by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)
Gov. Sarah Sanders said Wednesday (March 15) she would not support an $80 million proposal to increase pay for state employees. According to an agency spokesperson, there are 22,913 executive branch state employees in Arkansas.
In a letter to Joseph Wood, Sanders’ Department of Transformation and Shared Services Secretary, she indicated her objection to the plan and called on him to initiate a review of the state employee compensation and classification system.
“As Governor, I have been clear that my goal is to look for ways to boldly reform state government to be more responsive and responsible to the taxpayers of our great state. One of the largest costs for any department within my administration is personnel. There are many good and hard-working Arkansans that are employed by the state to perform essential services and help their fellow citizens. These public servants should be compensated and rewarded through a system based on merit and accomplishment, not solely on years of service,” she said.
