Pay raise for state employees to go into effect Jan. 1

(From Gov. Jay Nixon)

A one-percent pay raise for Missouri state employees will go into effect Jan. 1, 2015. The pay raise was appropriated in the FY2015 budget to begin on Jan. 1, 2015, but had been restricted over budget concerns.

“The citizens of Missouri appreciate the hard work our dedicated state employees perform on their behalf – especially those who work around the clock, such as corrections officers, mental health workers, veterans’ home staff and Highway Patrol troopers,” Gov. Jay Nixon said. “I am pleased that we are now able to ensure that this pay raise goes into effect at the beginning of the new calendar year,”

In addition to the funding for the pay raise, Gov. Nixon also released $2 million in funding for Missouri tourism, which will be used to enhance the state’s tourism efforts and continue moving the state’s economy forward. With the release of this restriction, funding for tourism will have increased by more than $6.2 million for this fiscal year.

“With the wide variety of attractions Missouri offers to visitors from across the country and around the world, tourism continues to generate a tremendous amount of benefit to our state’s economy,” the Governor said. “This funding will help maintain tourism’s vital role in our economic engine.”

To ensure the state budget remains in balance, the Governor will restrict $1.8 million of the $4.2 million available for state Capitol repairs, and another $4 million from a facilities maintenance fund to be used for state building repairs and renovation. Those projects would instead be included in the Governor’s recently proposed bond issuance, which has been met with bi-partisan support from the General Assembly.