Another week passed without a budget deal, but there may be some light at the end of the tunnel. House Speaker Tim Moore said Thursday that an agreement had been reached on state employee raises, though he did not give specifics.

If you recall, the Senate proposed a 2.5% raise for employees each year of the next two years. The House proposed a raise of 4.25% in 2023 and 3.25% in 2024 for a total of 7.5%.

Moore did not mention a deal on a retiree bonus or cost-of-living adjustment. The House budget proposal included a 1% true COLA each year for retirees for a total of 2% over the biennium. The Senate had a 1% bonus for retirees in its plan.

He also announced that no House votes would be taken for the next two weeks as legislators attend political conferences outside Raleigh. SEANC's lobbyists expect a complete budget deal won't be reached until the fall.

SEANC continues to press for 5% raises each of the next two years, with a significant bonus and 2% true COLA for retirees. President Martha Fowler appeared this week in a story on the vacancy crisis plaguing state government. "I've heard from people that say 'it's hard to manage a family, it's hard to do things that you need to do to have an honest and decent living,'" she said. "Taxpayers are getting 75% services when we have to spend 100% of the money."

Please be sure to contact your legislators to ask them to support meaningful raises and bonuses, and cost-of-living adjustments for retirees.