Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-08-16
PAY INCREASES
ARE OPPOSED
BY Governor SiIzer-Writes to
That Effect to Civil Ser
vice Commission

TRENTON, Aug. Ex-Governor
Silzer today expressed his disap-
prevail of salary increases on the
basis of ten per cent for state en-
ployes at this time. In a commun-
ication on the subject to Charles p.
Messick, secretary of the civil ser
vice commission Mr.. Silzer says that
it would mean an increase of $780,
600 and including all departments
might run to $1,000, 900. He eX-
presses the view that there are some
empolyes entitled to an advance in
pay and says that personally he does
not like TO have cheap workers in
his employ. The executive express
ed the view that there should be
reduction in the number OF en-
ployes and added efficiency, which
would bring more compensation to
those who are entitled to it.
Last June the Civil Service Com
mission took the matter up with Mr..
Silzer before the start of the new
fiscal year, declaring that increases
would soon come up, pointing gu
that it related to his function of
preparing the next annual budget
for submission to the 1924 legisla-
ture. At that time he took the po-
sition that the question of increases
was one for the civil service board
to deal with itself. In his commun-
ication today, the governor says
that in view of the fact that the
matter will have to come before him
In the preparation of the next bud
get he felt constrained to make his
position clear. He points put that
with the people burdened with
heavy taxes they do not want the
saddling of another million dollars
on their shoulders, as the ten per
cent Increase to state employees
would meal
Another phase of the situation,
however, is that practically half of
the state workers have been given
raises since the start OF fthe new
fiscal year, July 1, last. This was
done by the Civil Service Commits
sion upon the recommendations of
the various departmental and insti-
tutional heads and means a total
salary increase for the fiscal year
e(1lng June o, 1924, of 0281 ,9S7.04.
There are about 5000 persons on the
payroll of the state and it Is roughly
estimated that approximately half
of these have benefited from the m
crease approved or this number
about 400 are employees in the diff
fe"Cnt STATE institutions who have
had a jump in pay and some 500 are
lower paid workers such as laborers
in the State Highway Department.
The bulk of the increases were sane
TONED by the civil service board on
July T.. They included a group of
the departmental eads and assist
un IN the state highway COM
mission.
There were no salary increases
granted by the commission last yea
and those allowed since the start of
the present fiscal year are all pro-
vided for in the appropriation act
passed by the 1928 legislature. There
are still pending before the board
eme,o recommendations for salary
advances affecting about thirty adj
ditional employees, which If they
should all be approved would mean
about $1,000 more to the total an
lual pay roll.
Roughly estimated on the total in
rreases to date which, with remain
ng recommendations just mentioned,
included practically the bulk of ad-
fances in pay for the current year,
he total payroll of the state for
he twelve months ending June 80.
1924 next, ought to run neal $10,-
100, 900. This calculation is based
IN the fact that for the fiscal year
which ended June 30 last, the total
payroll of the state was $9,449.-
Adding to this the present
Increases just approved, of s2S1.-
lST "a, would provide q total of
so, 731,722.S4 for the fiscal year now
n force. The amount of last years
payroll is used as tentative in this
connection. because changes in per-
sonnet and increases and decreases
n employees in various state de-
oartments and institutions are likely
% vary this basic figure somewhat
for this year as compared with last
YEARS. conditions. But it is fair for
all general purposes. In the CLASH
led service the payroll vas $780,
last year and in the unclas-
sified. such as judges, normal school
.eachers, department and institution
Il heads and the state police, the
figure was 81 ESQ, 144.88. Classified
services means all holding positions
competitive examination.
The Civil Service Commission APP
the increases following its
conference with the Governor in
June at which time he took the view
it was up to the commission to
let. Today's letter, therefore, will
be ineffective respecting those en-
ployees whose pay has already been