LAKEWAY, Texas—As a show of support for the Lakeway Municipal Utility District, all 20 employees of the district have volunteered to give up part of their merit pay increases for 2009-10.

The employees have agreed to have their merit pay increases reduced to 1.5 percent from 2.5 percent; the raises take effect April 1, 2010. The move will save about $13,000 in costs during the upcoming budget year, which starts Oct. 1 and ends Sept. 30. The 2.5 percent merit pay increase was approved June 10 by the MUD’s Board of Directors.

“This gesture was the idea of senior staff members of Lakeway MUD,” Tom Rogers, president of the MUD’s Board of Directors, said.

“MUD employees offered this generous concession to let the board and the customers know that they are fully aware of what’s happening in the City of Austin and other communities that have experienced declining sales tax revenue. While the district does not have declining revenue, the staff feels like they are fortunate to enjoy a stable work environment and want to do their part to be fiscally responsible.”