Adams blasts bill seeking to lower state's attorney's annual raise

Anne Arundel County State's Attorney Wes Adams on Wednesday weighed in on legislation that seeks to trim down his position's annual salary increase, saying it "would undercut efforts to fight crime in Anne Arundel County."

In a statement, Adams said he was "disappointed" and "concerned" by House Bill 1179, which would reduce the state's attorney's guaranteed pay increase from 3 percent a year to 2 percent after the 2018 election. This year, Adams' salary is $175,634.

Del. Ted Sophocleus, a Linthicum Democrat who formerly worked as an administrative officer for the state's attorney's office, introduced the measure in an attempt to address pay disparities between the county's top prosecutor and lower-ranking attorneys.

Adams, a Republican who was elected in 2014, argued the proposal would have the effect of "reducing and capping" all salaries within his office "and ultimately serves little purpose other than to make it harder for the State's Attorney's Office to recruit and retain top prosecutors and legal staff and ultimately to fight crime in Anne Arundel County."

Read more: http://www.capitalgazette.com/news/government/ph-ac-cn-adams-salary-response-0302-20170301-story.html