By PATRICK JACKSON
Dover Bureau reporter
12/24/2003
Gov. Ruth Ann Minner wants to spend $18 million to give all full-time state workers a $500 bonus.
Minner on Tuesday said she will ask lawmakers to approve the one-time bonus when they return to session in January. If the Legislature approves the bonus, workers probably would receive the payment in February.
Minner said the bonus was a way to reward workers for helping the state get through its hiring freeze and the economic downturn, without building a continuing expense into the budget. Most employees of the state - Delaware's biggest employer - did not get a raise this year.
"They have done an exceptional job," Minner said. "When we were down 2,000 workers, they worked overtime and in some cases came in Saturdays and Sundays to make sure people got services. They all deserve this bonus."
Since September the state's revenue picture has been improving. An estimated $99.2 million has been added to this year's $2.44 billion budget since July. Finance officials have said most of the new money will be used for one-time costs that won't carry over into the 2005 budget.
The bonus package, which would come from the extra money added to this year's budget, would cover all state workers, including employees at Delaware Technical & Community College, public school teachers and employees, state police and National Guard employees. Part-time state workers would receive a bonus based on their schedules, and the University of Delaware and Delaware State University would get money for bonuses based on the state's share of their salaries. Money going to the universities would be used at the institutions' discretion.
There are about 16,000 non-education state employees. The bonus would be taxable income.
Some of the employees covered under Minner's proposal got raises through union contracts or seniority-based systems. But the governor said the entire work force deserves the bonus because they had to cover for vacancies created through the hiring freeze, which was lifted last week.
Sen. Steve Amick, R-Glasgow, said the move, coming as Minner seeks re-election, is a deft blend of policy and politics.
"There is no question but that we have imposed on the good fellowship of our employees by asking them to forgo a raise and work with a hiring freeze, so this is good policy," Amick said. "But we're also heading into an election year, and the timing of this is certainly good politics for the governor."
Competing bills
The governor's announcement means there will be competing bonus packages for legislators to ponder.
Rep. William A. Oberle Jr., R-Beechers Lot, said he plans to introduce a bill offering a $600 bonus.
"It's good to see that the governor and I are on the same track," Oberle said. "The only difference is in the size of the bonus."
Minner said she has not talked to Oberle about his bill or lined up a legislative sponsor for her measure. But Senate President Pro Tem Thurman Adams Jr., D-Bridgeville, said he thinks lawmakers will back Minner's proposal.
"We were thinking about a midterm pay raise or bonuses," Adams said. "It seems like the governor has considered this carefully, and I can't speak for everyone, but I think it will get support."
Michael Begatto, executive director of Council 81 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, welcomed Minner's announcement.
"We were one of the few states and possibly the only state that got through the recession without layoffs, and that's because we made sacrifices," Begatto said. "The governor has said she appreciated what we did and that she would help us out if she could. Now, she's living up to that promise."
Still, Begatto said union representatives will push for permanent raises in the 2005 budget. Minner said she is examining that possibility as she drafts the spending package she will submit to lawmakers in late January.
"We want to look carefully to make sure any raise we grant is sustainable," Minner said.
Reach Patrick Jackson at 678-4274 or pjackson@delawareonline.com.
