La Plata's budget approved in 3-2 vote after weeks of debate

After weeks of outcry in public comment sessions and debate between town council members, the La Plata fiscal year budget was approved in a 3-2 vote.

Councilman David Winkler and La Plata’s Mayor Jeannine James voted against the budget, echoing concerns expressed in previous weeks by town employees and others about the budget being unbalanced. Council members Evalyne Bryant-Ward, Matthew Trollinger and David Jenkins voted in favor of the budget.

In the May 21 meeting of the town council, a resolution was approved to raise property taxes to $0.35 per $100 of a property’s value to help subsidize the town’s expenditures.

The proposed budget has $15,569,260 listed in total revenues and $14,841,814 in total expenditures. About 61% of the revenues in the budget will come from taxes while approximately 37% of expenditures will be toward public safety.

Before the vote, final public comments were entered into the record, including one from La Plata’s Police Chief Carl Schinner, who said, “In my 37-plus years tenure in government service, I have never spoken during a public hearing or drafted a correspondence. I’ve always viewed those hearings as a time for residents and business owners. However, I feel compelled to write this letter.”

Schinner supported the adoption of a new pension plan for the town’s police department, saying, “Although I don’t understand the science, I’ve learned the body’s chemical reaction of officers responding to critical incidents has a negative effect on their long-term health, to include a shorter life expectancy.”

Another letter, from Richard Maron, a resident of La Plata, said, “I believe there is a disparity in allowing such proposed benefits to only two of the town’s departments and not the others. In addition, passing on a tax increase to some La Plata residents who just can’t afford it.”

Maron cited concerns in his letter from another resident in a previous week’s public hearing, wondering why the La Plata Police Department is not phased out with officers moving to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office.

“One of the police officers that spoke at the council meeting said many La Plata officers would leave for other departments if they didn’t get their enhanced pension. I say this would be for the best, those officers would get what they want, and we would still be protected by the Charles County Sheriff’s Office. Win-win, with no town tax increase,” Maron reiterated in his letter.

David Elliot, the assets protection team leader at Target, advocated for the police officers to receive a new pension plan.

He said, “Their assistance has been crucial in identifying 21 individuals involved in theft and resolving $47,000 worth of stolen merchandise. This level of service and commitment is a testament to their training, dedication and the strong relationship we have built over the years. … Under the existing plan, an officer starting at age 21 must serve 34.5 years to receive a full retirement benefit at 51% of their salary. This is almost 10 years longer than the standard for law enforcement in Maryland.”