Smith won't propose bill for pay raises
Executive: 'Not ... the time to raise the salary of elected officials'
By Bryan P. Sears, bsears@patuxent.com
Posted 11/24/09
The Baltimore County Council will not likely vote on a bill to increase salaries for the next county executive and members of the County Council who will be elected in 2010.
County Executive Jim Smith said today he won’t send a bill for the pay raises to the council — despite a recommendation by the Personnel and Salary Advisory Board for increases of 8 percent and 2 percent, respectively, for the incoming executive and council.
Smith said he does “not believe that this is the time to raise the salary of elected officials.
“We are in the midst of a very difficult economy, and individuals and families are working hard to make ends meet,” Smith said. “I have informed Council Chair (Joseph) Bartenfelder that I will not submit legislation recommending a salary increase for the next county executive.”
Bartenfelder had said Friday that he would not introduce such a bill even if it were delivered to the council before his term as council chairman expires at the end of this year.
Without a bill to consider, the measure cannot be voted on and the raises won’t go into effect, he said.
Several councilmen, including Bartenfelder, Kevin Kamenetz and Bryan McIntire, had said they would not support salary increases this year.
The Personnel and Salary Advisory Board is required by law to review the salary for both the executive and council and make recommendations by the beginning of the fourth year of the term.
As a result of its review, the board last week unanimously recommended increasing the $150,000 county executive salary to $162,806, an 8 percent hike.
The board rejected a similar percentage raise for the council and voted to increase the base pay of the seven-member council by 2 percent — from $54,000 to $58,320.
The board also voted to recommend an increase in the salary of the council chairman from $54,000 to $58,320.
County Executive Jim Smith said today he won’t send a bill for the pay raises to the council — despite a recommendation by the Personnel and Salary Advisory Board for increases of 8 percent and 2 percent, respectively, for the incoming executive and council.
Smith said he does “not believe that this is the time to raise the salary of elected officials.
“We are in the midst of a very difficult economy, and individuals and families are working hard to make ends meet,” Smith said. “I have informed Council Chair (Joseph) Bartenfelder that I will not submit legislation recommending a salary increase for the next county executive.”
Bartenfelder had said Friday that he would not introduce such a bill even if it were delivered to the council before his term as council chairman expires at the end of this year.
Without a bill to consider, the measure cannot be voted on and the raises won’t go into effect, he said.
Several councilmen, including Bartenfelder, Kevin Kamenetz and Bryan McIntire, had said they would not support salary increases this year.
The Personnel and Salary Advisory Board is required by law to review the salary for both the executive and council and make recommendations by the beginning of the fourth year of the term.
As a result of its review, the board last week unanimously recommended increasing the $150,000 county executive salary to $162,806, an 8 percent hike.
The board rejected a similar percentage raise for the council and voted to increase the base pay of the seven-member council by 2 percent — from $54,000 to $58,320.
The board also voted to recommend an increase in the salary of the council chairman from $54,000 to $58,320.
user comments (1)
user augieboy says...
If not for the recent 'uprising' of activism, dare I say, the raises would have gone through uncontested...The self serving nature of 'most' politicians would have disregarded the sensible and responsible actions for the continued fleecing of Baltimore County residents.
Posted 8:02 AM, 11.26.09
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