Pay raise proposal alive in House
The House Republican leadership thwarted 23 attempts Thursday to provide state employees a pay raise.
But one amendment, offered by Rep. Preston Sullivan, D-Okolona, that mandates that a plan be developed to provide a $1,000 pay raise to employees of the state Department of Education for the upcoming fiscal year, passed via voice vote.
House Appropriations Chair Herb Frierson, R-Poplarville, who opposed the other pay raise amendments, offered primarily by Rep. Johnny Stringer, D-Montrose, did not oppose Sullivan’s proposal.
Later on, Frierson said he interpreted Sullivan’s amendment to mean that a plan had to be developed for a pay raise, but that one does not have to be enacted during the upcoming fiscal year, which starts July 1.
Sullivan and the two co-sponsors of the amendment, Reps. Tommy Reynolds, D-Water Valley, and Donnie Bell, R-Fulton, said it was their intent in proposing the amendment that the pay raise go into effect July 1.
At any rate, Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, said, “It still has a long way to go in the process. We will continue to work it out.”
Daily Journal
2/21/14
Magnolia Tribune
