Over the next few months in Opelousas, the board of alderman is expected to decide if there's enough money to give raises to entry-level police officers and firefighters.
The pay increase will be discussed at meetings over the next few months.
A committee report finds pay for the city's police officers and firefighters with little experience is among the lowest in the area.
"I wish I could put my signature on a piece of paper and say, Look, everybody across the board can get a two/three-dollar raise," said Opelousas Mayor Julius Alsandor. "But you know, we just fought the pandemic we're still trying to catch up from where we were."
The mayor also says that before any type of pay raise can be agreed to, the city must first know its budget.
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