Florida Governor Rick Scott left raises for state workers out of this year’s budget. But State Representative Mark Pafford (D-Palm Beach) says he thinks those workers deserve to be better paid.
Governor Rick Scott presented this year’s budget on Wednesday. Absent was a pay increase for state employees. Scott had considered giving bonuses for good work last year. He blames lawmakers refusal to approve that money last year for omitting pay raises this year.
“I put in my budget last year performance bonuses for state workers, and they didn’t put it in there, so I didn’t put it in this year,” Scott says.
But Florida House Minority Leader Mark Pafford says state employees should get more. He told reporters about a state employee whom he says works two other jobs.
“She had been with the state upwards of 20 years, you know, she is struggling in every account personal, and that’s tough to see,” Pafford says.
Florida lawmakers will consider the governor’s spending plan, as well as their own priorities as they craft a state budget during the upcoming legislative session.