Bartlett backtracks on budget for office

[T-town girl]

All City employee's are taking 8 furlough days and he try's to justify any type of pay raise is just wrong! Where is this mayor? Does he live in Tulsa Oklahoma - who is advising him???

[Townsend]

Linky?

[Nik]

Maybe T-town girl is talking about the 8% budget increase for the Mayor's office and this justificiation: "The Mayor's department is increasing in FY 11 as a result of a reorganization of the Mayor's office and to account for the Mayor's salary that was not budgeted for in the previous administration."

I disagree that it is a pay raise. The budget is $91,000 higher than last year and considering Taylor didn't taker her $105K salary, it does not sound unreasonable to me.

[RecycleMichael]

I agree with T-town girl that it looks bad. Everybody else is cutting and he is adding. I don't disagree that it would normally be a reasonable increase in a normal budget time, but the appearance and timing ain't good.

[Gaspar]

I too agree.  Not bad policy, just bad timing. 

[T-town girl]

Sorry gentlemen that I did not send the link but yes I agree it is very poor timing but remember even though Mayor Taylor did not take a salary - those funds were kept in her budget and never taken out. I just can not understand a mayor who thinks its ok to increase his budget but decrease the remainder of the city budget. Very weird!

[RecycleMichael]

What should the budget be for the Mayor's office? What positions in top level government should be at-will and which should be civil-service? Is 1/2 of 1% of the overall city budget a reasonable amount for management of the city?

I think it is crucial that the Mayor be able to have a set number of people who are loyal to him and at the same time qualified to leave private industry for a short term to work in the Mayor's office. Remember, the Mayor (and for that matter even President Obama) are just temp workers compared to the career that is most of the city top management.

I don't have the answers to the questions...just want the best people possible making decisions that affect me. The best people we can afford, that is.

[Conan71]

What should the budget be for the Mayor's office? What positions in top level government should be at-will and which should be civil-service? Is 1/2 of 1% of the overall city budget a reasonable amount for management of the city?

I think it is crucial that the Mayor be able to have a set number of people who are loyal to him and at the same time qualified to leave private industry for a short term to work in the Mayor's office. Remember, the Mayor (and for that matter even President Obama) are just temp workers compared to the career that is most of the city top management.

I don't have the answers to the questions...just want the best people possible making decisions that affect me. The best people we can afford, that is.

Simonson doesn't seem to fit that bill well for me.  I've got an issue with the Mayor's Chief of Staff making more than the mayor himself.  I've also got problems with Simonson's integrity (or lack therof) and the idea that someone who could not pass muster on his own merit with voters is now a shadow ruler of the community (yes I know, black helicopter stuff).  He shows up at more council meetings than the mayor and personally, I think he's doing much of the city's work while our mayor still divides time with Keener Oil & Gas.  People can say what they like about Mayor Taylor, but she always knew what was happening in the city and gave it 100% focus.  I'm sure Mayor Bartlet (sic) gets regular updates, but I don't think he's the center of all decisions being made.  He's a figurehead.

I don't like the way he flip-flopped on tax issues, the possibility of having done Randi Miller (I mean her divorce) on county time, and now the issue of whether or not he lied about the JAG grants. 

[sgrizzle]

Maybe T-town girl is talking about the 8% budget increase for the Mayor's office and this justificiation: "The Mayor's department is increasing in FY 11 as a result of a reorganization of the Mayor's office and to account for the Mayor's salary that was not budgeted for in the previous administration."

BS. The Mayor's salary was always budgeted for. KT just used that money to hire higher-paid staff.

[Nik]

BS. The Mayor's salary was always budgeted for. KT just used that money to hire higher-paid staff.

I wasn't aware of that. Although that does explain the budgets for the Mayor's office during Taylor's term.

Nevertheless:

Following the meeting with councilors, Kier confirmed to the Tulsa World that changes are being made to the Mayor's Office budget so that it does not increase compared to this fiscal year.

Bartlett said Monday that the 8 percent increase proposed for his executive office, taking it from roughly $1.1 million to $1.2 million, is based on "out-of-date numbers" and would be revised.

The major change that will happen is moving Information
Technology Director Ben Stout, one of the mayor's at-will employees, out of the Mayor's Office and actually under the IT Department's budget, Kier said.

Stout draws a $131,136 annual salary but, with benefits, costs $155,906 per year, records show.

Kier said he did not know whether Stout will remain an at-will employee or if the position will be moved to civil service protection.

With this change, the Mayor's Office budget is supposed to record a decrease for next fiscal year.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20100504_11_0_hrimgs940514

[T-town girl]

Conan 71 - Simonson is still practicing law - he filed under his name in march to represent someone in Okla. district court. He never stopped while he worked for the county and he is still working now.

[nathanm]

Well, at least we know the IT Director isn't getting the typical government employee lowball salary.

[Rico]

Posted by T-town girl
"Simonson is still practicing law - he filed under his name in march to represent someone in Okla. district court. He never stopped while he worked for the county and he is still working now."

Someone has to provide counsel for all of our crooked politicians...

Who better than one of their own..?

[sgrizzle]

Well, at least we know the IT Director isn't getting the typical government employee lowball salary.

Heard his pay is actually $39k higher, he gets money from a grant as well. Can't verify it though.

[nathanm]

Heard his pay is actually $39k higher, he gets money from a grant as well. Can't verify it though.

Wow, that's..special. CoT isn't that big.