Mayor Taylor Places Her Purse Where Her Mouth Is.!

[Rico]

Say what you will regarding Mayor Kathy Taylor.... She is not just blowing hot air.......
LaFortunate, and his crew would have given us the bad news regarding the Budget and then given themselves a cost of living raise of around 8%........

KT.........  So far So Good.......![]

from Today's Tulsa World...

Mayor's Pay: $105,000: Taylor won't accept salary
By P.J. LASSEK World Staff Writer
5/7/2006

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Mayor Kathy Taylor won't take her $105,000 salary during her first year in office so she can direct the money to some unfunded city need.

Taylor announced her intentions through an e-mail sent late Friday to all city employees, who were also updated on her mayoral staff decisions so far.

"The Mayor's Office and the city are currently faced with many great needs. My intention is to reserve this money for specific priorities that the Mayor's Office might not otherwise be able to address," she wrote in the e-mail obtained Saturday by the Tulsa World.

"I have worked hard over my lifetime and have been blessed. I am humbled to have this opportunity to serve you as your mayor and your team member," the e-mail states.

When contacted on Saturday, Taylor said she hasn't worked out the specifics on where the funds will be used. One potential idea, she said, is to help execute an economic development plan commissioned by the City Council, which has no funds budgeted for it.

"The city has to reverse the revenue trend. Executing the development plan which focuses on the increase of sales tax is something that could ultimately provide more funds to the city for employees and infrastructure
needs," she said.

Taylor, who took office April 10, said she doesn't know yet whether the money can be used for the economic development plan, but whatever she directs the money to must be a one-time cost. There are some restrictions on how the money can be spent.

Taylor said she initially wanted to set up college scholarships for children of city employees, but legally she couldn't make that idea work.

Although Taylor hasn't figured out exactly how to use the funds, she said she wanted to let the employees know what she was doing because the payroll paperwork for her office had to be turned in on Friday.

"I think it is important to keep the employees updated because they are a part of the team," she said. "I also wanted them to know my reasons for not taking a salary and that this in no way diminishes the importance or seriousness with which I take this job."

Taylor said she also wanted to dispel any rumors that could arise when she did not show up on the payroll. She said she used the e-mail system to inform the employees because "this wasn't intended to be a press event."

Several city employees contacted by the Tulsa World on Saturday said they thought the e-mail was a positive gesture by the new mayor.

City Council aide Cheral Crossland said she was impressed and the news was more sincere because it was released quietly to the employees.

"To me, she's really doing the job because I think she wants to make a difference," Crossland said.

She said Taylor may be the first mayor who regularly communicates with the employees. "Before there was no communication, we always had to read what was going on in the newspaper," Crossland said.

Mark Stodghill, president of the local city workers union, said he wasn't shocked that Taylor gave up her salary because she can afford to.

"But, I do find it to be a symbolic gesture in that she recognizes the bigger picture," he said.

Stodghill said the city's budget is "monstrous with so many tentacles that everyone is trying to grab on to. Her heart told her to do something, and she's trying to do it."

Stodghill said he would like to see the mayor direct the money toward efforts to spur revenues or trim costs so that nonsworn employees, who have sacrificed because of past wage cuts, can start being treated fairly.