Howard County compensation panel backs 5% annual council raises, ties executive pay to CPI

The Howard County Compensation Review Commission voted Wednesday to recommend a 5% annual salary increase for county council members from 2027 through 2030 and to tie the county executive’s compensation to the Baltimore–Towson Consumer Price Index, capped at 2.5%, the commission said.

The panel also voted 5–1 to publish legal advice from the county attorney’s office that concluded tying council pay directly to a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) could be legally impermissible under Maryland law and county rules. Office of Law counsel urged caution about waiving attorney-client privilege: “I’d be remiss if I didn’t advise against it,” counsel said during the meeting.

Chair Ellen Flynn Giles, who led the discussion, proposed using a regional CPI measure and caps to balance predictability with legal and budget constraints. “I would just like to propose for consideration that we consider tying increases to the Greater Baltimore Washington CPI calculated in September of each year for the county council with a cap of 2.5 or 3% and that we tie the county executives to the same number with a cap of 2% to 2.5%,” Giles said.

Members spent more than an hour debating whether the council’s duties have evolved from a citizen, part-time role into work that carries full-time responsibilities, and whether pay should reflect that shift. “We’ve heard loud and clear that the hours required for this job necessitate full time work,” Commissioner Maura Dunnigan said, urging the commission to note the issue in its report.

Commissioners discussed several numeric scenarios, including 2.5%, 4% and 5% annual adjustments and compound growth through 2030. After reviewing projections and exchanging views about optics and equity with the county workforce, a motion to recommend the Baltimore–Towson CPI (September) for the county executive, capped at 2.5% for 2027–2030, passed unanimously.

On the council salary, commissioners settled on a recommendation of 5% compounded annually from 2027 through 2030; the motion was made and seconded and passed in a roll-call vote recorded in the meeting transcript as unanimous. The commission separately agreed by consensus to leave other allowances and stipends unchanged.

Commission staff told members a final report would be circulated for technical edits, that legislation implementing the recommendations is expected in January, and that the county council may request the commission to testify at a work session or public hearing. Staff also suggested one commissioner should plan to testify in support when the legislation is introduced.

The commission adjourned by consensus. The final report will include the panel’s recommendations, the reasoning behind the CPI and caps, and the record of the discussion about whether the council’s duties have evolved toward full-time responsibility.