Theyre also spending federal money on arts and culture: $30.3 million for African American cultural historical grants, $13.8 million to build a state artifact facility and $10 million for cultural facilities grants. 6.2% of each of your paychecks is withheld for Social Security taxes and your employer contributes a further 6.2%. High deductible plans also are accompanied by tax-free health savings accounts. Correctional & Probation Officer pay increases are as follows:. Florida lawmakers approved the state's biggest-ever budget, a $112 billion plan that includes a gas-tax holiday, pay raises for workers and more spending than the governor's proposal. Important Notes: DeSantis includes pay raises, health insurance premium protections in $100B budget, Gov. He has challenged us to elevate and celebrate the teaching profession by listening to the needs of teachers, said Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran. STAFF LOGIN, Gov. To fund an Outreach Coordinator and assistant to conduct training workshops for panhandle teachers, statutorily mandated to teach Holocaust Education, and to expand programs for the annual Holocaust Education Week. While lawmakers have been mired in grueling, emotional fights over abortion and other hot-button topics during this years legislative session, their proposed budget received little criticism. AFSCME Florida's state workers reached a tentative agreement with state management for a five percent across-the-board wage increase, which would be implemented July 1, 2023, with additional raises for positions considered hard to staff. For maybe the first time in Floridas history, we have a Governor and administration that goes above and beyond to recognize and empower educators by listening and giving us a voice., Executive Office of Governor Ron DeSantis. Over the last three years, we have worked hard to increase teacher pay, said Governor Ron DeSantis. Butstill to be settled is more than $300 million in environmental spending earmarked by the Senate for the states rural and family lands program under the Agriculture Department. This message has been approved by Renisha Gibbs, Associate Vice President for Human Resources and Finance & Administration Chief of Staff, for distribution to all Deans, Directors, and Department Heads. 2021. The environmental budget also includes $100 million for Lake Okeechobee water storage wells, projects sought by the sugar industry and Simpson, and $168.7 million in Florida Forever Programs and Land Acquisition spending at the Department of Environmental Protection. All state workers will see across-the-board 5.38 percent pay raises. If you havent already subscribed, please consider buying a print or digital subscription. The food organization's program was among a list of projects for what are considered "financially constrained" counties. state_bargaining_team.png. DeSantis' veto list, DeSantis budget includes raise for state workers, new emergency operations center, Florida lawmakers consider banning cities, counties from setting local minimum wages, What Leon legislative delegation got into 2022-23 state budget, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. By this initiative happening, it is not about having a salary, it is about can a teacher pay their light bill, can a teacher pay their water bill, can a teacher give a kid who doesnt have food at home an extra snack, or an extra bag of chips to put in their backpack and not at the expense of their own home., I dont think people always understand the countless hours we put into our work, said Loren Temes, 2nd Grade Teacher, Renaissance Charter School at Wellington. This message has been approved by Renisha Gibbs, Associate Vice President for Human Resources and Finance & Administration Chief of Staff, for distribution to all Deans, Directors, and Department Heads. The current agriculture commissioner, Democrat Nikki Fried, is running to challenge DeSantis for governor. Disclaimer: The information on this system is unverified. % Were working hard to bring you the latest news from the states legislative session. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed a $109.9 billion state budget bill that includes pay raises for state workers and law enforcement, as well as tax suspensions on gas, diapers and school supplies. DeSantis currently uses a $15.5 million Cessna Citation Latitude jet, bought in 2019 after he took office, succeeding former Gov. Local projects funded in the 2022 2023 state budget: Tallahassee Lighthouse at-risk mentorship program: $250,000, Leon County Sheriff Office Behavioral Health Program:$250,000, Tallahassee TEMPOWorkforce Training program:$500,000, Gadsden County Emergency Operation Center:$10 million, the $109 billion state budget Gov. That could prove a big boost for many nursing home caregivers who make the states minimum wage of $10 per hour. This is just the amount to offset the increased cost of living not covered by past pay increases we have received. 6. The Legislature is set to approve the budget, and end its legislative session, on Monday. 2020. James Call in the Tallahassee Democrat reports on the "historic" raises in the state budget, thanks to AFSCME advocacy and member activism. On average, employees opting for family coverage had to pay 37 percent of their overall premiums, or $7,674. These historic increases to starting pay and significant across-the-board pay raises are well-deserved and much appreciated, Hall said in a statement. Momentum was strong for AFSCME's Cultural Workers United Campaign in 2022. Of that, the employee is responsible for $2,160. With a constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2020 pushing the states minimum wage for all workers to $15-an-hour in 2026, Florida lawmakers now appear to be getting out slightly ahead of this shift. In 2020, the average starting salary for a teacher in Florida was $40,000 (26th in the nation), and with todays funding, it will now be at least $47,000 (9th in the nation). Employees can choose a standard option or a high-deductible policy. Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL. Schedule. Floridas Republican-led Legislature has historically proved stingy with pay raises to public employees, many years doling out no annual hikes and keeping salaries low. The other two aircraft would be available to the lieutenant governor, Cabinet members, Supreme Court justices, the House Speaker, Senate president and chairs of legislative committees and agency officials. But the study found that families in Florida were hit harder than any other state. Florida Gov. We have invested more than $2 billion in teacher pay, and with rising inflation, this could not come at a better time. Existing Florida law. And the cost of living continues to rise! Search Gov. Ron DeSantis will have final say over how much the state spends in the 2022-23 fiscal year. It wasnt because it is taken out of my check. Some lawmakers say yes. The raises are are in addition to previously approved pay increases set to take effect next year, which would bring all employee pay to at least $13 an hour. C) Pay raises for PBA's state bargaining unit members are completed. I am constantly thinking of things to help teach them and it is nice to be appreciated and be respected., There is a nationwide teacher shortage, as fewer students enter the college of education programs with the goal of becoming an educator, said David Broskie, Superintendent, School District of Clay County. He should be pleased. On the health care side, Florida leaders once again turned down billions in federal subsidies that the state could have used to expand Medicaid to hundreds of thousands of working poor Floridians. Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami appears to have lost out on more than $71 million with that decision. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright by Extensive-Enterprises 2023. It would take a pay increase of about $13,500/year or 45.8% to bring the buying power of the median state employee salary back to its 1987 level. This situation is getting even more difficult for teachers across the nation with rising inflation. During a press conference announcing his plan, DeSantis said his decision to keep schools and other state operations open in fall 2020 signals he is committed to protecting Florida employees. Prison Construction - Two New Facilities: One 250 bed hospital facility - $200 million, Offender Based Information System (OBIS) replacement - $10.2 million, Statewide Prosecutor Workload - $1.8 million and 12 positions, Solicitor General Workload - $1.7 million and 10 positions, Election Crimes Investigations - $1.5 million and 10 positions, Cyberfraud Analysis and Education - $0.5 million and 6 positions, Increase DJJ Provider Pay to Minimum Wage - $5.3 million, Salary Increases for Deputy Sheriffs and County Correctional Officers in Fiscally Constrained Counties - $15.0 million, Appellate Court Operational Increases - $9.7 million and 62 positions, Construction of one 4,500 Bed Prison - $650.0 million, Construction of one 250 Bed Prison Hospital - $200.0 million, Price Level Increase for Correctional Officers in Private Prisons - $33.9 million, Offender Based Information System (OBIS) Replacement - $10.2 million, Information Technology Infrastructure Improvements - $5.1 million, Critical Security Equipment - $3.0 million, Statewide Recruitment Staffing - $1.9 million and 12 positions, Critical Legal Positions - $1.2 million and 13 positions, Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Program Compliance - $1.2 million and 11 positions, Pensacola Regional Operations Center Facility - $6.3 million, Sexual Assault Kit Tracking System - $0.9 million and 2 positions, Increase Federal Grants Trust Fund Authority - COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP) Grant - $0.8 million, Criminal Justice Data Technical Assistance Grant - $5.0 million, Biometric Identification Solution (BIS) Modernization - $3.5 million, Criminal Justice Data Transparency - $3.0 million, Statewide Behavioral Threat Assessment Management Strategy - $1.3 million and 3 positions, Increase Provider Pay to Minimum Wage - $5.3 million, Expansion of Vocational and Educational Services - $3.7 million, Continuation and Expansion of Prevention and Early Intervention Programs - $1.6 million, Electronic Monitoring Enhancements - $1.0 million, Establishment of an Electronic Health Record - $0.7 million and 3 positions, Child Representation Pilot Program - $2.4 million and 3 positions, Staffing Support for the Justice Administrative Commission - $0.5 million and 4 positions, Clerks of Court Pandemic Recovery Plan - $6.3 million, Guardian ad Litem Trust Fund Authority - $4.4 million and 67.5 positions, State Attorney and Public Defender Motor Vehicle Replacement - $2.5 million, Appellate Case Management Solution - $4.5 million, Maintain Early Childhood Courts - $1.0 million and 9 positions, Trial Courts Pandemic Recovery Plan - $10.0 million, Support for Post-Pandemic Proceedings - $1.9 million, Supreme Court Fellows Program - $0.6 million, Transportation Work Program - $11.6 billion, Affordable Housing