The Maryland Senate rejected Republican efforts to put controls on the salaries for Gov. Martin O?Malley?s top executives, who will be paid tens of thousands of dollars more than their predecessors.
“You?re seeing incredible increases in salaries while the other state workers are getting only 2 percent” cost-of-living adjustments, said Senate Republican Whip Allan Kittleman of Howard County. “There is a psychology to salary inflation that is demoralizing” to the many low-paid state employees.
In response to a GOP inquiry, budget analyst Dylan Baker found that 53 people in the executive pay plan got more than the 2 percent COLA, while 33 executive positions had lower salaries compared to last year. These include the new chairman of the Public Service Commission, Steven Larsen, paid $188,700, and several Cabinet secretaries who make more than $150,000.
“It?s a long list and a disturbing list,” Kittleman said. “I don?t think we want to send that message to our constituents.”
“These were not pay increases given to incumbents,” said Sen. Richard Madaleno, a Montgomery County Democrat on the budget committee. In the case of Human Resources Secretary Brenda Donald, for instance, who makes $151,210 ? 16 percent more than her predecessor ? “this was the amount of money we needed to bring her on,” getting her to leave her position as deputy mayor in Washington, D.C., Madaleno said.
Sen. Lowell Stoltzfus, an Eastern Shore Republican, wanted to require O?Malley to get the legislature?s approval for executive pay, and Kittleman wanted to limit them to 6 percent. Both measures failed by wide margins.
Democrats also rejected amendments by other Republicans who wanted to ban use of state funds for publications in Spanish, ban the use of state money for family planning services that offer abortion counseling, stop state spending on highway beautification and block funding for an organization that counsels immigrants, including illegals.
