Employees would see significant pay raises under the City of Raleigh’s proposed $1.78 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year. City Manager Marchell Adams-David is recommending that full-time employees get either a 9-percent or an 11-percent pay increase. Part-time employees would receive a 5-percent increase. The proposed budget would also markedly raise the starting salary for emergency call takers, police officers, and firefighters.
“We want to invest in our greatest asset, our employees,” Adams-David says.
The recommended increases are based on a classification and compensation study. Its results found that many of the City’s pay ranges are below peer cities’ ranges and the market rate.
First Responder Starting Pay Increases
The budget proposal significantly boosts the starting pay for first responders.
Here are the proposed changes:
- Emergency Communications call taker: a 17-percent increase, from $42,027 to $49,100;
- Police officer: an 11-percent increase, from $55,331 to $61,417; and,
- Firefighter: an 11-percent increase, from $51,194 to $56,825.
Most existing public safety employees would receive an 11-percent pay increase.
“Increasing our starting salary would be more than just a financial adjustment — it would be a clear investment in the people who are the backbone of emergency communications,” says Emergency Communications Director Dominick Nutter. “This change would strengthen our ability to attract top talent, improve morale among current staff, and reinforce our commitment to recognizing the critical role our team plays in public safety every day.”
The proposed changes, if approved, would become effective in September.
Classification and Compensation Study
The City hired Segal to conduct the classification and compensation study. That study began last year, and City leadership vowed to implement the results of the study quickly, regardless of how costly the findings were.
The total amount of money required to implement the study is $35 million. The City set aside a penny of the tax rate – $11.4 million – a year ago. The remaining money would come from savings and careful budget planning.
The proposed budget doesn’t raise the tax rate.
City Council is deliberating the proposed budget. There are opportunities to follow along throughout the budget process. The Council must adopt a budget by June 30.
Fiscal year 2026 starts July 1, 2025, and runs through June 30, 2026.
Benefits of Working for the City
The City of Raleigh is one of the largest employers in the area, employing about 7,000 people. Besides traditional benefits, such as health and dental insurance, the City offers various programs and options that can enrich employees’ lives, from education and wellness to lifestyle benefits.
