State representatives recently OK'd a budget that would give state workers a raise, the first since 2014.
Governor Susana Martinez proposed a 1 percent pay raise for state workers in January – but the House budget would make it 2 percent.
Miles Conway is the communications director with American Federation of State, County, And Municipal Employees. He said the raise would help retain employees in overworked and understaffed departments.
“State services never go away,” said Conway. “We have to provide these core services to our citizens. But we’re doing so with thousands fewer public employees than we had five, six years ago.”
The raise would mean the average state employee making about $33 thousand dollars a year would take home nearly 40 dollars more per month after taxes.
The House budget would give a 10 percent raise to state elected officials. It must still be approved by the Senate and signed by the Governor.
