Putting Taxpayers First

When talking with voters, whether Democrat, Republican or Independent, there is one point of agreement: nothing is more frustrating than wasteful government spending.  Like you, I am a taxpayer.  I know the feeling of dismay when our  tax dollars are wasted.

I was a vocal critic when our now-former City Manager spent $50,000 of our taxpayer money redecorating his office with expensive designer décor, a custom rock wall and a specialty $6,000 glass door.  This was allowed to occur because the City Board failed to put in place proper financial oversight procedures.  If elected, I will propose a new rule that requires the City Manager to report to the Board in a timely manner any unbudgeted expenditure over $2,500.

When our elected officials have proposed spending taxpayer dollars on wasteful, pointless travel—whether to Japan or Washington, D.C.—I have spoken out.  Financial records provided by the City show that City Director Erin Holliday has traveled to Hanamaki, Japan and Kansas City at taxpayer expense and has enjoyed eight overnight stays in Little Rock (including accommodations in luxury hotels).  The cost of all this travel?  $10,697.09.  I have to ask, "What have the residents of District One  gotten for all that money?"   In my mind, there is a phrase for such travel: taxpayer-funded junkets.  I am the only candidate who has pledged not to take any taxpayer-funded trips, whether to Washington, D.C., or Japan or Little Rock. 

When the City Board tried to remove the requirement that they get prior approval for taxpayer funded out-of-state travel, I spoke up.  After the public outcry, the proposal was defeated.   I will call-out other City Directors for wasteful taxpayer-funded travel.

In May 2019, our elected officials spent nearly $300,000 in taxpayer money hiring consultants to write yet another “Planning Study.”   District One City Director Erin Holliday praised the plan and voted for it.   I believe the money should have been spent  actually improving our neighborhoods and roads—not enriching out-of-state consultants.   I read the "new" plan in its entirety.  It rehashed previous "plans" and provided little in the way of new ideas or information.  We do not need to spend money on needless or duplicative studies or "plans."  Rather, the city's scarce taxpayer dollars should be spent improving our parks and roads, repairing our sidewalks and promoting community beautification efforts.

In December 2020, District One City Director Erin Holliday, voted to give the Hot Springs City Manager and the City Attorney end-of-year “performance” bonuses totaling $70,000—paid from our tax dollars.  By way of contrast, the city’s frontline employees who keep the water and sewer system running, collect our trash, maintain our roads, clean our parks, and who serve as police and firefighters protecting our community, received bonuses of just $1,000.  Public outcry was intense.  As your City Director, I will see that all city employees are fairly, but not extravagantly, compensated.