Public employees irked by Guinn’s raise stance

Wednesday, July 30, 2003 | 10:52 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Representatives of public employee groups are scratching their heads over Gov. Kenny Guinn's statement last week that state workers, teachers and university faculty probably won't get any pay raises for six to eight years.

Guinn, who is in his last 3 1/2 years in office because of term limits, will submit only one more budget to the biennial Legislature, in 2005.

"I'm puzzled by that," said Jim Richardson, the lobbyist for the Nevada Faculty Alliance, which represents professors and faculty members in the University and Community College System.

Richardson agreed with Terry Hickman, president of the Nevada State Education Association, and Scott MacKenzie, executive director of the State of Nevada Employee Association, that cost-of-living raises will be needed to keep employees even.

Hickman, who attended the press conference last week where Guinn made the statement, said he thought the governor was disappointed that he didn't get a broad-based business tax that would grow with the economy.

He said if teachers and state workers don't get raises to match inflation, "that puts them further and further behind," he said.

Even with the $863 million tax increase, the state will face a $200 million hole in the next budget because $103 million came from in a one-time federal grant and $80 million from the estate tax, which is being phased out.

Guinn didn't have any money in his 2003 budget for pay increases for the three groups. But the lawmakers found enough to give 2 percent increases effective July 2004.

"If we had the money, I would have liked to (give raises) because it's going to be a long spell before state employees, school district employees and university people get another raise," Guinn said last week. "A long time. I would say six to eight years without a doubt. These are difficult times."

Richardson said Monday, "I don't want to belittle the governor. I don't want to pick a fight with him." But he said teachers and state employees "deserve the right to stay even."

"The idea of going several years without a COLA (cost of living adjustment) will hurt efforts to recruit and retain faculty," he said. The salaries in the university system, he said, were competitive now but would drop behind in the future.

"It would cause a very serious problem," Richardson said.

Hickman said the Legislature worked hard to keep public education as a priority. But he said, "We can't do zero. It digs a bigger hole."

State workers and teachers get cost of living raises when authorized by the state. They can receive other raises if they're promoted or bumped up to the next step on the pay scale.

Some longtime teachers are at the top of their scale and don't qualify for step increases, Hickman said. They won't get a pay raise unless there is a general increase.

Unless there are cost-of-living raises, "the reward for being a veteran teacher is zero," Hickman said.

Hickman said he will work with Guinn on the 2005 budget in hopes of putting a raise in the next budget.

MacKenzie, who heads the state workers union said the 2 percent raise next year doesn't cover the increased cost of retirement and health care insurance premiums that are facing state workers.

Workers in cities and counties are already 25 percent ahead of state workers in pay, MacKenzie said. "A lot of state workers have already left to go to cities and counties and a large number are going to retire soon."

He said the state must try to keep pace with the salary of local governments or there's going to be an employment crisis in state government in getting qualified people.

MacKenzie said he would "take a wait-and-see" approach.