Arundel officials spar on control

Charter changes could alter board picks, spending

Friedman, Leopold's top aide, said Cohen's proposal would allow council members to push through building projects that benefit their districts, since the council already makes the final call on development projects during their review of the capital budget.

"You are going to have a majority of the [planning advisory] board horse-trading over the capital budget," Friedman said. "You are going to have the council appointees steering capital projects ... based on the desires of individual districts rather than on the welfare of the county as a whole. It's a terrible idea."

The amendments next face a public hearing early next month followed by the council vote later in the month.

Four of the seven council members are Republicans, as is Leopold.

But Dan Nataf, a political science professor at Anne Arundel Community College, said he could see the amendment squeaking through the council.

"Usually they don't propose something unless there is a good chance of it passing," he said. "I could possibly imagine five people voting for something that gives the council more power."

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