The Baltimore County Council was warned Tuesday that it risks losing police and corrections officers and firefighters to nearby counties if it doesn’t give them a tax break.
The council is weighing whether it’s worth the millions the county would lose in tax money.
Councilman Wade Kach’s proposal would phase in a property tax credit over three years and would max out at $2,500. Kach said other nearby counties, like Howard and Anne Arundel, are giving tax breaks, and that puts Baltimore County at a disadvantage in attracting and retaining first responders.
“We must ensure that we are going to get the best people as firefighters, as policemen, as correctional officers,” Kach said.
The Council heard from the various unions that represent officers Tuesday. They said the tax break would make it more affordable for their members to live in the county.