Alderman Herbert H. McMillan is introducing a resolution that could provoke a public debate over whether Annapolis should seek full compensation from the state for the police and fire services the city provides state agencies.

The Ward 5 Republican says he is planning to introduce his resolution at Monday's city council meeting. It will call on Gov. Parris N. Glendening and the General Assembly "to provide direct and full monetary payment for municipal costs solely attributable to the state government's presence in Annapolis."

Since January, the District 30 delegation and city officials have been talking about lobbying Glendening to raise the state's payment in lieu of taxes to Annapolis. For each of the past eight years, the state has given the city $267,000 for services, even though Annapolis has shelled out much more -- $647,000 last year and $599,000 in 1997, for example.

"Basically, the state has not been paying the amount that we've been spending for a long time," McMillan said. "To me, it's pretty straightforward. It just asks for them to show us the money. This will put the city squarely on record as asking the General Assembly to work harder to achieve this.

"I don't see how anybody who represents the citizens of Annapolis will say that this is inappropriate," McMillan said.

In part, the city police and fire costs cover overtime during demonstrations and protests outside the State House.

Mayor Dean L. Johnson has noted that if the state paid property taxes on the city land it occupies, Annapolis would receive $1.1 million annually.

But Johnson, among others, says efforts to get an increase are under way.

District 30 Del. Michael E. Busch said the delegation has spoken with Glendening and the governor "thought it was a reasonable request" to increase the state's payment to the city by about $25,000 to $50,000 a year for the next three years.

"In all candor, the governor is the first in many years to say, 'Yeah, we're going to help,' " Busch said.

He said Glendening has agreed to meet with the District 30 delegation and Johnson after the session to discuss the increase again.

Johnson said he doesn't feel the resolution is necessary.

"I'm not sure it will produce any results," he said. "We're already discussing a number of different projects that the city has under way that the state can support."

The delegation is working on getting state funding for the city to build two water towers that would enhance firefighting capabilities.

Busch said the state has helped fund other Annapolis projects, including the renovation of West Street, Main Street and State Circle.

McMillan said funding for projects should not replace compensating Annapolis for the cash it spends on services to the state.

"We should be getting capital project [funding] just like other municipalities in Maryland, anyway," McMillan said. "People say, 'Oh look, the state's going to give us a million dollars to help fund these water towers.' But the state buildings are a large collection of tinderboxes, and they're the reason we need these water towers in the first place. It's kind of a backsided argument to say, 'Oh, look, they're helping us with something they should be helping us with, therefore they don't need to pay us the money they owe us.' "

Alderman Joseph Sachs, a Ward 4 Republican and chairman of the Finance Committee, said he would not support the resolution.

"I don't think it's appropriate for the city to attempt to dictate what the state does with its money," Sachs said. "We can ask for it, and we're probably entitled to more than what we're getting, but I don't think this is the appropriate mechanism."

Pub Date: 3/04/99