roughly half of it for a wall, and $1 billion for highway construction, including widening Interstate 10 north of Casa Grande. It is unclear whether Gov. 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. Death knell for Arizona's funeral board:Why the change could put families at risk. 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. Kay Ivey approved of the step changes prior to the boards decision. Arizona Department of Administration. She said agencies dont have to increase employees pay if it would be a financial burden to the office. The final budget adds about 20 staff members to his Border Strike Force within the Department of Public Safety, and the $200 million-plus for border security includes: $20 million for a jail in Cochise County, $10 million for the Arizona National Guard, $53 million to retain and hire sheriffs officers, $15 million to transport asylum seekers outside of Arizona, as well as other priorities. May 6, 2022 Updated May 7, 2022. "But Id say that Arizona in general has not followed the market trend when it comes to police pay.". There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. 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. The added funding includes phasing in funding for low-income students starting at $50 million in the upcoming fiscal year and growing to $100 million in three years and special education. Arizona lawmakers have approved a nearly $18 billion spending plan for the budget year ahead just one week before their deadline to do so. Sen. Cathy Osten defending the SEBAC deal. Doug Ducey, who appoints judges, a chance to further shape a conservative bench just ahead of his departure from office. A proposed expansion of a tax credit to subsidize private school tuition was removed from the must-pass budget, likely dooming it. WebRaise Corporate STO Cap by $2 M; Increase Individual STO cap by $250/$500 in FY 24 (2.0) (11.9) (13.0) 10 Expand Vets Property Tax Exemption to all Disability Levels (Savings in '24) (Separate Bill) Yes - see ADE Yes - see ADE Yes - see ADE 11: Eliminate State Equalization Tax Rate see ADE see ADE see ADE "If you make a whole ton of money and you're on unemployment, the most you're going to get is $240 a week to be able to pay your bills," said Rowan. Ducey is seeking similar permanent raises for troopers and at other agencies in the budget proposal he released on Friday. The House, where Democrats also hold a majority, approved the package 96-52 on Thursday. Citing the possibility of an economic recession, Republicans used the state's unusually flush surplus to sock away money and pay off debts. The plan includes a handful of small, targeted tax cuts for farm machines and private planes but no large scale reductions. "Are we having trouble hiring Supreme Court justices and needing to increase their salary for some reason?" 2023 FOX Television Stations, from WED 5:00 PM MST until THU 7:00 AM MST, Mazatzal Mountains, Pinal/Superstition Mountains, Southeast Gila County, from WED 5:00 PM MST until THU 5:00 AM MST, Upper Santa Cruz River and Altar Valleys including Nogales, Southeast Pinal County including Kearny/Mammoth/Oracle, Upper San Pedro River Valley including Sierra Vista/Benson, Eastern Cochise County below 5000 ft including Douglas/Wilcox, Upper Gila River and Aravaipa Valleys including Clifton/Safford, White Mountains of Graham and Greenlee Counties including Hannagan Meadow, Galiuro and Pinaleno Mountains including Mount Graham, Chiricahua Mountains including Chiricahua National Monument, Dragoon/Mule/Huachuca and Santa Rita Mountains including Bisbee/Canelo Hills/Madera Canyon, Santa Catalina and Rincon Mountains including Mount Lemmon/Summerhaven, from WED 2:00 PM MST until THU 11:00 AM MST, White Mountains, from WED 8:00 AM MST until THU 8:00 AM MST, Eastern Mogollon Rim, Northern Gila County, from WED 5:00 AM MST until THU 11:00 AM MST, Chuska Mountains and Defiance Plateau, Black Mesa Area, from WED 8:00 AM MST until THU 5:00 AM MST, Yavapai County Mountains, Yavapai County Valleys and Basins, from WED 5:00 AM MST until THU 8:00 AM MST, Grand Canyon Country, Coconino Plateau, Western Mogollon Rim, Oak Creek and Sycamore Canyons, until THU 1:00 AM MST, Northwest Plateau, Northwest Deserts, from WED 5:00 PM MST until THU 5:00 AM MST, Dripping Springs, from WED 5:00 PM MST until THU 12:00 AM MST, New River Mesa, Rio Verde/Salt River, Superior, Tonto Basin, Mazatzal Mountains, Pinal/Superstition Mountains, San Carlos, Globe/Miami, Southeast Gila County, from WED 5:00 PM MST until THU 7:00 AM MST, New River Mesa, Mazatzal Mountains, Pinal/Superstition Mountains, Globe/Miami, Southeast Gila County, from WED 3:00 PM MST until WED 8:00 PM MST, Aguila Valley, Northwest Valley, Tonopah Desert, Gila Bend, Buckeye/Avondale, Cave Creek/New River, Deer Valley, Central Phoenix, North Phoenix/Glendale, Scottsdale/Paradise Valley, East Valley, Fountain Hills/East Mesa, South Mountain/Ahwatukee, Southeast Valley/Queen Creek, Northwest Pinal County, West Pinal County, Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, Sonoran Desert Natl Monument, from WED 11:00 AM MST until WED 8:00 PM MST, Parker Valley, Kofa, Yuma County, Central La Paz, Southeast Yuma County, Gila River Valley, from WED 2:00 PM MST until THU 5:00 AM MST, Upper San Pedro River Valley including Sierra Vista/Benson, Eastern Cochise County below 5000 ft including Douglas/Wilcox, Upper Gila River and Aravaipa Valleys including Clifton/Safford, from WED 5:00 PM MST until THU 5:00 AM MST, Tucson Metro Area including Tucson/Green Valley/Marana/Vail, South Central Pinal County including Eloy/Picacho Peak State Park, from WED 2:00 PM MST until WED 11:00 PM MST, Western Pima County including Ajo/Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Tohono O'odham Nation including Sells, Upper Santa Cruz River and Altar Valleys including Nogales, Tucson Metro Area including Tucson/Green Valley/Marana/Vail, South Central Pinal County including Eloy/Picacho Peak State Park, Southeast Pinal County including Kearny/Mammoth/Oracle, Baboquivari Mountains including Kitt Peak, until THU 2:00 PM MST, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, from WED 5:00 AM MST until WED 5:00 PM MST, Little Colorado River Valley in Coconino County, Little Colorado River Valley in Navajo County, Little Colorado River Valley in Apache County, Northeast Plateaus and Mesas South of Hwy 264. rookie California Highway Patrol officers start at $93,000 a year. 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. Arizona state officials gave pay raises to 169 government workers without getting the required approval from the Department of 0. Only a handful of dissenters from each party voted against the package of bills, and Republican Gov. The two-term governor, who leaves office in about six months, has made border security a goal throughout his tenure. Also on Thursday evening, Senate made its way through its calendar, completing action on six additional bills and passing 11 others that will need to be finalized by the House. State workers get a 10% pay raise, the first across-the-board pay hike in more than a decade.