After losing support on the right, House Speaker Rusty Bowers and Senate President Karen Fann had to look elsewhere for votes, and they found them across the aisle. As of April 8, 2021, both bills have passed where they were introduced and are awaiting full-floor discussions in the other. And just over a month ago, this is exactly what happened in Arizona, as former state CIO Aaron Sandeen passed the torch to our new state CIO Morgan Reed. Lawmaker said 2016 legislation pushed by Airbnb and signed into law by Gov. Republicans are widely expected to expand their majority in the 2022 election thanks to new district boundaries that appear to favor the GOP. Doug Ducey on Tuesday signed the $18 billion budget into law that makes hefty investments in education, border security and infrastructure. It allows state and local governments to. HB 2805 was introduced by Republican Representative David Cook. Few events have the potential to impact technology and the government like the appointment of a new state CIO. Forty workers let go by the now-fired head of the Department of Economic Security got an early Christmas gift Friday: Theyre going to get their jobs back. The cash of $150 a student for up to three years is designed to help schools improve; if they do not, then the governor will ask the state Department of Education to step in. For the rest of Floridians, affordable housing has been the subject of calls for more money, as the states sizzling housing market has driven rents and home prices through the roof. In his last budget plan, Gov. Gov. The improbable bipartisanship was enabled by an unprecedented surplus topping $5 billion, allowing for a broad array of new spending and savings. About one-third of the top positions for Arizona state agencies received a boost in pay for 2015, with many of Governor Doug Ducey's new hires now getting paid substantially more than their . To access Y.E.S. It raises pay in January 2022 to $300 and raises employer premiums. 0. He pointed to officer pay in Texas and California, where rookie California Highway Patrol officers start at $93,000 a year. Eligibility is based on income, maxing out at $57,414 a year for married couples filing jointly who have three or more qualifying children, with lower limits for smaller families. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin), 3 Kansas City Officers Who Were Shot Released From Hospital, 1 Killed When Business Jet Encounters Severe Turbulence, Pot Vote Has Oklahoma Hungry to Rake in Green From Texas. GOP leaders decided to just take the easy road out, the path of least resistance and give up and just spend, said Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, a Scottsdale Republican who voted against the budget. These cookies do not store any personal information. The budget is not sound and its not reflective of my conservative values, Ugenti-Rita said. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Rep. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek, is proposing a further reduction in that flat tax, to $1.5 billion. GOP leaders decided to just take the easy road out, the path of least resistance and give up and just spend, said Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, a Scottsdale Republican who voted against the budget. For. The 12 school districts targeted in the House's original proposal were looking to get the $200 million penalty removed from the state's school funding system. The Republican governors office did not announce that he was using cash from President Joe Bidens American Rescue Plan Act to provide 20% pay boosts to the states corrections officers, 15% increases to state troopers and 10% increases to workers at the departments of child safety, economic security, juvenile corrections, transportation and health services. The Senates proposal excluded current Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, a Democrat and candidate for governor, from having access to the funds. Pass it along to the KTAR News team here. The package of budget bills passed with overwhelming support, highly unusual in the modern era. Reach the reporter at craig.harris@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8478 or on Twitter @charrisazrep. The House amended the raise on March 7 and the Senate concurred this evening. 100 N 15th Ave, #301. Lawmakers in the House and Senate ended a months-long impasse, working through the night to approve the budget shortly before sunrise. With the increase, Fann's bill cuts benefits from 26 to 22 weeks once unemployment is back under 4.5%. Ducey listed water, education, and border security as his priorities. All Other Plans - carriers, premiums and coverage remain the same. 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State employees will get a raise, many for the first time in a decade. Doug Ducey is proposing a $14.25 billion spending plan for the new fiscal year, about 8.6% more than this year, including tax cuts aimed at the poor to reward them for working. Watch a non-stop stream of breaking news, live events and stories across the nation. $49.1 million for an across-the-board pay . After losing support on the right, House Speaker Rusty Bowers and Senate President Karen Fann had to look elsewhere for votes, and they found them across the aisle. While adults may find that sports gambling is a way to enhance the experience with more than just fandom on the line, it can be a dangerous proposition if children get involved in the activity. