Mayor’s Remarks of City Firefighters & Police Officers STEP Increases

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The following are the prepared remarks for Mayor Dwight C. Jones as he outlined the STEP increases for FY2014 and FY2015 for all Richmond firefighters and police officers.

“Thank you all for joining us today as we announce and detail the STEP salary increases for our Richmond Fire Department and Richmond Police Department staff.

“Despite the need to close a $31 million budget gap, my administration has been committed to providing pay increases for all City employees for the third time in my term as Richmond's Mayor.  (Two raises and one bonus)

“I submitted a budget to the City of Richmond to Council that included a 2% increase for all City employees. I also proposed an amendment to that budget to provide an additional increase for sworn police and fire department employees in recognition of the fact that their step increases had been frozen for five years. But we also wanted to make this effort due to the day-to-day dangers of police and fire jobs, in protecting lives and property.

“All employees, including sworn members of the Police and Fire departments, who were employed as of October 1, 2012 will receive a 2% pay raise that will appear on their first full paycheck in October 2013.

“All Sworn Police Officers and Fire Fighters (approximately 1,100 employees) will receive a Step increase, 2% of which will be received on the first full paycheck in October 2013 and the balance of which will be received on the first full paycheck in January 2014.

“The increase in January will be an additional .5% for those police officers and fire fighters in Steps 1-11, 8% for those in Step 12; 9% for those in Step 13; and 10% for those in Step 14. The cost of the step increases for police officers and fire fighters, over and above the 2%, will be an additional $1.4 million in FY2014.

“After hearing City Council concerns and discussing directly with the Chiefs, we found a way to make this possible. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all members of City Council for reviewing and approving this very important budget amendment, as they too recognize the importance of acknowledging the hard work and dedication of these very important city servants.”