Montgomery – Despite talk of possible budget problems, Governor Bob Riley said Thursday the state can keep its commitment to provide a 3.5 percent raise to state employees in the next fiscal year.
In this fiscal year, the Legislature gave a seven percent raise to school employees. State employees got 3.5 percent, with a commitment for another 3.5 percent in the fiscal year beginning October 1st, 2008.
Since the Legislature made that commitment, the national economy has begun to slow down, and state officials have begun to worry about the state's tax revenue going flat in the next fiscal year.
The Legislature convenes February 5th to begin working on the state budgets for the next fiscal year.
The Alabama Education Association has announced it won't seek a pay raise for teachers and other school workers in the upcoming session. Instead, it will focus on making sure school employees don't have to pay more for their benefits.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)