North Carolina Governor Josh Stein is making a million-dollar push to pull North Carolina’s public safety pay out of the basement.
The governor is urging the general assembly to pass a $1.4 billion dollar “Critical Needs Budget.” The plan targets what Stein calls a recruitment crisis, noting that North Carolina currently ranks 49th in the nation for starting trooper salaries.
The proposal includes a 10-percent raise for state troopers, correctional officers, and SBI agents. It also calls for a 6.5-percent bump for probation and parole officers.
State Highway Patrol Trooper Whit Efird said low pay is making it harder to find the next generation of officers. North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation officials said their caseloads are rising, but their funding hasn't kept pace.
Stein said the state can’t wait for a full budget to address these "critical" vacancies.
