Howard County schools Superintendent John R. O'Rourke turned down a 3 percent raise offered to him yesterday by the Board of Education, ending months of speculation about a possible pay increase.

School board Chairwoman Jane B. Schuchardt said O'Rourke would not accept an increase in his salary during such lean economic times.

"We appreciate John's decision," she said. "I think he wants the public to know that he understands what a tough year this was."

Questions had been raised earlier about how much, if anything, the board might offer the superintendent in a tight year.

The decision to decline board's offer was a difficult one, O'Rourke said yesterday, but was in the best interest of the school district.

"Anything having to do with salaries is a hard decision whether you're talking about big numbers or small numbers," he said. "And certainly I've been thinking about it. I think ... it was in the best interest of the system, and also the best interest of the Board of Education and ... of my staff as well."

O'Rourke did not say so, but it also was a smart move politically. When he left the door open for pay raises for himself and top aides in January - after announcing his frugal proposed spending plan for fiscal year 2003 - many critics howled that a jump in salary for the fairly new superintendent would be unwise and unfair.

A 3 percent raise would have taken his annual salary from $190,800 to $196,500.

"He knew that there was some friction out there," Schuchardt said.

County Council members also said it was smart for O'Rourke to decline the raise.

"I think that was a good move," said Allan H. Kittleman, a western Howard Republican. "This was a hard year. He had to tell people that they couldn't have things, so it would have made it hard for him to get a raise."

Kittleman was one of two council members who argued that with the county facing a projected $18 million budget shortfall this year because of the economy, the next council, as a symbolic gesture, should not get a pay increase even though the move would save little money.

O'Rourke did grant 3 percent raises to his top aides, however. Effective Monday, Deputy Superintendent Sydney L. Cousin will earn $154,500. Chief Academic Officer Kimberly Statham will receive $141,621 and Chief Financial Officer Bruce Venter's salary will be $128,750.

"That is the least we can do for the wonderful things that are happening," Schuchardt said. "They deserve it. They work hard."

Schuchardt said O'Rourke also deserved a raise. In lieu of a raise, board members added five days of annual leave to O'Rourke's contract, bringing his total to 25.