WV STATE EMPLOYEES GET PAY RAISES - Calhoun's Employees Don't Get Raises, Benefits Cut

(03/29/2011)
The West Virginia Legislature has granted 70,000 West Virginia public employees pay raises, signed into law by acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin.

While state workers have increased pay, Calhoun's dozen employees, because of a lack of revenue, remain among the lowest paid public workers in the Mountain State, with no raises, no bonuses and their benefits cut.

Worse yet, with cuts in the county's 2011-12 budget, a few will likely suffer the loss of their job.

The state pay increases range from $500 for some state and school workers to $32,500 for the Adjutant General.

In between are raises for elected judicial officers, magistrates, teachers, state troopers and Division of Natural Resources police.

Legislators say that West Virginia pay levels continue to lag behind that of other states.

The increases to the annual state budget are projected to be about $67 million.