Furlough Watch: Del. John Olszewski Jr.
Del. John Olszewski Jr. returned four days of his $43,500 annual legislative salary late last year.
Olzsewski, a Democrat who represents the 6th District, released documents today showing he participated in a furlough program requested by House Speaker Michael Busch and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller.
The 6th District includes Dundalk and Essex.
Both Busch and Miller returned five days’ salary and asked fellow legislators to also give up between one and five days’ pay at the same time 67,000 state employees were being furloughed for up to five days based on individual salary levels.
By law, the salaries of state law makers cannot be increased nor decreased during their term.
More than 150 legislators participated in the voluntary furlough days, including 25 of 29 legislators who represent Baltimore County, according to lists released by the House of Delegates and state Senate.
The lists did not contain the number of days each legislator voluntarily gave up. State officials said such information was protected by law as a personnel matter. Patuxent Publishing Co., publisher of this Web site, is asking each individual legislator who represents the county to voluntarily release information on the furlough days taken in late 2008 and early 2009.
Olszewski provided a copy of a form dated Dec. 19, 2008 showing that he authorized four days to be withheld. A hand-written note shows that he attached a check for $483.36 as a lump-sum payment for the four days rather than have the money deducted in equal payments for the balance of the fiscal year.
“I am including a lump sum contribution to cover the costs of the furlough identified below,” Olszewski wrote. “Thank you in advance for forwarding these funds to Maryland’s General Fund, and all your assistance in this situation.”
Olszewski also provided documentation showing that he is taking an additional eight days without pay as part of a second voluntary furlough request made by Busch and Miller in August.
That information was not part of the orginal request made to individual legislators because House and Senate spokespeople said legislators were being asked to sign a waiver to allow for the number of days given back to be released upon request.