Mississippi State Budget Proposal Entails Possible Slight Raises for State and Higher Ed Employees

Mississippi legislator’s latest budget proposal could entail potential raises for state and higher ed employees, The Herald-Sun reported.

Sen. Briggs Hopson

State employees would receive a 3% raise and most public university and community college staff would receive at least a 1% raise. The budget proposals for a state government budget that begins July 1 still need a majority approval from the state House and Senate.

The 3% raises for state employees would go into effect by January 1, 2022, according to Senate Appropriations Chairman Briggs Hopson. For the full year, the raises will cost an estimated $13.9 million, he said, with half of that included in next year’s budget and the rest in the following year’s budget.

The higher ed raises would go into effect July 1.

The 1% raises for Mississippi’s Institutions of Higher Learning and the community college system are estimated to cost around $12.5 million.

However, the 1% raises will not be guaranteed. Schools will get enough money to give all employees 1% raises, but allocation will depend on each school. An employee can receive up to a 5% raise.