I truly dislike the mentality that state workers are not deserving - that they should not receive "any" raise at all, even to to stay abreast of the inflation rate. Certainly the state legislators will not give themselves raises anytime soon then. The state office workers in the trenches of everyday business need some recognition on the jobs they are doing and very well at that, in light of the reductions two years ago and now again this year, they will need their raise, period, -  those that are left in the decimated ranks of some very dedicated people.