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) The Associated Press, By BOB CHRISTIE and JONATHAN J. COOPER, Associated Press. The budget has nearly $600 million in new, permanent funding for public schools, up from about $330 million in the original proposal. Visit the Benefits Website Links to some of the frequently visited benefits information: Employee Discounts (including tuition discounts) Using the money to provide premium pay for essential workers is allowed under terms of the virus relief law signed by the Democratic president last March. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. The best states in the U.S. come from coast to coast. Be sure to review the dental information above to see if it applies to you. Ducey is seeking similar permanent raises for troopers and at other agencies in the budget proposal he released on Friday. Any hours in excess of the maximum carryover limits are subject to forfeiture. The agency has 448 vacancies out of nearly 2,300 approved positions and Ducey wants to spend $31 million a year on DPS raises alone, according to the governors office. The Arizona Legislature is rushing to pass a budget before the 2022 session ends in a few days on June 30, but some Republican legislators are balking at agreeing to vote for the 12 budget bills due to the amount of spending: $17.9 billion. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The state Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry and the Department of Public Safety have been struggling to hire and retain officers, in part because of wages that are low or uncompetitive. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. That includes $544 million for border security, roughly half of it for a wall, and $1 billion for highway construction, including widening Interstate 10 north of Casa Grande. Tuesday, November 8, 2022, is the General Election and all state government employees are encouraged to vote. Only a handful of dissenters from each party voted against the package of bills, and Republican Gov. Rowan has spent the last few months going through unemployment data from states, giving context to the problems we are seeing now. The governor wants to hire. Phoenix, AZ 85007. PHOENIX (AP) Arizona's legislature approved a bipartisan $18 billion spending plan early Thursday that will make substantial investments in public schools, build new highways and pay down long-term debts. Doug Ducey wants to grant pay raises to nearly half of all state employees, with an emphasis on boosting salaries for law enforcement and corrections officers. Leave taken and/or accrued during the 12/10 - 12/23 pay period willNOTbe reflected in the excess annual leave balances posted in YES on the leave balances tab. The state hopes a new computer program will increase efficiency and allow employees across agencies to work together better. Senate Bill 1828(Laws 2021, Fifty-fifth Legislature, 1st Regular Session)amended the individual income tax withholding brackets. Keep reading with a digital access subscription. Ron DeSantis spends big in $99.7 billion budget proposal. Duceys budget director, Matt Gress, informed the Republican Senate president and House speaker of his decision to tap the funds for premium pay in a Dec. 9 letter. Its not just line DPS troopers that are getting premium pay; dispatchers, crime lab technicians, radio repair staff and many others are getting premium pay, which ends on June 30. Likely there will be some sort of compromise concerning the two state bills. Arizona state employees get raises without needed OKs, Domestic partners employed by state gain win at Supreme Court, U.S. Supreme Court rejects Arizona gay rights case, YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS/PRIVACY POLICY. That includes the nearly $26 million for would-be nurses to go to the accelerated nursing program at Creighton University, with students having to promise to work at a hospital in Arizona for four years. The cost of living, while going up, is still lower than in other areas. May 6, 2022 Updated May 7, 2022 0 As part of House Bill 1, also known as the executive branch budget, state employees will receive an 8% across-the-board raise in the next fiscal year.. Phoenix lawmaker said that gun safety equipment would also be sold free of sales tax. And even then, much of the money is not for grand projects like desalination but instead for shorter-term solutions like water banking and paying tribes and others to use less Colorado River water. A starting correctional officer earns just over $35,000 a year before the 20% premium pay. As of last summer, the state workforce is down by 4,862 employees since Ducey took office, to 33,222. The Parks and Revenue departments both gave select staff members significant pay raises after mass firings at both agencies. The Associated Press learned of the moneys use when an updated report on the governors use of virus relief funds was posted by the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, which provides non-partisan analysis of state finances to lawmakers. The governor wants to hire back 25 auditors. PHOENIX (AP) Arizonas legislature approved a bipartisan $18 billion spending plan early Thursday that will make substantial investments in public schools, build new highways and pay down long-term debts. Right now, you can only earn $30 before benefits are reduced. 