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Casa Grande council approves FY26-27 pay-plan overhaul, including 5% general adjustment
Summary
The City Council approved a revised FY26-27 employee classification and compensation plan that applies a 5% general pay adjustment, restructures pay ranges, and raises the typical merit increase to 4.25%, aiming to keep municipal salaries competitive with neighboring cities.
City of Casa Grande — The City Council voted June 1 to approve a revised employee classification and compensation plan for fiscal year 2026–27 that includes a 5% general adjustment to the city pay plan, changes to range widths and separations, targeted reclassifications for positions behind market, and an increase to typical performance-linked raises.
Scott, the staff presenter, told the council the plan moves the pay plan to a uniform 39.5% range width with 2.3% separations between ranges and converts some classifications to higher ranges based on the consultant’s market analysis. "If you approve this this evening, you will be authorizing us to apply the 5% general adjustment," Scott said, summarizing the package staff brought forward.
Why it matters: City staff said the change is intended to keep Casa Grande competitive with nearby municipalities and to reduce turnover. The plan also shifts merit mechanics toward an average 4.25% performance-linked increase and moves the city toward an open-range system in which employees reach a calculated maximum and further raises occur only through general adjustments.
Council discussion focused on cost and cadence. One council member asked whether employees would receive both the 5% general adjustment and merit increases in the same year; Scott confirmed that employees eligible for merit could receive a performance-based increase in addition to the general adjustment. Council members also pressed staff on how many classifications would be moved; staff said approximately 134 classifications are targeted for range adjustments.
Supporters said the package is data-driven and aims to reduce recruitment and retention costs. A council member who sits near the city’s agricultural communities noted the importance of conserving institutional knowledge: "We have the best employees in the state here," the member said, arguing that pay competitiveness matters for continuity.
What happens next: Staff said the changes would be implemented in the pay period that includes July 1. Council approved the plan by voice/roll-call vote following the presentation and discussion.
Ending: The council tied approval of the classification plan to concurrent, minor personnel-policy adjustments later on the agenda and directed staff to implement the changes consistent with budget and policy steps already scheduled for July.
