Ducey quietly taps $95M in virus cash to boost trooper pay

(KYMA, KECY/ AP News) - Arizona Governor Doug Ducey quietly tapped $95 million in federal Coronavirus relief money to boost pay for state troopers, prison guards and workers in several other state departments deemed essential.

Ducey’s office routinely issues news releases when he allocates cash from the pot of Covid-19 relief money he controls, but that wasn’t done this time which was done in November.

Using the money to provide premium pay for essential workers is allowed under terms of President Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act, which allows state and local governments to boost pay by up to $13 per hour for essential workers

In all, this provides 20% pay boosts to the state’s corrections officers, 15% increases to state troopers and 10% increases to workers at the Departments of Child Safety, economic security, juvenile corrections, transportation and health services.