If I were to reply (or, more tempting but more frightening, reply-all) to
the email the assistant secretary of state sent out thanking the division
for our hard work and telling those of us doing overtime to keep it up,
saying I'd feel a lot more appreciated (especially in context of the
governor asking for seven- to fifteen-percent raises for various state
employees whose paychecks are already six figures) if I got a raise that
outpaces inflation ...

How bad an idea would that be?