[GeneV]

Our strongly Democratic city elected a Republican mayor last election. He was elected because two Dems split the Dem vote. However, after my first interaction with his government, I think he could be an example of how to do Republican correctly.

He ran on the theme of promoting business and running the city like a business, but not so much of the government is evil rhetoric.

His appointed head of the Solid Waste (garbage) department came to visit the board of a trade association I represent ostensibly to tell us of a big rate increase, but after the discussion it was clear that there was a refreshing new direction to city services--they would be priced and deliver services as if there were 20 other competitors out there (which he may allow to compete for some of the work). The city was actually charging more if a business continued to have them pick up a lot of empty garbage containers on the same schedule, but they were happy to come less often and charge you less. City employees will be required to think and react and adapt to customers, rather than follow a bunch of regulations. This was just one of many very logical and constructive ideas that finally made some of that rubric of "running government like a business" make sense. The Republican part is that the department will not be (as heavily?) subsidized.

[Parallax]

Sioux Falls, SD has a new Mayor with similar ideas. He decided that over 1/3 of city employees having cell phones paid for by the taxpayers was a bit excessive. It's now about 1/12th. He fired almost all department "Deputy Directors" and told the directors they would just have to start actually doing something other than telling their Deputies to handle it. There were several other similar actions he took in his first few weeks.

[Nesster]

Government done right

The Sioux Falls mayor missed one thing: should have fired the Directors and let the Deputies run the place, if they already were handling everything, and saved some more money...

[MRRiley]

Government done right

The Sioux Falls mayor missed one thing: should have fired the Directors and let the Deputies run the place, if they already were handling everything, and saved some more money...

Good point Jussi... Firing the Deputies just punished the guys doing the real management work and left the departments in the care of people who probably havn't had a clue since they graduated kindergarten.

Mike

[GeneV]

Government done right

The Sioux Falls mayor missed one thing: should have fired the Directors and let the Deputies run the place, if they already were handling everything, and saved some more money...

I believe that the guy I was lauding from Solid Waste was a Deputy in prior administrations.

Government done right can come from different parties if they are willing to get past some sacred cows. It is my impression that the last mayor (who was also highly regarded) relied too much on the union vote, and had trouble dealing with them at arms length. This mayor does not seem to be hampered by the "government is evil" part. It seems it is OK if people actually like their leaner government.

Today, in our paper, an old friend, who is a leader in our local Republican Party here made the statement to the effect that she does not believe that government is the solution but that government should "facilitate" progress through private enterprise. That is pretty much a statement of the philosophy of most (not all) Democrats I know.

[Parallax]

Government done right

The Sioux Falls mayor missed one thing: should have fired the Directors and let the Deputies run the place, if they already were handling everything, and saved some more money...

Good point!

---------- Post added 07-26-10 at 11:39 AM ----------

.........That is pretty much a statement of the philosophy of most (not all) Democrats I know.

It's probably more accurate to say that that is the stated (publicly) philosophy.

[GeneV]

It's probably more accurate to say that that is the stated (publicly) philosophy.

No, I'm talking about the Democrats that I know personally and speak to on an informal basis. It is actually the public statements of some prominent spokespeople who perhaps imply otherwise.

Our mayor hired, as his chief administrative officer, a Democratic former City Attorney, whom I know has that philosophy.

[jeffkrol]

Attorney general issues subpoenas in Bell salary scandal | L.A. NOW | Los Angeles Times
Defiant Bell mayor defends city manager's high salary, hours after official resigns | L.A. NOW | Los Angeles Times

In the city's first formal statement on the salary issue, Bell released a letter from Mayor Oscar Hernandez in which he praised Rizzo's service to the city and said his nearly $800,000 annual salary was justified.

"Unlike the skewed view of the facts, the Los Angeles Times presented to advance the paper's own agenda, a look at the big picture of city compensation shows that salaries of the City Manager and other top city staff have been in line with similar positions over the period of their tenure," Hernandez said in the letter.

[GeneV]

Attorney general issues subpoenas in Bell salary scandal | L.A. NOW | Los Angeles Times
Defiant Bell mayor defends city manager's high salary, hours after official resigns | L.A. NOW | Los Angeles Times

Sometimes the salary isn't everything. Our mayor got criticized for giving the CAO a small raise to $159,000 per year. However, he cut two other six figure jobs whose duties will now go to the CAO. ABQ Mayor promised to cut, but did he? | Albuquerque, N.M. | KRQE News 13