Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Compensation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Richardson manager proposes 5.5% raise for sworn police and fire, 3.5% for most staff
Summary
City Manager Don Magner recommended a 5.5% merit pay adjustment for sworn police and fire to improve regional competitiveness and a 3.5% adjustment for most civilian employees, alongside targeted market adjustments and career-ladder funding.
City Manager Don Magner told the Richardson City Council that solving recruitment and retention problems in public safety requires an immediate pay adjustment.
"I'm recommending a 5.5% merit pay adjustment for all sworn police and fire and I'm recommending that take effect on 10/01," Magner said. He said the increase is intended to move Richardson into the top tier among North Texas peers, assuming other cities add roughly 3% in response.
Magner proposed that civilian employees receive a 3.5% merit-based adjustment, paired with a proposed living-wage bump for the lowest-paid positions to $22.31 an hour. He said the plan also includes $327,000 for a career-ladder program and a $70,000 strategic market-adjustment pool to address outlier positions and compression issues.
Supporters on the council praised the emphasis on succession planning and retention, while several members asked staff to return with additional modeling showing longer-term affordability under likely state fiscal scenarios. The manager said the funding for the increases would be included in the FY27 budget proposal that he will file on August 14 and present on August 17.
