Commissioner Michael Zimmer issued a minority report to explain why he voted against a raise for judges ? a move political observers called a first for Carroll government.
“I?m not trying to undercut anybody or undermine the majority decisions of the board,” Zimmer said Monday.
With commissioners? meetings filled with staff reports and public comment, Zimmer said he didn?t have time to fully explain his reason for the board?s first 2-1 vote last week, when he cast the sole vote against increasing the salaries of orphan?s court judges ? who settle disputes over wills and estates ? from $10,000 to $17,000. He supported a $3,000 increase.
Tony Roman, a political science professor at Carroll Community College in Westminster, said he had never heard of a Carroll commissioner issuing minority reports.
“It?s been done unofficially on a verbal basis, but he is setting new ground,” Roman said. “More information is always good.”
Issuing reports, Roman said, is also a political move that lets Zimmer say to constituents that he is still fighting for them.
In his report, Zimmer explained that while the judges deserve a raise, their pay is comparable to “similarly situated counties.”
“My main objection to a 70 percent increase is the symbolic impact that it might tend to have,” the report says.
“There are a great number of county workers and Carroll County Public Schools workers and other allied agencies that will be coming to the board with serious budget requests. … I?m concerned that such an increase would send all of those folks the wrong message.”
Commissioners will present their legislative package to Carroll?s state delegation Jan. 22.
The delegation will hold a public hearing on the bills Jan. 27, said Del. Susan Krebs, R-District 9B.