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It also eliminates the state equalization tax, a property tax for education, and backfills it with $330 million from the general fund. It also calls for an increase to employer premiums - $160 per employee a year to $186 per employee a year. Three Kansas City police officers who were shot while serving a search warrant have been released from the hospital, Officials say one passenger died when a business jet experienced severe turbulence, forcing a landing at Bradley International Airport in Connecticut, Oklahoma voters are deciding whether to legalize marijuana sales for those 21 and older. Ron DeSantis ban on school mask mandates last year. She says it's the actual payment amounts that put Arizona at the bottom of her list. The new budget also is built on the premise that the 2.5% flat tax proposal approved last year will, in fact, take effect this year at an annual cost of $1.9 billion despite the fact that foes have gathered enough signatures to delay it until the public can vote on it in November. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Arizona lawmakers approve bipartisan $18 billion budget, Arizona DPS trooper praised for saving driver, Pima County man sentenced second time to life in prison for deadly shooting, Man charged with murder after girlfriends 1-year-old son dies, Suspect killed in Tucson officer-involved shooting, Tom Sizemore, Saving Private Ryan actor, dies at 61. pay raises that average 18 percent, or an $11,496 increase. Nobody loves a budget once all the compromises are made, said Senate Majority Leader Rick Gray, R-Sun City. Doug Ducey's administration is stepping up the firing of state workers, many of whom can be let go without explanation under a law enacted during his predecessor's administration that revamped the state's personnel system. But for Democrats, this may have been the last chance for the foreseeable future to make an imprint on the state budget. Their agreement adds $80 million in combined additional funding for Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University, bringing their funding boosts in line with additional money already allocated to University of Arizona. This is your TASC card account. The firings of more than 100 auditors and collectors, who were among the lowest-paid employees at Revenue, ended up costing the state $83 million in lost revenue. So the board chose a compromise: an 8.5-cent raise for the lowest paid workers, those making $35,000 or less. Tax cuts and revisiting voided pandemic restrictions also top agenda for new session. The other two aircraft would be available to the lieutenant governor, Cabinet members, Supreme Court justices, the House Speaker, Senate president and chairs of legislative committees and agency officials. "It really was just a stopgap to start trying to stop people from leaving because all the agencies around us have received considerable pay raises and we were still so far behind," Hawkins said. Arizona state employee raises 2022; Arizona state employee raises 2022. by: Admin . "State employees have stepped up and answered the call of public service. 2.5-3% is an average salary increase in many sectors, including the government sector where federal employees will receive a base pay. Tune in to FOX 10 Phoenixfor the latestnews: By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. But those salary adjustments aren't equal for all. There also is a $450 million deposit into the states rainy day fund, bringing it up to 10% of the total state budget, the maximum permitted by law. Doug Ducey was expected to approve it. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. If you had logged in to Y.E.S. For the latest local news, download the FOX 10 News app. Under the plan, DeSantis would exclusively use the Citation. Ducey also wants to put $50 million into border security, paying for more officers to patrol the area and help fund counties with the cost of detaining and prosecuting people for state crimes. "The pandemic has really made it apparent that what you get in terms of unemployment benefits often isn't enough to support you if you're out of work, especially when you think about a national public health crisis," said Rowan. DATABASE:Here's how well Ducey rewarded his staff, agency heads. Gov. Duceys plan also includes $58 million to help low-performing schools those rated D or F by the state Department of Education as well as some C-rated schools where 60% or more of the students come from low-income households. The agency pays its starting troopers about $57,000 a year, and the new 15% stipend gets them to $65,000, Hawkins said. The average raise for a Ducey staffer was 11 percentsince he took office. All rights reserved. The package of budget bills passed with overwhelming support, highly unusual in the modern era. 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Cities and counties in Arizona are also struggling to fill positions because of low pay, and Ducey said in his state of the state address last week that his 15% pay hike would make troopers the best paid officers in the state. Their agreement adds $80 million in combined additional funding for Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University, bringing their funding boosts in line with additional money already allocated to the University of Arizona. DeSantis supported what advocates call the putting parents first initiative, which would have taken millions of dollars from some of the states biggest counties and send the money to Floridas 55 other counties that fell in line with the governor on mask policy. Employees and managers can monitor annual leave balances by logging in to YES and clicking on, Agency Human Resources Contact Information, Public Safety Personnel Retirement System, Arizonas Employees Have New Tax Withholding Options. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. Both measures will allow laid-off workers to take on more part-time work. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Ducey appointee hands out big raises, bonuses. This widespread removal of protections made possiblemass firings during the Ducey administration in a quest to shrink government.