N.C. teachers, workers want raises bumped up

RALEIGH -- Proposed salary increases for public school teachers and state employees are too small to keep North Carolina competitive with other states and the private sector, groups representing the workers said Monday.

Teachers would receive a 3 percent average pay increase under a budget House lawmakers are expected to release this week.

But that isn't enough money to ensure North Carolina can attract and retain the "best and the brightest" teachers, said Eddie Davis, president of the N.C. Association of Educators. He called on lawmakers to give teachers the roughly 7 percent salary boost backed by Gov. Mike Easley.

"Right now, North Carolina ends up being a practice area for people who come here from other states, only waiting for slots to open in those other states -- Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania," Davis said. "So we train them to be good teachers, and as soon as they can find a slot in Pennsylvania, they're out of here because the salaries can never be competitive."

North Carolina teachers make an average of $46,410 -- $4,075 below the national average, according to the association.

Davis said lawmakers should "keep their promises," referencing a 2005 pledge by Easley and top lawmakers to bring North Carolina teachers' salaries up to par with the rest of the nation. After making that vow, lawmakers gave educators an increase of more than 4 percent in 2005, an 8 percent bump in 2006 and a 5 percent increase last year.

House Democratic budget writers said Monday that there just wasn't enough money to pay for such hefty raises for teachers.

"We did the best that we could with what we have," said Rep. Mickey Michaux, a Durham Democrat and senior co-chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. "They have to realize that we don't have an infinite amount of money."

Michaux, who met with other budget writers Monday to finish rules to debate their $21.3 billion budget proposal, said the bill would be heard by the full appropriations and finance committees today, with expected floor votes Wednesday and Thursday.

The governor's teacher pay package would have been funded by a 20-cent-per-pack increase in the state's cigarette tax. But lawmakers, looking toward Election Day, say they have no desire to do so.

The State Employees Association of North Carolina also asked lawmakers to ratchet up a proposed salary increase for its workers.

State employees would either receive a 2.75 percent annual boost or $1,100 -- whichever is greater -- under the plan the House is slated to debate.

That's more generous than Easley's proposal -- a 1.5 percent salary boost, $1,000 bonus and an extra five days of leave -- but still not enough to remain competitive with the private sector, said Dana Cope, the association's executive director.