Delaware committee approves state pay raises, adds funds for marijuana industry

DOVER, Del. (AP) — Members of the Delaware legislature’s budget-writing committee began marking up Gov. John Carney’s spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year on Tuesday by approving across-the-board pay raises of up to 9% for state employees.

The Joint Finance Committee approved Carney’s plan to give state workers pay raises ranging from 3% to 9%, depending on their pay grades. Employees making less than $50,000 a year would see their pay increase between 7% and 9%, with the lowest pay grades receiving the highest percentage increases. Employees making roughly $100,000 or more annually would see a 3% pay raise.

Public school employees also would receive a 3% raise, with teachers getting an additional 6% pay hike for a total salary increase of 9%.

The average state employee salary of $52,033 per year would increase 6%.

The pay increases approved…