Posted on 08/15/25
| News Source: FOX45
Baltimore, MD - Aug. 15, 2025 - Research shows Baltimore City spent more than $12 million in taxpayer dollars in 2024 to fund salaries for more than 150 employees in Mayor Brandon Scott’s office.
A handful of those employees earned more than Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, the state’s highest-ranking elected official. According to data from watchdog nonprofits, that trend continues into 2025.
Two government spending watchdogs, Open the Books and the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, told Spotlight on Maryland that the salaries represent not only concerning pay disparities but irresponsible fiscal management.
Among the highest earners in Scott’s office in 2024, several made between $196,000 and $237,000 annually:
In comparison, Gov. Moore’s salary was $188,000 in 2024 and rose to $192,000 in 2025. Mayor Scott himself earned nearly $215,000 in 2024 — outpacing the governor.
An analysis by Open the Books found that 397 Baltimore City employees earned more than the governor in 2024, due largely to overtime pay, particularly in the city’s understaffed police and fire departments.
While it’s not uncommon for government staffers to out-earn elected officials — 12 members of Moore’s own office made more than the governor last year — investigative journalist Jeremy Portnoy with Open the Books said the amount of top earners in Baltimore stands out.
“I think it’s how long this has been an issue and how high the top salaries have become,” he said.
One notable example: Mayor Scott’s chief of staff, Calvin Young, currently earns $250,000 — $55,000 more than Susie Wiles, President Donald Trump’s chief of staff, who earns $195,200.
The issue is amplified by the city’s population decline — Baltimore has lost about 50,000 residents over the past 15 years. Last year was the first time in a decade the population grew but only by 0.1%.
David Williams, president of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, said the salaries are excessive.
“The number of people receiving these salaries in a city that’s struggling financially — every year the city has a deficit it needs to address, and usually they raise taxes and fees on citizens.”
Baltimore’s current budget is $4.6 billion. To close an $85 million deficit without raising property taxes, the city approved a series of fee increases — including a 20% hike in ambulance transport fees and a jump in landfill tipping fees, from $67.50 to $135 per ton.
“This is a long-term fiscal problem for the city. The more people earning excessive salaries, the bigger the financial burden becomes — not just today, but for years to come,” Williams said.
Spotlight on Maryland reached out to Mayor Scott’s office to ask what they say to residents who feel their communities aren’t seeing sufficient investment.
The office wrote in a statement: “Mayor Scott is incredibly proud of his record of investing in Baltimore, delivering the largest budget ever for Baltimore City Public Schools, a 40% budget increase for Baltimore City Rec and Parks since he first took office, and historic funding for public safety programs that have brought crime to a 50-year low.”