Gov. McCrory announces budget with bonus, no salary increase

Apr 21, 2016

Gov. Pat McCrory this morning announced highlights of his budget proposal that insults and dismisses state employees who continue to fall through the cracks of his “Carolina Comeback.”

As we stated last week, state employees have fallen behind the cost-of-living by almost 9-percent since 2010, and retirees have lost more than 10 percent. But rather than proposing a true pay increase that would help mitigate those losses, Gov. McCrory will propose a one-time bonus of just 3-percent of salary for state employees. According to McCrory, the bonuses would be given out as agency heads deem appropriate.

What’s more, by proposing a “percent of salary bonus” rather than a flat rate, McCrory rewards the people at the top with large salaries – like himself – rather than the average state worker who has been hardest hit by the lack of meaningful increases over the last decade. SEANC pushes for salary increases because one-time bonuses do not change your paycheck. Wages remain stagnant, meaning that in June 2017, your paycheck will be no larger than it was in July 2014 under this budget.

He cared so little about retirees that he didn’t even mention them in his press conference. Since this is a “continuation” of last year’s budget, which doesn’t include cost-of-living adjustments, it’s safe to assume McCrory budget doesn’t offer one either.

Beyond that, McCrory released few details about job cuts, program expansion plans or anything else in his brief press conference.

Clearly, the governor needs to spend less time worrying about bathrooms and more time worrying about the employees who deliver important public services to North Carolina. This budget only furthers the notion that McCrory is out of touch. If it passes, state employees will continue, like so many North Carolinians, to suffer.

SEANC looks forward to working with legislative leaders on a more acceptable state budget that recognizes that state employees are worthy of praise and respect.