Christiansen: "Show me the money"

[sgrizzle]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20080205_1_A9_hCoun73175

quote:
City's expenses being questioned

by: P.J. LASSEK World Staff Writer
2/5/2008  12:00 AM

Councilor Bill Christiansen asks why some fees have tripled or quadrupled.


City Councilor Bill Christiansen wants the administration to explain excessive spending for legal services that six months into the fiscal year had more than tripled from last year.

He also wants an accounting of the consultant fee expenditures that have more than quadrupled compared with the same time last year.

"I just want to make sure that they're not spending more money than we have," he said.

As of December, the city appropriation for legal services was $610,578. During the same period last year, the amount was $370,656. The city had spent 98 percent of the current amount only halfway through this fiscal year.

This fiscal year's appropriation for consultant services as of December is $327,180, compared with last year's appropriation of $70,000. The city has spent 55 percent of this year's consultant budget.

The legal and consultant accounts are two of 10 accounts within the general government fund. This fiscal year's original budget for this fund was $1.79 million. As of Dec. 31, that total had grown to $2.53 million.

"The whole point of this is that it's my job as a city councilor to make sure the taxpayer's dollar is spent correctly and wisely," Christiansen said, adding that it appears "like we're spending money like no tomorrow."

The council is set to discuss the appropriations and expenditures during a committee meeting Tuesday.

Mayor Kathy Taylor declined to comment.

Christiansen said that in preparing for the upcoming budget process, he was researching how many budget transfers had been made that were less than $100,000.

Amounts greater than that require council approval.

He said that although he found some transfers that appeared to have been split to stay below the $100,000 limit, what caught his attention were the legal and consulting expenditures.

"When you see one fund in the first six months have 98 percent of the fund balance encumbered and used, it sets off an alarm,"he said.

"The question that comes to mind is if the spending rate on this fund is nearly depleted halfway through the year, what other funds are used up, and where is the administration going to get the money to pay for the rest of the year?"he said.

Christiansen also wants to know why consultant services costs have increased more than 400 percent and how that money is being spent.

Christiansen said it is the council's job to hold the city accountable to its budget and the responsible spending of taxpayers' money.

"We need to live within our means," he said. "I want to make sure that with these funds that I've located that the money was spent wisely, and I want to know who got the money."

Christiansen said he is tempted to follow the lead of Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett, who put his entire city on a diet.

"Why don't we put the city of Tulsa's government on a diet and let's find ways to save some money instead of spending 98 percent of it within the first six months," he said.

[Wilbur]

Finally.  Someone with some authority has found this trick.

[Conan71]

Where's one of the usual suspects to call Christiansen a self-serving idiot???

Brilliant Bill, keep going!

[guido911]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

Where's one of the usual suspects to call Christiansen a self-serving idiot???

Brilliant Bill, keep going!

Are you referring to the one now working in Nashville?

[Double A]

Looks like Deidre, Nancy, and Kathy have gone on a big spender bender. I call it the lawyer lottery. Too bad the taxpayers will be the daddy Warbucks for their shopping spree. I wonder if they blew through the budget on the outsourced hired gun union busting firm they used to fight the FOP lawsuit? The lawyer and consulting industry hit the jackpot when Kathy Taylor got elected. It pays to have a B.A. in B.S. under the Team Taylor administration. Watching da Mare become unhinged and lose her sh*t during the UED committee meeting this morning was priceless. Must see T.V., indeed. Catch the rebroadcast on TGOV if you can.