Bush sets 2004 pay raise at 2 percent

[PaDUer]

Bush sets 2004 pay raise at 2 percent
By Amelia Gruber
[e-mail]

President Bush on Dec. 30 ordered a 2 percent 2004 pay raise for civil servants, but government workers may eventually receive a significantly higher raise if lawmakers approve the pending fiscal 2004 omnibus budget bill.

In an executive order issued on Dec. 30, Bush called for a 1.5 percent across-the-board raise for civilian white-collar federal employees and a 0.5 percent increase in locality-based pay.

Lawmakers would like to grant civil servants the same raise as uniformed military service members, but Bush has said that such an increase would be too costly and would divert needed resources from the war on terrorism.

For entire article--
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1203/123103a1.htm

[RC]

1. The war on terrorism will be pretty much over

when bu$h&co are in prison for their crimes.

[pasadenaboy]

2. Bush should set govt empolyee pay raises

to be equal to the average CEO increase in compensation. that would wake up a lot of people.

[MercutioATC]

3. Congress is always good to us...and we appreciate it...

As a civilian government employee, I love the fact that Congress remembers the Pay Comparibility Act of the 80's and, while they won't honor it, insist on tying military and civilian raises to each other. We're still making less than passed legislation demands, but we're slowly narrowing the gap. I just wish that the "bonus" pay that the military was supposed to get (combat pay, etc) hadn't been cut by Bush. I feel I deserve the money I make, but our soldiers definitely deserve it more.

[The Zanti Regent]

4. Wow, a 1.5% raise...

Yet my rent goes up 7% each year in Los Angeles.

Thanks a lot, President Asshole!

[MercutioATC]

5. Actually, it WILL be a 4.1% raise once Congress gets done with it...

...and the average cost of living increase nationally is about 2%. Granted,he's an asshole (or, possibly "The Idiot Son of an Asshole" www.ericblumrich.com/idiot.html )

Advice: get out of California if you want realistic COLA's.