The Valiant Jim Smith

In a ongoing display of showmanship, Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith valiantly announced that he was not going to accept the recommendation of an 8% raise for his elected position. On Tuesday November 24th, the Personnel Salary and Advisory Board recommended an 8% raise for his position and a 2% raise for the county council members.

Jim Smith must think that we are all idiots. It certainly looks suspicious to me that when the County Executive is gearing up for a run in the State Senate and he gets to show off "doing the right thing" and rejecting a huge pay increase. Did he have a hand in getting them to make the recommendation in the first place with full intent of rejecting it?

I once got my kid to recommend to me in front of my wife that we buy a really huge television, to which I promptly replied that it would be irresponsible in these tough economic times and we should do without for now. Of course, I looked like the responsible husband in front of my wife, but in reality I was just doing it to look cool and to get bonus points later down the road.

Mr. Smith, does this sound familiar?