When Carroll commissioners presented their six bills Monday to their state delegation, one senator presented one of his own about wages.
Sen. Allan Kittleman, R-District 9, said he would introduce legislation allowing Carroll to build schools using competitive wages instead of prevailing wages.
The market determines competitive wage, but a union-backed formula determines higher prevailing wages, so bidding competitively could save Carroll millions of dollars, said Kittleman, who introduced a failed statewide version of the bill last year. Citing cost savings, Stephen Guthrie, assistant superintendent of Carroll schools, said he supported the proposal.
The commissioner?s legislative package included:
» A bond bill to build schools and roads;
» A request to grant Carroll the authority to provide a tax credit to businesses that improve their facades;
» A bill to speed up the process for dealing with property owners who repeatedly neglect to mow their lawns;
» A request to give the warden the power to use electronic anklets to keep track of pretrial inmates and grant furloughs for inmates who need medical treatment or schooling;
» A bill to create an electronic database to track stolen merchandise at pawnshops;
» A pay raise request for orphans? court judges from $10,000 to $17,000 a year.
Judge Herbert Reisig said the three judges have requested raises for more than a decade.
Sen. Larry Haines, R-District 5, said the legislature typically considers salary increases in the second and third years of elected officials? terms, but that the delegation would consider the request. Carroll should create a local commission tasked with periodically evaluating raises for public officials, said Del. Susan Krebs, R-District 9B.
IF YOU GO
» What: Public hearing on Carroll?s bills for the General Assembly
» When: 9 a.m. Saturday
» Where: Westminster Senior and Community Center, 125 Stoner Ave.
