Majority of residents back tax increase to fund officer salaries

CAMBRIDGE, Md. –  Residents in Cambridge got their chance to speak directly to city government about a proposed 13.8 percent real property tax increase.

A big dilemma facing the city as it crafts its 2020 budget is low salaries for Cambridge Police Officers that have resulted in dozens of lost officers in the last decade.

Cambridge officers and residents one-by-one came to the podium to express the importance of competitive wages for the officers in blue.

“Comparing us with market competitors show Easton Sergeants make more than our Lieutenants. A few Sergeants are close to retirement, and the drought of raises have kept your city from being on par with the profession in the region,” said Greg McCray, a Cambridge resident who spoke at the public hearing.

With almost a dozen residents standing to speak with city officials, the vast majority were backers of the increase. The lone opponent was the local chamber of commerce who sent in an email.

City officials tell 47ABC they were surprised with the amount of positive reaction they saw at the public meeting at City Council Chambers, but the reason for all of that positive reaction is because of the increased salaries we would see with the city’s police department.

“The police department must follow three Rs for a good, healthy police department to work. Recruitment, retention and retirement,” said Thomas Hurley, with the Fraternal Order of Police for Cambridge-Dorchester.

But residents warn that Cambridge found itself in this place because of poor management, and want the city to continue to follow up on its officers salaries.

A few residents raised concerns regarding the city’s code enforcement, saying that more investment in the city’s appearance will lead to more economic development.

The city manager, Patrick Comiskey, tells us the proposed budget will have funding for an additional code enforcement officer.

The city council will vote May 13 whether to adopt the 13.8 percent increase to the city’s real property tax, which will lead to about $840,000 of annual revenue.

Patrol officers and Corporals would see a $6,000 raise, with other officers seeing a $3,000 bump in pay. The final budget is expected to be adopted Tuesday, May 28.