(AP) -- COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - South Carolina state workers and teachers say they are willing to pay more for their retirement benefits, if they get a raise.
The State newspaper reported a plan endorsed by the South Carolina State Employees Association and the South Carolina Education Association was presented to lawmakers working on resolving the problems with the retirement system.
The plan says state employees and teachers would be willing to pay another 0.5 percent into the retirement system, if they get a raise of at least 2 percent first.
Teachers and state employees have not had cost-of-living raises for several years because of shrinking state and local budgets.
Daniel Island Rep. Jim Merrill called the plan a "token" effort by state workers.
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