The desire to provide state employees with an additional $150 raise turned into a high-profile sticking point for budget negotiators this week. The effort failed but it led John Hood to address the issue in his Online Daily Journal and to defend the need to adequately compensate those state employees implementing appropriate government polices and services for their experience and commitment. His thoughts generated several “thank you” e-mails from state employees. Donna Martinez received a similar note from a state employee following her appearance on WPTF Thursday morning. The NC State worker told Martinez she wishes the legislature would allow “bad employees/dead wood” to be fired and reinstate merit pay for those who are effective in their jobs.
