SC House OKs higher starting pay for teachers, raises for state employees in budget
South Carolina House members approved their $13.9 billion spending plan Monday that raises state employee pay and increases the starting pay for teachers and state-employed law enforcement and corrections officers.
The proposed spending plan, which still has to go through the Senate, comes as the state has an additional $4.6 billion to spend. The House budget proposal includes setting aside $600 million of that additional revenue for the first year of a phased-in income tax cut.
With as much money that was available to spread around, House members were able to pass a budget in one day, when in previous years the effort lasted multiple days on the floor.
“As the greatest philosopher of our time, Christopher Wallace, once said, ‘Mo’ money, mo’ problems,’” said Ways and Means Chairman Murrell Smith, R-Sumter. “In one day, we proved Biggie Smalls wrong. Mo’ money, no problems as it relates to the budget.”
Under the House budget, state employees will get a 3% pay raise, plus a $1,500 bonus at a cost of about $117 million.
The House budget spends an additional $227 million on public schools and gives enough money to raise the state starting pay for teachers from $36,000 to $40,000. Fifty of the state’s 77 school districts would have to increase how much they pay teachers. Those districts already paying above the new minimum salary schedule would not have to increase pay if they don’t want to.
To further help teachers, the House wants to increase the classroom supply stipend for teachers to $300 from $275.
“We have made substantial investments in education,” Smith said. “We made commitments back in 2019 to the education community that we were going to invest in education and we were going to provide resources, and I think this is a continuation of that commitment made by Speaker (Jay) Lucas.”
House budget writers included $38 million for law enforcement and correctional officer pay increases, including higher starting pay to compete with the private sector and municipal police departments.
The Department of Social Services also would receive an additional $39 million, which is enough money for the department to fully address the requirements of the Michelle H. lawsuit settlement regarding foster care in the state.
The agency, which oversees child welfare, wants to use the money to hire additional case managers and supervisors for children in foster care, provide health and dental care for children in the state’s custody, money to help 18- to 21-year-olds who were in foster care transition into adulthood, and increase the number of paralegals to move child welfare cases through the courts faster.
“This is a part of a collaboration amongst the body, and we had an open process, we had transparent process and a collaborative process, and I think those are what leads to the success of moving a budget that quickly,” Smith said.
Budget highlights
Budget writers also included:
▪ $20 million to build a facility for seriously mentally ill children in the care of the Department of Juvenile Justice.
▪ $104 million for the Department of Health and Environmental Control to pay for a new public health lab, as the current lab has outlived its useful life.
▪ $55.3 million to freeze tuition for in-state undergraduate students at four-year colleges and universities and two-year University of South Carolina campuses. This would be the fourth consecutive year that tuition has been frozen.
▪ $465 million to pay for maintenance, renovation and capital needs at the state’s colleges, universities and technical colleges.
▪ $120 million for the South Carolina Department of Transportation to obtain matching money through the federal infrastructure bill.
This story was originally published March 14, 2022 at 9:25 PM.
