As your see your raise money in Oct, please realize it is only because we have PBA and not IUPPA that we have anything this session.

ENFORCEMENT
Officers are given 2 distinct messagesState corrections officers and troopers got very different answers when they submitted their pay requests to lawmakers.
BY EVAN S. BENN
ebenn@MiamiHerald.com
TALLAHASSEE - The two unions that represent Florida's correctional and state law-enforcement officers got different news Tuesday about the pay raises their members will get next year.

The prison guards, represented by the Florida Police Benevolent Association, received all of the $9.3 million they requested, enough for raises between 2 percent and 6 percent.

But Florida Highway Patrol troopers, wildlife conservation officers and other state cops will get none of the $38 million they asked for if the proposed state budget released Tuesday is approved by the Legislature.

'We're thinking, `How could they forget us again this year?' '' said Trooper Joe Mosca, a 20-year highway patrol veteran from Miami and former vice chairman of the International Union of Police Associations. The union represents about 4,000 state officers.

''The Senate leadership has time to make Key lime pie our state pie, but they don't have time to meet with us about paying law-enforcement officers better,'' Mosca said.

FHP and other state law-enforcement agencies are losing officers to city and county departments, which can offer higher salaries, Mosca said. With 2 percent to 4 percent raises over the years, many veteran state cops aren't making much more than rookies in their departments, he said.

The union that represents about 20,000 Florida prison guards and probation officers said the other group set its money requests too high.

''IUPA took the all-or-nothing approach, and they ended up with nothing,'' said David Murrell, executive director and lobbyist for the Florida PBA. ``They were asking for $38 million at one time, and that's probably a bit much.

''We're for more of an incremental approach,'' Murrell said.

Miami Herald staff writer Marc Caputo contributed to this report.