Some Howard County council members want to alter legislation that could increase the salaries of council members and the county executive.

An amendment proposed by chairwoman Democrat Courtney Watson last Monday would delete a proposed $500 salary increase for all council members, leaving their annual pay at $53,400, and hold the chairman’s pay steady at $1,000 more than his or her colleagues, rather than increase it by $2,500 annually.

A separate proposal sponsored by Fulton Republican Gregory Fox and Watson would reduce the council members’ pay to $52,892.60.

Democrat Calvin Ball also has offered an amendment that would leave the council’s salary at the current level and increase the chairman’s stipend to $1,750.

The legislation, which the council is expected to vote on Monday, will affect salaries of those who win seats in November’s election.

Watson, a Democrat from Ellicott City, has opposed the salary increases since the Compensation Review Committee recommended the raises in December.

“From my perspective, that’s appropriate given our economic (condition),” Watson said.

Council members are meant to be part-time employees, Watson said, noting that she doesn’t think the work of the chairman requires additional pay.

Fox, who also opposes the raises, said the council should be reducing its salary.

The council can reduce the salary recommendation made by the review committee, but is prohibited from increasing it.

“With where things are at now, at a minimum, I don’t think we should be taking the $500,” Fox said.

Members of the Howard council are the fifth-highest paid council members in the state.

Local legislators in Baltimore City, Prince George’s, Montgomery and Baltimore counties make more.

At last Monday's meeting, Ball said making salary decisions based on the current economic climate is risky because the rate set next week will stand for four years.

“It could be that the next County Council comes in and three years from now we’re in a much better financial situation,” he said.

The council is also set to vote Monday on a bill that would increase the county executive’s $160,198 salary by $2,500 annually. That raise, combined with cost-of-living adjustments would bring the executive’s pay to $195,000 at the end of the four years.

Fox has offered amendments that would reduce the executive’s salary to $158,674.88 and eliminate the annual $2,5000 bump in pay.

Kenneth Ulman is currently the third-highest paid county executive in the state following leaders from Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, who earn $175,00 and $174,000 respectively.

“I think the county executive probably needs to be paid more, but I don’t know what that level is,” Watson said.

This story has been updated.

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user comments (15)

user citizentaxpayerjane says...

You have got to be kidding. Elected people are actually going on records saying they're voting for raises this year? Come on, voters. These people who work for you actually LORD over you!

Posted 1:26 PM, 01.26.10 | Permalink

user observer says...

Jane...perhaps, but the real crimes are being committed in the boardrooms of banks, investment firms, and large corporations around the world. Politicians are paid peanuts; CEOs steal billions.

Posted 9:26 PM, 01.26.10 | Permalink

user milton says...

Observer: don't buy any stock in those private corps. There! Problem solved. On the other hand, politicians steal EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR THEY SPEND. Taxes are legalized theft.

Posted 10:41 PM, 01.26.10 | Permalink

user commonsenseplease says...

No god what a bunch of whackos. The County Council works at least as many hours a week as every single person on this message board and gets paid peanuts. Yes, they should forgo the raises - for show, not because it's much money or because they don't deserve it. As for CEO's, stop the jealously. every single person on this string would take that mnoney if someone offered it. Ridiculous anti-business crap. who the heck do you think creates the jobs, Obama?

Posted 12:03 AM, 01.27.10 | Permalink

user independent says...

Not every person would take the money. In fact, this article cites 2 that are not going to take the money. In this country, anyone can start a business and steal from stockholders and customers and employees, but very few choose to 'take the money'. Most of us have more sound standards.

Posted 7:00 AM, 01.27.10 | Permalink

user milton says...

County Council members are paid in excess of $50,000 a year for a PART-TIME JOB. I'd hardly call that peanuts, commonsenseplease. If some of the council members work in excess of part-time, that is their own stupidity. In fact, they are expanding the size of government in doing so, which I detest.

Posted 7:41 AM, 01.27.10 | Permalink

user citizentaxpayerjane says...

This year is likely to heat up in a big way regarding comments, and the most blustery commenter is already blowing a gasket. His encore is likely to be nearly unreadable so I suggest we stop responding to name calling and ridicule that adds nothing to the discussion. Feel free not to respond to this post, for example. I did, after all, use the word "blustery". Gasp.

Posted 8:50 AM, 01.27.10 | Permalink

user david14750 says...

I've been very involved in the downtown Columbia redevelopment process and can assure you that these five Council members work well more than 40 hours per week in this "part time" job. They don't do it because they are stupid as milton has stated. It's more likely that the virtues which independent correctly references with respect to the money also motivate the Council members to work as hard as needed to do their jobs. Howard Co is growing up and maybe the days of the part-time Council (which is also the zoning board) are over. Nonetheless, I do think they should pass on the raises, not because they aren't deserved, but because everyone needs to be part of the cutting back. And while I'm not into the name calling, it IS a litle wacco to state that taxes are legalized theft and imply that all CEO's steal.

Posted 12:48 PM, 01.27.10 | Permalink

user mdcommish says...

The county council is a part-time job...and they should not be the ones making the decision about the redevelopment of Columbia. It's time Columbia form a municipal govt., so the redevelopment is done by people who actually LIVE in the "city", and actually have to live with the decision and not people of Western Howard County advocating affordable housing, but wouldn't support it in their back yard.

Posted 4:35 PM, 01.27.10 | Permalink

user mdcommish says...

Let me add...taxes in MD are outrageous, and with almost 1/10 people out of work in MD, things are about to change. The govt. mishandles money, in a big way. MD has some of the highest property taxes, a hidden county income tax, a millionaire tax bracket, and legislators who continually forget who they answer to.

Posted 5:08 PM, 01.27.10 | Permalink

user milton says...

Haha, David is not one to engage in name calling....but he will anyway. That's 2 point lame.

Posted 6:00 PM, 01.27.10 | Permalink

user david14750 says...

Didn't call a name. Characterized your comment. If you want Columbia to quit Howard Co and have ts own government, have at it. Until then, what happens in Columbia is just as much my buisiness as what happens in ellicitt City is yours. It's all one tax pot, one scholl system, one police force, etc. Why are you all so angry?

Posted 8:09 PM, 01.27.10 | Permalink

user mdcommish says...

actually wrong...people who live in Columbia pay a tax to CA in addition to county taxes

Posted 11:07 PM, 01.27.10 | Permalink

user david14750 says...

CA assessments are not a tax. It is a homeowners association fee. None of it is paid to the County government and it is used to maintain common grounds owned by your homeowners association. It is no different than the HOA fees paid in many other subdivisions/communities around Howard Co, none of which believe they operate independent from the rest of the county.

Posted 3:10 PM, 01.28.10 | Permalink

user edpriola says...

Have you ever wondered so many Americans have such scorn for elected officials? The Howard County Council demonstrated why that is this week. During the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, they voted to give themselves a pay raise. They call it a cost of living adjustment for inflation. I call it a shameful sense of entitlement by supposedly part-time representatives who earn as much as it takes to feed a family for a year. Instead of standing side-by-side with families that are being furloughed, losing their jobs and trying to keep their homes, three of the five council members chose to stuff more money into their own pockets. They need to get a grasp on the reality for their constituents. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the Howard County unemployment rate has skyrocketed from 3.6% in November 2008 to 5.3% in November 2009. The average weekly wage in Howard County in the second quarter of 2009 was $1,009. So a County Council member makes 103% the wage of an average full-time worker! Councilman Greg Fox and Courtney Watson voted against the raise. They are to be applauded. Ed Priola Candidate for Delegate Legislative District 13

Posted 9:39 AM, 02.04.10 | Permalink