No pay raise for SC state workers in first draft of budget

S.C. House budget writers did not include a pay raise for state employees in their first draft of the state’s roughly $8 billion general fund budget.

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However, members of the S.C. House Ways and Means Committee did approve paying for employees’ increased health insurance costs.

Last year, lawmakers approved the largest pay raise in a decade for state employees – a 3.25 percent increase. But, in four of the last 10 years, state employees did not get a raise.

State Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, pushed for a 1.5 percent pay raise for employees, but that effort was defeated.

"All of us really appreciate the state employees and jobs they do," said Ways and Means chairman Brian White, R-Anderson.

But, he said, other demands — including spending money to shore up the state’s pension system — did not leave money for a pay raise.

White said it costs roughly $18 million for a 1 percent pay raise for state employees.

"All of us would agree that our state employees are worth $18 million," Cobb-Hunter said.

This story was originally published February 22, 2017 at 6:27 PM with the headline "No pay raise for SC state workers in first draft of budget."