As call of Senate looms, JFAC debates across-the-board or varying raises

Senate Finance Chairman Dean Cameron just told JFAC, “They’re going to have a call of the Senate here in a few minutes if we don’t get through this.” A call of the Senate or House is an unusual move in which the doors are locked and the sergeant-at-arms is instructed to go and arrest any missing member and bring him or her to the chamber; everyone in the chamber must remain there until the call is lifted.

Cameron told Wayne Hammon, Gov. Butch Otter’s budget chief, that there have been situations in which agency directors want to have flexibility on granting raises, but the governor’s Division of Financial Management doesn’t approve it. Sen. Nicole LeFavour, D-Boise, said giving agency directors total flexibility over raises could lead to decisions based on favoritsm. Rep. Marv Hagedorn, R-Meridian, said, “I think it’s important that we recognize those people who are performing,” though others noted that the proposal would give the 2 percent raises only to employees who are performing.

Rep. George Eskridge, R-Dover, said he’s heard of situations where upper-end employees get bigger raises and lower-end workers get nothing; he argued for the across-the-board 2 percent for performing state employees. Sen. Mitch Toryanski, R-Boise, said, “My preference is let managers manage.”

Cameron told the committee, “Should the call of the Senate come, since there are motions on the table, we must act on those motions.”