Programs - $362.7 million, Library, Cultural, and Historical Grants, Initiatives, and Facilities - $175.3 million, Urban Search and Rescue Teams Training and Equipment Grants - $10 million, Florida National Guard Tuition Assistance - $5.2 million, Reemployment Assistance Program Operations and Tax Services Provider - $33.4 million, State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) - $209.5 million (allocated to local governments), Affordable Housing Programs - $153.3 million, including the State Apartment Incentive Loan (SAIL) and $100 million for a Florida Hometown Hero Housing Program, Noncustodial Parent Employment Program - $7.0 million, Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Program - $20 million, First Responders Recognition Payments - $125 million SFRF, Broadband Opportunity Grant Program - $400 million SFRF, Consumer-First Workforce Information System - $150 million SFRF, Rural Infrastructure Fund - $30 million ($25 million SFRF), Economic Development Projects - $6.0 million, Housing and Community Development Projects - $107.9 million, Florida Highway Patrol Taser Replacement - $1.5 million, Florida Highway Patrol Academy Driving Track - $10 million, Increased Authority for Work Zone Traffic Enforcement - $5.8 million, Additional Commercial Driver License Third Party Testing - $570,119; 6.0 positions, Motorist Modernization Project - Phase II - $10 million, Florida National Guard Tuition Assistance - $5.2 million for FYs 2021-2022 and 2022-2023, Florida State Guard - $10 million; 6.0 positions, New Counterdrug Program Headquarters Building - $2.2 million, Libraries Maintenance of Effort - $23.9 million; and Additional Aid - $2 million, Cultural and Museum Programs and Initiatives - $73.2 million, General Program Support Grants - $46.0 million (fully funds all 556 projects), Culture Builds Florida Ranked List - $3.1 million (funds all 131 projects), Cultural Facilities Grants Ranked List - $10 million SFRF (funds 24 projects), Cultural and Museum Projects - $14.1 million, Historical Preservation Programs and Initiatives - $31.1 million, Historic Preservation Small Matching Grants Ranked List - $1.6million (funds all58projects), Historic Preservation Special Category Ranked List - $21.5 million (funds all 77 projects), Historic Preservation Projects - $9.4 million, African-American Cultural and Historical Grants Ranked List - $30.3 million (SFRF). No state workers will make less than $15 per hour. Collins said it's especially burdensome to people who make less money. Letsgetstarted. The Legislature still has to vote on the budget and send it. Lawmakers cut the bulk of a $309 million fund for hospitals that serve the states poorest and sickest Medicaid patients. DeSantis wish for $50 million for a job growth grant fund was approved. So it's really a perfect storm for high cost burdens.. With the Texas Juvenile Justice Department having a turnover rate of 29.8% and the Health Human Services Commission at 27.9%. Theres funding for water projects in both Leon and Gadsden, said Ausley. Employees of the Florida Department of Management Services are granted the same holiday schedule as all state of . Follow on him Twitter: @CallTallahassee. Just as in state agencies, adequate salaries are needed to recruit and retain qualified staff to meet the educational needs of our state. Copyright 2000- 2023 State of Florida. 2 0 obj Ron DeSantis will have the ultimate say over how much the state spends in the 2022-23 fiscal year. This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media. High deductible plans have lower monthly premiums, but employees are required to pay more out of pocket costs for their health care. Copyright, 2022-2023 Salary Increase and Minimum Wage Pay Adjustment for In-Unit & Out-of-Unit Staff, : State University System Free Expression Statement, Florida Board of Governors Statement of Free Expression. [1] Local revenues include required and discretionary local effort for the public schools and tuition and fees for workforce, colleges, and universities. All hospitals are facing a serious staffing crunch and significant inflation in the cost of everything they do, said Justin Senior, CEO of the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida. Brandes said those plans make consumers more aware of the services they get as well as the costs of the services. Despite failing to meet a late Tuesday deadline to finalize a 2022-23 state budget, House and Senate negotiators did manage to approve a 5.38% pay raise for all state employees, along. So was $12 million (from interest incurred from federal funds) to transport undocumented immigrants out of the state, and $10 million to reactivate the Florida State Guard to supplement the states National Guard. 