Police officers, firefighters and other DeKalb County government employees could see their pay increase by 4 percent or more this year, according to a plan unveiled Wednesday.
The DeKalb Commission will vote on the $5 million proposal Thursday when it decides the county's $1.32 billion annual budget. The commission's budget committee approved the pay initiative Wednesday.
Public safety employees have been pushing for a pay increase as a way to prevent attrition and make DeKalb's salaries more competitive. They've protested their pay rates at public meetings, saying the county government should recognize their work and prevent employees from leaving for higher-paying jobs in nearby jurisdictions.
If approved, the raises will go to about 2,800 police, fire, sanitation, watershed and 911 employees — nearly half of the county's workforce. Additional raises will be considered in July after the county completes a pay study.
The raises would start at 4 percent, and government employees who are paid below proposed pay ranges would receive a larger increase. Interim DeKalb CEO Lee May said some employees could see their salaries increase by 15 percent.
The pay adjustments would take effect in May.
All DeKalb employees received a 3 percent raise in 2014, but before then they hadn’t received an increase since 2007. Police and fire employees also received a one-time 3 percent bonus in 2013.
Funding for the raises would come from DeKalb’s reserve funds, which remain below the county’s stated goal of saving one month of operating funds.
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