Council Rejects Cut in Raises

Leventhal suggested that it would be unfair to reduce raises for county government workers when it lacks the authority to revise contracts with school employees, who negotiate separately with the school board.

School board President Nancy Navarro (Northeastern County) then appeared to underscore Leventhal's point, telling the council that she would not vote to trim raises for school employees. "Our most strategic investment is in our employees," she said.

Andrews noted that five years ago, school officials joined the council in deferring raises for several months to help balance the budget.

The debate over contracts did not end yesterday. Raising property taxes above the county's charter limit, as the council is expected to do, requires a supermajority of seven votes. Because there is a vacancy on the council, two members could block the budget by refusing to exceed the limit, which ties increases to the rate of inflation.

"That's what we're going to do," Trachtenberg said after the hearing. "Phil and I will not support a budget that does not have employee savings."

In the final push to the May 22 budget vote, County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) and council members have sparred in memos over the right mix of property tax credits and rate increases.

Leggett has recommended raising the rate an average 8 percent, or 7.5 cents per $100 of assessed property value, which would be the largest increase in two decades. He also suggested a credit of $1,014 for primary residences to ease the effect on homeowners.

Council members voted 7 to 1 to reduce the property tax rate and signaled that they would probably support a significantly smaller credit for homeowners.

Council members have expressed concern about the effect of Leggett's plan on renters. He would pass on higher costs to apartment dwellers, "many of whom have low incomes and can ill-afford to pay additional rent," Trachtenberg said in a memo. Leggett's approach would raise taxes on a typical apartment building by 20.7 percent.

Leggett has urged the council to stick to his plan, warning that "piling on to the household budgets of working families is unsustainable."

Under one of the council's scenarios, the owner of a median-priced home, valued at $343,200, would pay an additional 21 percent, or $465, compared with an additional 6.2 percent, or $137, under Leggett's plan.

"We're trying to protect homeowners, and they are moving it in the other direction," Leggett spokesman Patrick Lacefield said yesterday.