City Council Gives Back 0.036% of Budget Gap
There’s more than one way to skin a cat, and there’s also more than one way to tell a story.
Over the weekend we read a story from the TNT’s Lewis Kamb about how some members of the Tacoma City Council have chosen to give back portions of their paychecks. Our first thought was, “that’s a nice gesture.” Apparently the TNT’s first thought was a little different…
The TNT story lists each member’s contributions and details their decisions to give cash back to the City or not. According to the article, Mayor Strickland (who, as a full-time employee makes roughly double what the Council does) gave back a little more than $9,000 in the last year, with Councilmember Fey coming in second with $1,600 in returned income between 2011 and 2012. Council members Woodards and Mello both returned under $200 so far this year and none in 2011. The returns are fully voluntary and post-tax. The other five have not returned portions of their pay at this time.
Even the full refund of a council member’s salary (averaging somewhere just over $40,000) could only be a symbolic gesture towards a budget gap in the tens of millions. If all the council members and the mayor gave back their full salaries and worked for free, it would still amount to only about 1.5% of the initial projected budget gap. It’s a gesture, but in comparison to actually taking a bite out of the City’s budget problems, it’s still only a gesture.
Some council members are able to make such a gesture, and some are not. Some have chosen to give something back in this way, while others do not.
Kamb doesn’t come right out and make any direct assertion of tight-fistedness, but with 60% of the article dedicated to the personal and professional situations of those who haven’t returned cash, he does close his article with this quote from Councilmember Woodards ($167.07 returned):
The decision of whether to give back any council pay is personal … It’s not a statement toward any other council member … Everyone is different and has to figure it out for themselves. But for me, I have to lead by example.
It’s interesting to know that some council members have made contributions back into the City’s coffers. To them, thank you.
Read Lewis Kamb’s full story from The News Tribune
Filed under: City-Council, budget
5 comments
J Jesse May 7, 2012
With a title like that, we’re fishin’ for some fredo!
R RR Anderson May 7, 2012
maybe they can privatize more Tacoma Dome parking lot? or apply for more federal HUD money?
T talus May 7, 2012
I think this gesture plays right into the hands of council’s critics and reinforces the false frame that a functional government can be provided on little more than a volunteer basis. I’d rather the council members who gave back money were fighting for a strong mayor system and a full-time council.
I’m tired of the TNT’s “gotcha” style reporting. They should try to make Tacoma stronger and less self-destructive, not reinforce the freaky culture of its webpage commenters.
C Chalky White May 7, 2012
@talus… Form of government (strong mayor vs. city manager) and possible full time council is voted on by the public through a charter review.
The TNT was once Tacoma’s biggest civic booster. They now exist to incite their trolls. They must have been disappointed when they found out some of the council returned part of the salaries. Not the headline they hoped to write.
F fredo May 8, 2012
I’m OK with salary givebacks and cutbacks at the elective level, the executive level, the directorial level, the supervisory level and the rank and file level. Maybe if this catches on the council will be able to balance the city budget. The Mayor scored some points with me on this one. Attagirl Marilyn!