Proposed Charter Amendment 1 – Article 5 Budget and Finance, Section 506 Action on the Budget by the Council. This amendment was introduced by Council Member Steve McKay (District 2). Currently, the County Council is only allowed to decrease or delete items from the budget. We cannot add items. We have no power to change the form of the budget as submitted by the County Executive. This amendment would allow for the Council to increase items in the budget except those required by State law. An increase of any budget item shall not result in the creation of a new project, program, or office, and shall have an offsetting and equal decrease in the fiscal year budget.

Proposed Charter Amendment 2 – Article 2 County Council, Section 207 Salary. This amendment was introduced by Council Member Jessica Fitzwater (District 4). This amendment would change (in italics) this section to read, "in addition to salary, the Council Members may be entitled to receive allowances and fringe benefits as those terms are defined in this Charter. A Council Member may not accrue annual leave or be entitled to any payment in lieu thereof. The Salary and any allowances and fringe benefits allocated in the budget shall be in full compensation for all services performed but may not preclude reasonable and necessary expenses as may be provided in the budget. The Council shall establish by ordinance a Compensation Review Commission every four years to review the Council’s salary and fringe benefits in accordance with the provisions of Article 25A Subsection 5(AA) of the Annotated Code of Maryland. The Council may accept, reduce, or reject the Commission’s recommendation, but it may not increase any recommended item.

Proposed Charter Amendment 3 - Article 7. Miscellaneous, Section 705 Right to Organize, Collectively Bargain, and Binding Arbitration for Career Fire Fighters. I introduced this amendment. This amendment would change (in italics) this section to state, "(a) Career fire fighters shall have the right to organize and bargain collectively regarding wages, benefits, working conditions and/or terms and conditions of employment through representative employee organizations of their own choosing as provided by ordinance of the County Council. (b) In addition to the rights granted in Subsection (a) of this Section to organize and bargain collectively, the County Council shall provide by ordinance for binding arbitration with authorized representatives of the appropriate employee bargaining unit in order to resolve labor negotiation disputes with the County's career fire fighters. The ordinance shall provide for the appointment of a neutral arbitrator by the parties to the arbitration who shall issue an award [a binding decision] to be implemented as part of the following year's budget process. That award shall be binding on the County Executive, provided that decision is final no later than March 1. The County Executive shall propose a budget for the following fiscal year that funds the arbitrator’s award in accordance with Section 503 of this Charter. Any arbitration award made pursuant to such ordinance shall not be binding on the County Council in accordance with Section 506 of this Charter."