Oceanside Mayor, Citing Exclusion, Offers His Own Money-Saving Ideas

Saying he has been “cut out of the loop” by a majority of City Council members during budget discussions, Oceanside Mayor Larry Bagley went public Thursday with a list of ideas he says will save the city money.

During a news conference at his office, Bagley proposed a series of budget-cutting steps, ranging from closing City Hall during holidays to cutting the number of council meetings in half to eliminating the city public information department and the deputy city manager.

Bagley also proposed getting rid of council legislative aides. The five aides, one of whom is assigned to each council member and the mayor, serve as receptionists, administrative assistants and researchers.

Bagley said his proposal would save more than $1 million a year and make unnecessary a plan to demote or transfer dozens of employees to balance the budget.

“It might also go far in restoring employee morale and the confidence of these employees in their management,” Bagley said in a memorandum to interim City Manager Jim Turner that was released Thursday.

Turner has proposed slashing the city’s operating budget of $58.5 million to $54.4 million for the new fiscal year starting July 1 to keep the budget in step with a downturn in city revenues blamed on the economy.

Besides the demotions and transfers, which Turner said would affect about 50 city employees, 22 workers might be laid off, Turner said.

Bagley said he was forced to take his arguments directly to the public because he and Councilman Sam Williamson Sr. are being deliberately excluded from the budget-cutting process by the majority of the council--Melba Bishop, Nancy York and Don Rodee.

“Sam and I have been out of the loop for some time,” Bagley said.

He also said the budget talks and threatened layoffs, forced resignations and demotions have “been used to get even with people, to get rid of people.”

Bagley said he was also reacting to a survey of city employees in which 88% rejected a suggestion that they take a 7% pay cut to avoid layoffs and demotions.

“I will agree to take a pay cut when pigs fly or when the City Council does their share by cutting some of their legislative aides, whichever comes first,” one worker responded.

Later Thursday, both Turner and York denied that Bagley or Williamson had been shut out of budget considerations.

All four council members and Bagley, who is separately elected, have been sending him memos with questions and suggestions on the budget, Turner said, and, in each case, he has responded in writing with copies to all five.

“Everybody knows what everybody’s asking and what the answers are to all the questions,” Turner said.

York accused Bagley of “grandstanding.”

Bagley “has had his chance to bring all of these ideas in front of the public at public budget hearings,” York said. “It’s interesting that he didn’t want to do that.”

Turner said he had not had time to analyze Bagley’s proposal. “I got it about 15 minutes before you guys (reporters) walked in,” he said.

Many of the proposals, such as eliminating the legislative aides, can be decided only by the council, he said. The aides are hired and fired directly by the council members.

One idea Turner strictly opposes is the elimination of the deputy city manager, George Field, whom he said is doing “an excellent job.”

“Without him right now, I don’t know how I would get around to get everything done,” Turner said.