UPDATE ON $35,000 TRP TO WASHINGTON D.C. BY PERKINS / CRENSHAW ENTOURAGE
3-13-07
At a cost of $35,000 to Selma taxpayers, 16 people went to Washington D.C. March 10-14. We had originally reported 13 people going at a cost of $25,000; however, that was before we knew Mayor Perkins and his lady travelling companions, Darlene Rudolph and City Clerk Lois Williams also went. It is strange to us that the Mayor can not travel without certain women in City Hall accompanying him.
Other than New York City and a few other large cities, Selma's delegation of 16 representatives was the largest in Washington. This from a city where 31% of the people live below the poverty level, 96% of the children receive free lunches, almost 45% of the people live in free or low rent housing, and more than 50% of the people receive some form of public assistance (welfare). In the midst of this poverty, City leaders live like kings and queens at taxpayer's expense!
Let's see how the expenses added up for this trip:
Bennie Ruth Crenshaw, Janie Venter, and Sam Randolph: City Council members getting $14,500 a year as council members PLUS all of the free trips they can take. Additionally, Crenshaw gets another $19,600 from the Water Board. Also, Randolph continues to rip-off the taxpayers for $9,600 a year on the Water Board. Do you wonder why our Water Rates keep going UP?!
Charlotte Griffeth, our overpaid Community Development Director at $60,000 a year accompanied by her minion in the Community Development Office, Krystal Dozier, making $35,000, acting as chaperones. Although they were suppose to be chaperones for the 8 young people on the trip, there were actually some adults on the trip who needed to be chaperoned..if you know what we mean!
8 Youth in Government teenagers. We do not know why 8, why not 2, 4, or 10? All paid for by City taxpayers, of course.
And then there was our $70,000 a year Mayor plus another $25,000 a year from the Water Works and ALL THE FREE TRIPS HE CAN TAKE with his traveling secretary, Darlene Rudolph at $35,000 a year and our overpaid City Clerk Lois Williams at $42,000 a year.
If someone can explain why 16 people from a small impoverished City like Selma, have to take a free trip to Washington, D.C., we would like to hear the explaination. E-mail us if you have any idea!
