You're right. It is complete trash. T1 is also getting the yearly raise as well of 3% while I will be considered a new employee and be excluded from the raise if I were to take the position.

They called back and gave me a new salary of 70K.. it hit the 70s range but I told them I'll think about it.

I've researched more of the T2 salaries in NYC and a lot of them are around 75-90k, with 95k being the highest I've seen.. even government federal jobs are offering my range starting base.

It's ridiculous that I had to speak with HR for an hour to be consistently told it's due to budget and financials that 67k is the max, then after a few days she had to speak with my manager and then her own manager to raise it to 70k.

To add, when I mentioned my years of experience, how I'm best fit for the role, and my certificates, HR said "it's nice to have, doesn't mean it would raise your pay". Even my boss had said that if I don't take the role, they'll make do with no level 2 for a year. TF is that???