State workers unlikely to get pay raise this year

The Florida Senate budget chairman says state workers are unlikely to get an across-the-board pay raise this year.

Sen. Tom Lee said Wednesday there isn’t enough money this year to offer pay raises to all state employees, although Lee said there’s a chance that select state workers may get a raise. Last year, legislators proposed targeted pay raises to firefighters and some highway patrol troopers.

Legislators are wrapping up work on a new state budget. They need to finish negotiations by early next week in order to end the session by March 11.

A 3-percent across-the-board pay raise for state workers and university employees would cost nearly $263 million.

Legislators are using the extra money they have this year to boost spending in health care and schools and to set aside money for tax cuts.