Mayor's veto of Baltimore City Council pension plan 'sets us back,' council president responds

BALTIMORE - Baltimore City Council President sent a letter to Mayor Brandon Scott saying that his veto of a City Council bill that would alter the requirements tied to a pension plan for elected city officials "sets us back."

Last week, Scott announced that he had vetoed City Council Bill 22-0292, which would reduce the number of years needed to qualify for a pension from 12 years to 8 years.  

The bill required Scott's signature by January.

Scott said in a letter to Mosby that he saw multiple problems with the plan to reduce the pension requirements for Baltimore City elected officials.

"At this time . . . I cannot in good conscience sign City Council Bill 22-0292 into law without the benefit of a complete and thorough analysis," he said.

Mosby is the bill's sponsor.  

Scott noted in his letter to Mosby that the pension change was introduced as being responsive to the potential passage of Question K on the 2022 general election ballot which established term limits for Baltimore City elected officials.

He also pointed out that "Question K, as passed, does not prevent any current City Council member from serving the full 12 years of service currently required to receive full benefits of the Elected Officials' Retirement System."

City Council President Mosby responded to the veto on Monday.

While the City of Baltimore — like much of the country — has appropriately taken steps to create conditions for people from all backgrounds to run for elected office, your veto of City Council Bill 22-0292 sets us back," Mosby said. "We must actively remove barriers for citizens to seek public office, or else we risk perpetuating circumstances that ensure only the wealthy and well-connected can serve."    

Additionally, Scott expressed concern about the ethics associated with local elected officials passing a law that would benefit them.

Some City Council members voted in favor of the bill while others took to Twitter to express their opposition to it.

Councilman Zeke Cohen said in a tweet that "President Mosby's bill creates a clear conflict of interest." 

Following the mayor's announcement, Cohen thanked Scott for vetoing Mosby's pension bill. 

"The people of Baltimore deserve better," Cohen said.

Mosby explained Bill 22-0292 as a "companion bill, designed explicitly only to be enacted with the passage of Question K, that aligns Elected Officials Retirement System eligibility with the two-term limitations imposed by Question K."

Mosby said colleagues elected after December 2016 have less favorable eligibility criteria for pensions. 

"Now, with the passage of eight-year term limits, yet another class of elected officials has been created to further complicate the pension system and put junior elected officials, those sworn in during December of 2020 at a disadvantage," Mosby said. "Further, future City elected officials will find it absolutely illogical to pay into a pension system that has structural, intentional obstacles, designed by the creators of Question K and supported by your veto, that will keep them from becoming vested in the pension."

Mosby continued in his disapproval letter to Mayor Scott that he respectfully disagrees with the mayor's assessment. 

"Often, elected officials must walk away from their carefully planned and established careers to serve," Mosby said. "We should be creating more opportunities for some of our most talented minds from all walks of life and every corner of Baltimore City to run for office and have an opportunity to create stability for their families once in office."