By Dave Thompson
Bismarck, ND – The chairman of the State Senate Appropriations Committee says he would like to get the Senate on-record quickly concerning raises for state workers.
Governor Hoeven has proposed four percent raises for state workers in each year of the upcoming biennium. And Hoeven is creating an "equity pool" to help bring some salaries closer to the market.
Senator Ray Holmberg (R-Grand Forks) thinks Hoeven's proposal is a good one -- and he'd like to send a message to state workers.
"We need to handle their salary issues up front," said Holmberg. "Right away, we need to try to get some closure, as far as what the Senate's position is going to be. We do have some equity problems in our state system, and we do need to address it. The Governor wisely put money in his budget for that."
Holmberg says the final package still won't be decided until the last day or so of the session -- because the money is part of the Office of Management and Budget appropriations bill. But he'd like to have intent language on some early spending bills -- to show how the Senate feels about Hoeven's proposed salary package.