Recruitment and retention problems statewide, legislators move to raise rates Civil servant salaries are reduced by 5% Raise it across the board and increase pension payments.
at the budget meeting on Saturday afternoon SB7024Senate approached House plan to increase Florida Retirement System (FRS) benefits, but top Senate budget negotiations Doug Brocksona Gulf Breeze Republican said plans to restore the annual cost-of-living adjustment were too costly.
but the Senate agreed Removed the restrictive window to participate in the Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP), which allows workers of retirement age to continue to receive benefits while working, and extended the period during which employees can participate in DROP from five to eight years. extend to The interest rate applicable to employees’ monthly benefits will also jump from 1.3% to 4%.
All were part of the House plan, but the Senate also extended the period for teachers to participate in DROP from June 30 to 10 years.
“I could clearly hear the cries of needing a teacher,” Broxon said. “This allows administrators to single out good teachers who were good performers and give them a chance to stay in the classroom.”
A 5% wage increase would cost $389 million, but the Senate also proposed spending $108.9 million for state agencies to use for targeted wage increases.
“The testimony of all agencies is that they are under tremendous pressure to retain their employees because of pressure from the private sector,” said Broxson. “Now we are giving them the option to join and retain those key employees.”
Another change to the pension system would roll back the retirement age for police, firefighters and first responders, known in the FRS as special risk class members, from 30 or 60 to 25 or 55. included.
The pension changes would roll back some of the changes imposed by Congress in 2011 when benefits were cut as the state faced a $3.6 billion shortfall amid the Great Recession. That year, lawmakers mandated that workers contribute 3% of him to pension benefits and abolished the cost-of-living adjustment. The House included his COLA restoration in its original plan, but Brockson said it would cost states, local governments and school districts hundreds of millions of dollars too much.
“We are living in a different time now than we were in 2011,” said the House budget chief. tom leak, Ormond Beach Republican Party. “The workforce is much more competitive these days, so we need to be more competitive.”
Another part of the budget The Senate is now demanding $6 million for the government Ron DeSantis The Office for legal costs, as he has been involved in legal battles on multiple fronts. The Senate allocated $2 million for him in the original budget, and the House $4 million for him.
Walt Disney Co. sued DeSantis earlier this week over a move to revoke its control over land use in a separate special district that it controlled until February.
However, Leak did not say whether his House would accept the offer from the Senate.
Legislators will meet the state constitution-mandated 72-hour “cooling-off” period before voting on the budget to avoid passing the May 5 end date when legislatures are normally scheduled. to reach agreement on a final spending plan by Tuesday.
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