03-29-2013, 05:16 PM
The House budget proposal unveiled this morning would eliminate nearly 3,260 positions from state government.
More than two thirds of that reduction would fall on the Florida Department of Corrections, which would see a reduction of more than 2,200 positions.
The Department of Health would be cut by 752 positions, while some agencies, including the Florida Fish and WIldlife Conservation Commission, would add jobs.
The House has proposed an across-the-board raises for state workers would increase the average salary by about 3.5 percent.
The Senate is expected to unveil its spending proposal later today, and that will also set aside money for state worker raises.
The $74.4 billion spending plan unveiled Monday would avoid cuts to health care and increase funding for mental health, but House Speaker Will Weatherford said the "big winner" in the House's budget will be education.
The House plan would increase funding for public schools by $395 per student, or slightly less than the increase proposed by Gov. Rick Scott. That includes a about $676 million in increased funding that would be spread among Florida's school districts.
School districts could use as much of that money as they wanted on increased pay raises for teachers, but could also use some of the money to shore up spending in other areas. If all of the money went to tacher pay raises, school districts could increase salaries by more than $3,500 across the board.
The House budget asks school districts to base at least half their raises on merit, but Weatherford acknowledged that decision would have to be negotiated locally through collective bargaining.
"I'll give the governor credit," Weatherford said. "He challenged the Legislature to prioritize education. We've done that."
Original post
The House's budget proposal includes a $1,400 across-the-board pay raise for state workers, Speaker Will Weatherford announced this morning.
Weatherford and House Appropriations Chairman Seth McKeel unveiled a $74.4 billion state spending plan this morning.
Weatherford said he favored an across-the-board pay hike because it would give workers with lower salaries a larger percentage increase.
More than two thirds of that reduction would fall on the Florida Department of Corrections, which would see a reduction of more than 2,200 positions.
The Department of Health would be cut by 752 positions, while some agencies, including the Florida Fish and WIldlife Conservation Commission, would add jobs.
The House has proposed an across-the-board raises for state workers would increase the average salary by about 3.5 percent.
The Senate is expected to unveil its spending proposal later today, and that will also set aside money for state worker raises.
The $74.4 billion spending plan unveiled Monday would avoid cuts to health care and increase funding for mental health, but House Speaker Will Weatherford said the "big winner" in the House's budget will be education.
The House plan would increase funding for public schools by $395 per student, or slightly less than the increase proposed by Gov. Rick Scott. That includes a about $676 million in increased funding that would be spread among Florida's school districts.
School districts could use as much of that money as they wanted on increased pay raises for teachers, but could also use some of the money to shore up spending in other areas. If all of the money went to tacher pay raises, school districts could increase salaries by more than $3,500 across the board.
The House budget asks school districts to base at least half their raises on merit, but Weatherford acknowledged that decision would have to be negotiated locally through collective bargaining.
"I'll give the governor credit," Weatherford said. "He challenged the Legislature to prioritize education. We've done that."
Original post
The House's budget proposal includes a $1,400 across-the-board pay raise for state workers, Speaker Will Weatherford announced this morning.
Weatherford and House Appropriations Chairman Seth McKeel unveiled a $74.4 billion state spending plan this morning.
Weatherford said he favored an across-the-board pay hike because it would give workers with lower salaries a larger percentage increase.