The tentative Fulton County budget includes a 4 percent cost of living raise. But if commissioners approve the raise, the pay hike won’t come immediately and it may not be retroactive.

At today’s County Commission budget workshop, interim Finance Director Sharon Whitmore told commissioners the county probably can’t implement the raise until mid-February or even early March. And unlike last year, the staff is not recommending the raise be made retroactive to Jan. 1.

Whitmore said the staff recommended a retroactive raise last year because employees hadn’t had a cost-of-living raise since 2007.

The 4 percent raise will cost about $8.8 million. That caught the eye of Commissioner Lee Morris. During the discussion, he asked Whitmore to produce cost estimates for a 3 percent and 2 percent raise.

Commissioners are expected to approve a final 2015 budget next week.