When Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett gave up his travel allowance and went to mileage reimbursement. The County Commission did not. Mayor Burchett in today’s budget presentation is requesting that the County Commissioners give up their travel allowance for mileage reimbursement. This action should Commission approve it, will also reduce the School Board members pay as well. The Knox County Charter stipulates that the School Board Members be compensated at the same level of County Commission. So the travel allowance will affect them as well. Why Knox County pays a travel allowance for elected officials to drive around and attend ribbon cuttings to get their pictures in the paper that prop up their re-election efforts is wrong. And the practice of paying these folks for doing the job that they are being handsomely compensated for anyway needs to end. No travel allowance for Commission or School Board. After all it’s OUR tax money.
Also, Mayor Burchett has given up his discretionary money. I have blogged about this money before. I call it political patronage money. Some people call it slush fund money. Basically every Commissioner is given so much of our tax money to spend as he or she will. Mayor Burchett was right today when discussing the political patronage money said, “it is $30,000. But what employee are we going to lay off so they can buy a table at a softball banquet?” This political patronage with our tax dollars needs to end as well.
