GULFPORT, Miss. (AP) - An annual budget approved by the Gulfport City Council raises police officers’ salaries by $2,000.
Councilman Myles Sharp tells The Sun Herald (https://bit.ly/1Nzan6W) the city hopes higher salaries for patrol officers will improve recruitment to fill open positions. Because of escalating health-care costs for retirees, the council also accepted Tuesday the administration’s recommendation to close the employee health-care plan to new retirees. The plan will no longer be available to city employees who retire on or after Jan. 1.
Overall, spending will remain about the same level as the current year. The administration projects only modest growth in property and sales taxes, the main revenue sources. General-fund spending will be about $55.6 million, compared with $55.7 million this year. The new budget goes into effect Oct. 1.
___
Information from: The Sun Herald, https://www.sunherald.com
Please read our comment policy before commenting.