CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- City Manager Marcus Jones presented a new police pay plan that would give some Charlotte-Mecklenburg officers a bigger raise but it cost taxpayers an additional $500,000.
- New proposal would give new recruits and officers a 12 percent raise in first few years of their careers
- If approved, officers at the top level would raise the 4.5 percent all at once in July
- Budget expected to be adopted June 11
During a budget meeting Wednesday, Jones said under the proposal, new recruits and officers in the first few years of their careers would receive a 12 percent raise, mid-range officers would get between 7 to 9.5 percent raise and officers at the top pay level would get a 4.5 percent raise.
In his initial budget proposal, all CMPD officers were getting a 6.5 percent raise.
But with 35 percent of CMPD’s force at the top pay step, Republican Tariq Bokhari wants the city manager to find a way to get those veteran officers a bigger raise.
“These are some of our best officers, these are the ones that should be serving as a role model for the newer folks,” said Bokhari. “How do you tell them that this, maybe it’s not extra-ordinary but how is it more than just not status quo? How do you explain that to them?”
If this plan is approved, City Manager Marcus Jones said officers at the top level would raise the 4.5 percent all at once in July while other pay raises may be spread out throughout the year. Jones believes the additional pay boost for new and mid-range officers would help improve recruitment and retention.
Republican Ed Driggs supports the plan but he wants the manager to fund it without raising taxes.
“He [Jones] knows were the opportunites are. I just can’t believe that in a $690 million general fund budget, there are no places where we can squeeze some more out,” said Driggs.
City Council will have another budget meeting on June 4. They’re expected to adopt a budget on June 11.