Someone made an interesting comment last night that I feel deserves a little more attention. A few of the incumbent candidates have made the '800%' increase in Alderman monthly pay a campaign issue. For a little background information and flashback, see the post from last June titled Are People Losing Their Minds?.
Ward 3 Alderman Sharron Cantrell says this in her Tennessean Candidate Question and Answer Interview:
"I am one of the few who voted against the 800 percent raise for aldermen."
And Ward 4 Appointed Alderman Viola Pickard says this in her prepared response to the Tennessean Questions:
"I recently voted against an 800 percent pay increase for aldermen because I strongly believe in serving my community and contributing where I can."
Now, here's the facts:
Fact 1: Spring Hill's monthly pay for Aldermen at $50 per month, was the lowest pay of any city around (consider that Brentwood and Dickson pay almost $1,000 per month) and as one previous candidate for mayor (and also a renown keynote speaker on city finances) once said "$25 a meeting hardly pays for their gas to get to the meeting."
Fact 2: According to Spring Hill's General Law Charter, "6-3-109: The compensation of all officers shall be established in the ordinance adopting the annual budget and capital program."
Fact 3: I have called city hall myself to verify the following. The only alderman who did not vote for the salary increase that CONTINUES TO RECEIVE $50 PER MONTH, is Alderman Eliot Mitchell. Everybody else can say that they voted against the increase, but when it came down to it, each REQUESTED to receive the increase EXCEPT Alderman Eliot Mitchell.
Now, here's the interesting part...Candidates can say that 'they voted against the 800% raise for alderman', but according to Fact 2 (they voted against Ordinance 06-31, an ordinance establishing the 2006-2007 budget), couldn't it also be said that they also voted AGAINST funding for our Library, Parks, Police and Fire Departments?
So, let me get this straight...SHARRON CANTRELL and VIOLA PICKARD are so against the city giving them extra money that they now CHOOSE to continue taking it? Go ahead ladies, campaign away on that one! Frankly, Eliot is the only one of the non "yea" votes that has the integrity to actually refuse the extra $400 per month.
hmmm...Something to think about!
Monday, April 02, 2007
Dissecting Campaign Rhetoric
Posted by Gorilla in the Corner at 11:04 AM
Labels: Board of Mayor and Aldermen, Election 2007
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IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is a series of personal opinions and is not meant to reflect an official position by the City of Spring Hill.
7 comments:
Who voted for it?
"The board voted on the budget, which included pay raises for elected or appointed city officials, on second and final reading. Leverette, Vice Mayor Miles Johnson, aldermen Brandon McCulloch and Domingo Gallardo voted to approve the budget while Raines and alderwomen Viola Pickard and Sharron Cantrell cast no votes."
"Alderman Eliot Mitchell abstained from the vote. Alderman Jonathan Duda was not present at the meeting."
For the amount that we're talking about and the amount of time that the majority of (the aldermen/women) are putting in I believe the raise would be justified. Using the Term 800% is just sensationalism as compared to what the real figures are (which is what $400-$450?).
Just my .02
Was the pay raises for the city officials the only reason they voted against the budget? Or is this just this site's way to twist items in order to hammer the amderman/alderwomen it does not like? Is Duda cashing his checks?
They specifically voted against the budget because of the pay raise. Also, as I stated earlier, the only person that has not accepted the increased amount of money is Eliot Mitchell. Mr. Duda is cashing his check, along with 7 others. At the work session leading up to that particular meeting, Mr. Duda supported the measure, so I am sure he would have voted in favor of the budget as well.
The key here is that Cantrell, Pickard, and Raines all voted against the pay increase, and are now reaping the benefits of it. Eliot Mitchell is the only non yes vote that is dealing with this with any kind of integrity.
Do they think that people do not check up on any of this stuff? It is amazing that they are saying some of the things that are being said.
People DON'T check on this stuff. Let's be glad that the host of this blog looks below the surface to get the truth to the public. Let's face it: if we hadn't read it here, we wouldn't have any idea.
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