House and Senate leaders agreed Tuesday on a record $23.7 billion state budget for the upcoming year, but not before adding more to the pot for employee raises.
Gov. Nathan Deal in January had proposed 3 percent raises for the state’s 200,000 teachers and state employees. Lawmakers then increased the raises for employees in areas with high turnover, such as public health nurses.
The final agreement increases raises for law enforcement agencies, such as the Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents and state troopers, to 6 percent for the coming year.
Deal and lawmakers had considered waiting until next year to address the problem of officers leaving in droves for higher-paying jobs with other police agencies.
“As the situation developed, the governor determined that addressing funding levels could not wait until next year,” said Jen Talaber Ryan, the governor’s spokeswoman.
House Appropriations Chairman Terry England, R-Auburn, said budget-writers would likely look at boosting pay for law enforcement over the next few years to bring salaries in line with local government police pay.
The spending plan also includes more than $1.5 billion on new road, bridge and other construction projects.
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