By Harry Minium The Virginian-Pilot May 9, 2012 PORTSMOUTH City employees aren't getting a pay raise, but a City Councilmajority would like to give them a one-time, 3 percent bonus. Council members asked City Manager Kenneth Chandler on Tuesdaynight to provide an estimate next week on how much a 3 percentbonus would cost. The bonus would not go to school employees orpolice and fire employees, who have received general pay raises inrecent years, Mayor Kenny Wright said. "We haven't given our general employees a raise in a longtime," Wright said. "We need to do something forthem." The council is scheduled to vote next Tuesday night on Chandler'sproposed $544 million budget, which takes effect on July 1. Thecouncil will hold a budget work session prior to the formal meetingto hammer out details of the bonus and school funding issues. Chandler's budget includes a surplus of $3.9 million, which hecautioned the council against using. He said he would like to holdon to that money in case a hurricane or some other natural disasterforces the city to spend millions of dollars. However, a council majority seems inclined to use at least some ofthe $3.9 million for a bonus. Wright said he anticipates thatChandler will estimate the cost of a bonus at about $2 million. "Our employees have had a long dry spell," CouncilmanBilly Moody Jr. said. "As long as we don't have to raise taxesto do it, I'm in favor of it." Vice Mayor Charles B. Whitehurst Sr. said the city also needs totrim its real estate tax rate by a few pennies. Portsmouth's rateof $1.27 per $100 of assessed value is the highest in South HamptonRoads. "People are struggling," Whitehurst said. But Wright and other council members objected, saying the citycan't cut taxes and give bonuses. Chandler has proposed keeping thetax rate at $1.27. Whitehurst agreed that the priority should be to find more moneyfor employees. "If we don't get the money to them soon, people are going toleave," Whitehurst said. Wright said the city needs to make sure it has an adequate budgetcushion, in part to assure credit rating agencies that the city isfinancially secure. The city saved millions of dollars in interestthis past year because it was able to finance debt at relativelylow interest rates. "We don't want to do anything that might negatively affect ourbond ratings," he said. Harry Minium, 757-446-2371, harry.minium@pilotonline.com. The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as China Fiber Optic Chandelier , Recessed Led Downlight Manufacturer, and more. For more , please visit T5 Tube Lights today!
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