175 Beaufort employees may get cost-of-living raises. Here’s how much it will cost taxpayers
The City of Beaufort is proposing 5% cost-of-living pay increases for its workforce, with a cost to taxpayers about $400,000.
The reasons city officials are giving for the pay hike are helping workers deal with rising costs due to inflation and keeping salaries competitive.
If approved by the City Council on Jan. 10, the 5% adjustment would go into effect in mid-January. The City Council gave preliminary approval to the raises Dec. 13.
“We want our folks to be well-compensated with inflation, housing costs and other economic factors,” Mayor Stephen Murray said.
The adjustment in salaries and insurance will cost the city about $378,000 this budget year, Finance Director Alan Eisenman said.
About 175 employees will receive pay raises — everybody except judges and City Council members, Eisenman said.
Higher-than-budgeted revenues, combined with flat expenses, will cover the increases, Eisenman said. The city is expecting more revenue interest from its investments, Eisenman said. More income also is coming in from building permits and hospitality and stormwater fees.
The adjustment was needed to keep city salaries competitive with other area and regional governments, City Manger Bill Prokop told the City Council during a work session Nov. 29.
The city will not be using American Rescue Plan Act funds for the adjustments. And it won’t use money from its General Fund balance to pay for the pay hikes.
