Teachers, state employees looking good in new fiscal year

The new state fiscal year begins October 1, and the two state budgets are flush. Both the General Fund and the State Special Education Budgets will be the largest in state history.

The General Fund Budget is a record breaking $2.7 billion. It increases the revenue to mental health and prisons. Medicaid continues to be a money eating monster. State employees are getting a four percent cost of living raise. This is the third time in recent history that state workers have gotten a back-to-back pay raise. In addition, retired state employees will get a bonus. State Senator Greg Albritton (R-Escambia) and Representative Steve Clouse (R-Ozark) the budget chairmen deserve accolades.

Veteran Alabama State Employees Association executive director, Mac McArthur deserves a lot of credit for state employees getting a four percent pay increase this year and two percent last year. Ole Mac has put together four raises in five years for his folks.

Alabama Education Association (“AEA”) head, Amy Marlowe, and her chief lobbyist ally, Ashley McLain, deserve kudos for garnering a four percent teacher pay raise. Once again, the AEA has become a power to be reckoned with on Goat Hill.

The legislature passed a record breaking $8.17 billion Education Budget. The historic spending plan increases education funding by about $502 million over the current year. It drew praise from all corners of education for its increases, which includes teachers’ salaries and workforce development. There will be more money for classroom materials, the hiring of technology coordinators and reading coaches and $20 million to