LITTLE ROCK — Gov. Mike Beebe says he’s willing to look at paring back his proposed pay raises for state employees to limit them for some of the state’s higher-paid officials.
Beebe told reporters Wednesday that he thinks lower-paid employees deserve the 1.86 percent cost-of-living increase he’s included in his balanced budget proposal for the next fiscal year. Beebe said he thinks it’s reasonable to look at limiting that raise when it comes to higher paid workers.
Republican Joint Budget Committee Co-Chairman Sen. Gilbert Baker has said lawmakers may consider limiting or eliminating the pay raise for the coming year. The raises would cost about $23 million.
Beebe did not offer specifics on how the raises for the higher-salaried employees could be limited.