Facing outrage from recession-weary Baltimore residents and criticism from talk-radio hosts and union leaders, Mayor Sheila Dixon reversed course yesterday and announced that she will donate her $3,700 raise to a "city government charity."
"I woke up this morning and said, 'You know what? It is not worth it,' " Dixon said. She said she hopes the decision will help "get things moving forward and stay focused on the bigger plan."
The mayor plans to announce the recipients of the money today.
Other elected Baltimore officials, high-ranking city managers and union members should consider returning pay increases as well, Dixon said, noting that others in her office have received "more than I have gotten."
Dixon's announcement came two days after The Baltimore Sun reported that a powerful city spending panel quietly approved 2.5 percent cost-of-living increases for the mayor and other officials last month at a time of sharp budget cutbacks.
Asked earlier this week whether she would donate to charity the raise that had increased her salary to $151,700, Dixon said "no," citing long work hours and a daughter in college.
Comptroller Joan M. Pratt said yesterday that she would donate her $2,450 increase to the Steuart Hill Academic Academy; the Franciscan Center, a social services outreach facility; and to a third charity to be determined.
City Council President Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake's office distributed a vaguely worded statement yesterday saying that she planned to increase her charitable giving.
"For many years I have contributed a portion of my personal income to city charities, and in these tough economic times I plan to do even more," said Rawlings-Blake.
She said any decision about what council members do with increases that are raising their salaries from $57,000 to $58,425 is "personal."
Six City Council members said this week that they plan to donate their pay raises.
After news of the raises was disclosed, city residents expressed outrage on radio shows and Internet message boards. Elected officials, many said, should share the economic pain felt by constituents and city employees. City Hall supervisors are facing salary freezes to help close a $36.5 million budget shortfall, and police and fire overtime has been slashed.
The timing of the pay raise is bad, observers said. Dixon said her agency heads will disclose plans on Monday to cut $65 million from next year's budget. The plan could include furloughs or layoffs, Dixon said.
