Montgomery, AL – An Alabama senator says he will no longer push a bill backed by Gov. Robert Bentley's administration that would end longevity pay for state employees.
Republican Sen. Paul Sanford of Huntsville said Wednesday he introduced the bill to save money and to try to prevent layoffs, but the bill drew strong opposition from state employees.
Another administration bill allowing furloughs for state employees drew similar opposition Wednesday at a public hearing held by the Senate Finance and Taxation-General Fund Committee. The sponsor, Republican Sen. Arthur Orr of Decatur, did not take a vote.
Orr said furloughs would be preferable to layoffs. But some state employees said the Legislature should begin by rolling back the 61 percent pay raise it got in 2007.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)