3 0 obj In 2010, Floridians spent 10% of their median income on health insurance premiums and deductibles. I think that is going to help our state as a whole, said Senate Appropriations chairperson Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland. DeSantis unveils 'Freedom First' budget for 'free state', Gov. Ron DeSantis released his $99.7 billion proposed budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year ahead of the 2022 legislative session set to begin tomorrow, Jan 11. Various sections of the budget proposal have already garnered media attention including suggested pay increases for Florida's teachers and law enforcement officers, and several tax-reducing measures. - Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced $800 million in this year's budget to raise minimum teacher pay and increase veteran teacher salaries in Florida. Those making $15 to $25 could see a pay increase as well. The proposal was praised by Vicki Hall, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Florida, the largest union representing state workers. Our members deserve annual raises like this one so that state employment pays living wages and continues to be a sustainable career option for professionals, said Vicki Hall, president of Florida AFSCME. John Kennedy is a reporter in the USA TODAY Networks Florida Capital Bureau. As lawmakers craft the 2022-23 state budget, the House and Senate are pushing to boost pay for state employees, local school staffers and certain health care workers. Not sure how much this has penalized us. The average amount that Florida workers paid for premiums which come out of their paychecks and deductibles was $9,284 in 2020, or 16% of the states median income. But he, along with Ausley and Tant said the big prize was the state worker pay raise. Existing Florida law enforcement officers will also receive a 5% pay raise or have their salary increased to $50,000. ", PublishedJanuary 20, 2022 at 5:00 AM EST. People who work for the state currently can enroll in a preferred provider organization policy, PPO, or a health maintenance organization plan, HMO. Too many workers are leaving for more rewarding employment elsewhere and the state is unable to maintain adequate staffing levels.. Fighting for higher starter teacher salaries and compensation for veteran teachers is what will not only attract the best teachers to Florida but, retain them as well., I think we can all agree that the last two years has presented many challenges but the one thing that remained constant and we could always count on was the support of our Superintendent and administration here in Clay County, saidJennifer Sherman,Teacher, Fleming Island Elementary School. In the 2015 Legislative Session- the last time state workers saw an across-the-board raise- lawmakers approved a 2.5% raise for state employees. Many teachers are dedicated to their profession, but can have a difficult time purchasing a home, paying student loans, and providing for their families. The 12 school districtstargeted in the House's original proposal were looking to get the $200 million penalty removed from the state's school funding system. Contributors & reporters: Phil Ammann, Roseanne Dunkelberger, A.G. Gancarski, Anne Geggis, Kelly Hayes, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, Gray Rohrer, Jesse Scheckner, Christine Sexton, Andrew Wilson, Wes Wolfe, and Mike Wright. And teachers, bus drivers, workers at state-contracted nursing. He is on my State Retirement health insurance plan. Read More February 16, 2023 Safer drinking water in Philadelphia, the nation thanks to the Biden infrastructure law . Regardless of which type of health plan they enroll in, state employees can choose their level of coverage. Simpson made the $15 minimum wage a priority this legislative session. Support WUSF now by giving monthly, or make a one-time donation online. However, the 6.2% that you pay only applies to income up to the Social Security tax cap, which for 2022 is $147,000 ($160,200 for 2023). DeSantis budget also puts a freeze on any changes to employee health benefits, either in benefit design or cost. It also receives funds from Tallahassee and Leon schools. Employees of the Florida Department of Management Services receive pay every-other Friday per the schedule below. endobj stream Florida Gov. There is no doubt that fair salaries play a key role in maintaining a skilled and qualified workforce. Blake Dowling: UAPs the truth is out there? The state will suspend the sales tax on diapers and baby clothes for the 2022-2023 fiscal year and create a two week tax holiday on clothing, shoes and school supplies between July 25 to August 7, among other tax suspensions. The study compared employee health insurance costs, including insurance premiums and deductibles. If approved by the Governor, these provisions take effect July 1, 2022, except where otherwise expressly provided. With the 2022 legislative session coming to an end, lawmakers still haven't come to an agreement on pay hikes for state workers and certain health care and school personnel. No state workers will make less than $15 per hour. Why is diversity the hot issue in Florida higher education? WUSF Public Media - WUSF 89.7 | One reason the states health insurance costs are so high is because Floridas employers are not covering as much of the costs as employers in other parts of the country, said Sara Collins, the studys lead author and a vice president for Commonwealth. The budget deal uses $800 million in federal funding for environmental spending, including $300 million to allow the Department of Agriculture to expand the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program. My husband and I receive retirement benefits including a health insurance subsidy (HIS). But with inflation rising and many state agencies struggling to hire and keep employees, lawmakers have adapted to a new political reality. Sharkey said the Leon delegation did secure money for the countys top priority, $400,000 to improve grading around Fred George Sink and capture debris to protect Wakulla Springs. This is a budget that will serve our state for generations to come, Senate President Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, said in a statement. The project will restore wildlife habitat, rehydrate wetlands, and improve discharge into the Floridan Aquifer and directly benefit the Wakulla Springs.