Tillis: Teacher, state employee raises in budget mix

House Speaker Thom Tillis says lawmakers plan to push forward with raises for teachers and state employees this year.

Posted 9:05 p.m. Jan 28, 2014 — Updated 9:55 p.m. Jan 28, 2014

RALEIGH, N.C. — House Speaker Thom Tillis said Tuesday that lawmakers are planning to included raises for teachers and state workers in this year's budget.

"We're in ongoing discussions with the Senate and the governor," Tillis said after a meeting of the General Assembly's Government Operations Committee, an oversight group comprised of the legislature's top leaders.

The group had just received a report forecasting tax revenues growing in 2014 when compared with 2013, although economists emphasized those numbers were still subject to change.

"As the economy trends in the direction that it is, it's going to give us the flexibility to do it, and we're looking forward to being able to outline that over the next month," Tillis said.

During a news conference earlier this month, Gov. Pat McCrory had named raising teacher salaries as one of his top priorities for the coming year, but he did not mention raises for state workers.

Tillis said he expected to see both groups in line for a raise this coming year, although it is too soon to say what form those raises might be or how much.

"They're both important. It's just how do you put it into the mix with the available funds," he said.

A teacher advisory panel told McCrory Tuesday that the state should increase pay for starting teachers, currently the lowest in the region, and reinstate extra pay for teachers who earn advanced degrees. The governor said he would present the report to legislative leaders this week.

"You are going to have an impact on the decision that's going to be made by the executive branch and the legislature, especially on compensation for teachers," he said.

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