BALTIMORE — Mayor Brandon Scott made the decision to veto the council bill that would reduce pension requirements for elected City officials.
Known as Council Bill 22-0292, the bill would change the number of years elected officials have to serve in office before earning a pension.
Eligibility would go from 12 years of service to eight years.
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It was met by apprehension by the Baltimore City's Board of Ethics, but not before Baltimore voters approved Question K. This ballot question imposes an eight-year term limit on elected leaders.
In a letter to Council President Nick Mosby, the mayor says that this doesn't prevent any current City Council member from serving the full 12 years to receive pension benefits, so there's no urgency to act at this time.
"As a public servant, maintaining public trust is paramount to my ability to perform the duties of my office. When I took my oath of office as a Baltimore City elected official, I swore to execute my duties without partiality or prejudice. This bill could authorize a change in the vesting date for currently serving elected officials allowing them to fully vest earlier than they would have under existing law," Scott said.
Many in the community and even some councilmen opposed the bill, but Council President Mosby supported the change. He's since defended the highly criticized bill.
"The only other result would have been we would of kept paying into a pension system that we would of never had access to because of Question K," said Mosby.
Before heading to the mayor's desk, the Baltimore City Council voted in 8-5 favor of the bill, with two members abstaining.
"At this time, therefore, I cannot in good conscience sign City Council Bill 22-0292 into law without the benefit of a complete and thorough analysis," Scott said.
Mosby has since issued a statement in response.
