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Sarasota News Leader June 14, 2013 with expected salary increases for union members are projected to cost the county about $3.7 million in the 2014 fiscal year, though that estimate does not include figures from all of the county's constitutional officers — such as the sheriff and the tax collector. He and his staff are continuing to collect information from those elected and appointed officials, Botelho said. Page 11 School Board, would be offering in the next fiscal year. Patterson voiced concerns that if non-union workers received the raises, employees in bargaining units would want increases as well if the county had to negotiate new contracts with them. Then Barbetta questioned whether the 3 percent increase built into the FY 2014 budget DIGGING INTO THE DETAILS model included all the necessary taxes. BoWhen Robinson asked about the administra- telho said it did. tive cost of the pay increase, Suzanne Gable, Barbetta pointed out that each $1,000 lumpstrategic and financial planning director in the county's Office of Financial Planning, replied sum payment for FY 2013 actually ended up that the county does make FRS contributions costing the county $1,400 by the time taxes for its employees and it pays taxes on their were added into the budget. salaries. Patterson also questioned whether superviIf the commission approved another lump- sors would be too lenient in their evaluations sum payment, Gable pointed out, neither the of staff. county nor employees would have to pay a "I was here for a number of years when we percentage of that to the FRS. had a performance standard, and it was built In response to another question from Robin- into the budget," she said, "and [employees] son, Botelho said that altogether, the county were pretty liberally assessed and the arguwould be putting about $2.5 million more into ment … was, if you weren't outstanding, you the FRS for its employees in FY 2014. He ex- wouldn't be working here." pected the health insurance expenses to rise Patterson conceded, "That is a tough one." as well, he added, but he would not know un- Nevertheless, she added, "Nobody should get til August what the exact cost would be. a raise who's not doing satisfactory work." "I know a lot of employees don't look at bene- Reid stressed again that the salary increases fits as raises," Robinson responded, "but that's would be merit-based. extra money we pay out that they don't have Botelho promised to get the commissioners to pay." the additional figures they had requested as While Commissioner Joe Barbetta agreed soon as possible, so they would be prepared that any pay increases for county employees to vote on the matter during the June 21 budshould be performance-based, he told Botelget workshop. ho he wanted to see more details on raises other employers in the county, including the "I know it's a difficult decision," Reid said. %