GOP Calls On Oliver To Repay County

UPDATED (7:56 p.m.)—Councilman Ken Oliver should repay Baltimore County for his council salary and cost of related benefits during the nine months he held a state job in violation of a County Charter rule prohibiting such employment.

So says Steve Kolbe, chairman of the Baltimore County Republican Central Committee.

"This is a big deal and it's certainly where we as county Republicans stand for personal responsibility," Kolbe said. "We hope Councilman Oliver does the right thing."

The central committee approved a resolution Monday night calling on Oliver to repay the county during its meeting tonight.

The right thing, according to Kolbe, would be to repay the county more than $39,400—the equivalent of 38 weeks of his $54,000 council salary—as well as the cost of any benefits including the use of his county vehicle.

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The salary and benefits should be forfeited because Oliver was not permitted to hold the state job while serving as a councilman, Kolbe said. 

Oliver was . He held the job for about nine months before that he was employed in violation of the County Charter. The charter, however, does not provide any enforcement mechanism and does not require council members to repay money they earned holding such state jobs.

State officials said last month they didn't intend to ask Oliver to repay more than $45,500 in salary he earned as contract employee working as a financial specialist for the department.  

Councilman John Olszewski Sr., a Dundalk Democrat, said at the same time he did not believe the council could require Oliver to repay the salary.

"I don't think anyone can do anything about this except the taxpayers of Baltimore County," Kolbe said. "They can go through the legal system to have the County Charter enforced."

Kolbe said he didn't know who would file such a lawsuit and said the Republican Party wouldn't have legal standing for such action. 

"I don't have someone in my back pocket waiting to sue," Kolbe said. "At this point, I just want Councilman Oliver to do the right thing."

"What happens in the next few weeks could determine how we react," Kolbe said.