GAINESVILLE - Hundreds of Alachua County employees are about to get a pay raise, but first...they had to take a pay cut. 

 

Since 2011, state employees have been required to contribute three percent of their pay to their pension plan, but the Alachua County commission didn't think that was fair. On Tuesday, they voted 4-to-1 to restore what they view as a three-percent cut to their employees' paychecks, with commissioner Susan Baird as the lone dissenting vote. 

 

It's a raise that will affect approximately 700 employees, with the exception of elected officers. But while the change they approved may reduce the burden on employees, some say it will increase the burden on taxpayers, as taxpayer revenue will be used to pay for the increase.

 

Mark Sexton of the Alachua County Communications Office says while that may be the case, taxes will not have to be increased because the county has budgeted for this pay restoration, and the money will come from existing revenues. 

 

The county's Human Resources department says the raise will go into effect in two weeks. In addition, about 800 county employees will also get some money back in a lump-sum payment for any contributions they may have made since the legislation first passed.