Commentary: State pay raise plan places value on top earners, not average employees
Delaware State News reporter Matt Bittle’s recent article on the proposed pay raises for some of the top-earning state employees deserves a broader look (“Lawmakers OK pay hikes and pension increases,” May 28). There is a significant and unfair wage-increase gap between salary increases for the average state employee and those being scheduled for the top wage-earners like judges, statewide officials, cabinet officials and even the legislators themselves.
Legislators are flush with extra cash because the state’s revenue estimate has climbed by more than $953 million since October. This does not even include the $1.025 billion the state of Delaware is receiving in the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. This year, the state has money available, and apparently, it includes enough for a significant wage increase for those at the top.
Our legislators are placing a high value on the Delaware Compensation Committee’s recommendation to help the “top earners” catch up from years of neglect by providing raises commensurate with the lost inflation increases.
The judges provided an in-depth report detailing how their salaries had not grown since 2005. Since that time, the salaries of Delaware’s judicial officers have increased by approximately 10% while inflation has increased by over 29%, So it seems a significant increase for these “top earners” is warranted. It also didn’t hurt that the Delaware Bar Association lobbied on their behalf.
But wait a minute! These top earners have received the same increases since 2005 as the other state employees did. Over this period of time, the same challenges apply to the average state worker. Are they being valued less than these top earners are? It appears so!
It is not hard to see the disparity when you start making comparisons.
The proposed increases for this group can only take effect if the state employees also get an increase. At the low end, the legislators, by taking no action on the 2021 report will receive a 2% raise, while the average state employee is scheduled for a flat $500 raise. In January, Sen. Colin Bonini, R-Dover, tried to pass a resolution rejecting the 2021 report. It failed along party lines in the Democrat-controlled Senate.
Judges and others are scheduled for an over 10% raise phased in over the next four years — the highest raise being over $30,000 and most in excess of $20,000, not even close to the average employees’ proposed flat $500 raise.
All employees, except the governor, are also scheduled for a one-time, $1,000 pandemic bonus. This is consistent with what many other states are doing for their employees. This, however, is not a salary increase.
What is not consistent is that some other states are also offering a 2% to 5% raise for all employees, and it is certainly not consistent with what our legislators have accepted for themselves and our state’s top earners.
The Compensation Committee has put forth a pretty strong argument that our state has fallen behind in compensation levels for these state employees. However, these arguments apply to many, if not all, regular state employees below this top-earner level, as well.
This is the year to fix this for all employees, not just those at the top.
Fair is fair! What do you think? What does your legislator think?
Bill Bowden is a retired Verizon Delaware executive and past president of the Delaware Quality Award. He served for eight years as the executive director of Delaware’s Department of Technology and Information.
