Gov. Brian Sandoval’s proposed budget includes, for the first time in years, actual raises for state employees.
Chief of Staff Mike Willden told reporters Tuesday the proposed spending plan includes a 2 percent raise in each of the coming fiscal years.
The current budget contained raises of 1 and 2 percent, but nearly all of that was eaten up by the 2.25 percent increase in the retirement system premium mandated by actuaries for that system.
This time, with no increase in the PERS rate, Willden said state workers will actually see their pay checks go up.
The raises will cost the state an estimated $38.5 million in 2018 and another $61.7 million in fiscal 2019.
In addition, Sandoval’s proposed budget contains a one step grade increase for Correctional Officers and IT professionals. That increase amounts to just about 5 percent more pay for those workers. The state has had major problems attracting and retaining both correctional and IT staff because its pay scales are below the amounts provided by other employers.
With compounding, that means the average state worker will get nearly 5 percent more pay over the biennium. The correctional workers will get nearly 10 percent.
Beyond that, the proposed budget pumps $20.6 million into the Public Employee Benefits Program to cover inflationary costs and ensure those health benefits aren’t reduced or their costs shifted to state workers.