At the Capitol Wednesday, a Republican controlled committee turned down pay increases for Wisconsin State Patrol troopers. The Joint Committee on Employment Relations rejected increasing annual starting salaries by nearly 24 percent, to $54,000.
“We do value the service that the troopers give, but that $14,000 number per person is probably just too big,” said Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester).
“It is a disservice to our men and women in law enforcement that we are not bringing forward a package to help support the State Patrol,” said Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse).
This is a dangerous job and these officers deserve fair pay for the heroic work they do. The time is now to take up these contracts and protect the men and women in law enforcement who put their lives on the line for us every single day. https://t.co/Z2uspjCP6W
— Jennifer Shilling (@SenShilling) December 17, 2019
Also rejected, Governor Tony Evers’ plan to raise the hourly minimum wage for state workers to 15 dollars. “There are immediate savings, of not including these things to the balance sheet,” said Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz (D-Ohskosh). “But I think the consequences include costs to service, to morale, to retention, to training, to the effective and efficient operations of state government.”
The panel did approve giving UW System and and state employees a two percent pay increase for 2020 and 2021. “The work that they do is valuable, and it certainly should be kept up with, as the rate of inflation continues to go up as well.
The Joint Committee on Employment Relations just unanimously voted to give state workers a raise. Glad we all agreed to give a pay hike to the hardworking employees who keep the state running. pic.twitter.com/4mpL788oEH
— Speaker Robin Vos (@SpeakerVos) December 18, 2019