JACKSON, Miss. – State workers and teachers would get raises this year, and you would have better roads and more job options if democrats have the last word this legislative session.
House Minority Leader Bobby Moak, D-Bogue Chitto, said democrats favor an across the board pay raise for educators. Teachers haven’t had a raise in seven years, he pointed out during a Monday forum in Jackson that was sponsored by the Stennis Institute of Government and a journalists who works at the Capital. “I think it is something that should be fought throughout the legislative session unless it is dealt with quickly, but I don’t think that will happen.” Getting that raise, he said will likely come down to the numbers. “Democrats are now at $5,000, and the republicans are where?”
Moak added: “we are not gonna forget about state workers either. They haven’t had a pay increase in quite some time.” Moak said state workers work for all Mississippians, and deserve a livable wage. “These State employees, in Mississippi, many of them are eligible for state programs and that’s a shame. These are our folks and you and I could be concerned enough to make sure we take care of them.”
There has been a bi-partisan effort in the legislature to improve Mississippi road ways. “We may not be able to solve the problem today, but I think we can start attacking the issue to the point of we can get some people to work,” Moak said. “Because, we think, for every 10 miles of road rehabilitation, it helps create some 200 jobs.”
