Mayor Ragsdale had this to say, "We will present a budget on May 9 that will meet the needs of citizens across the entire county and is sensitive to proper use of taxpayer dollars."

Guess what office in Knox County Government does have $50,000 per year in a discretionary fund?

That would be Mayor Mike Ragsdale's office. Supposedly the Mayor can dole that out as he sees fit.

The current budget is around 560 million dollars with about $360 million for the School Board. Those are rough figures.

So this is .43% of the after School budget. I don't have the number for the Sheriff's department handy but that should be subtracted out also.

The point is Knox County gives 3 million dollars to non-profits like CTV every year. This is 28.5% of that amount.

It does sound a little high to me but if you have a bad road where you live it could suck up every bit of $50,000.

But isn't it curious that the Mayor's office has $50,000 of discretionary funds at their disposal?

The Sentinel rounded up, the actual amount is $855,000. Close to a million in government money.

Hey #9...did Ragsdale steal your lunch money when you were a wee little lad?

Rebecca Ferrar should dig a little and find out the distribution of those funds from Scott Moore for the past 4 years. It would be interesting to see how much of it has gone to schools as he suggested in his comments.

I wonder if this is just another way for him to skirt fully funding the school system when the budget comes up. First he was trying to give money to the schools by raising the penalty for late property tax to 20% and earmarking that increase for "school books". I just see all this as his way of coming back later saying that he has been trying to find money for schools in creative ways. Even it is really just throwing pennies at the issue.

My understanding regarding discretionary funds is that they are used at the discretion of the full elected body - the councilman may request, but it is up to city council to approve the expenditure. Is county commission different from city council on that point?

The devil is in the details.

Scoobie needs a press agent (or a muzzle). He's reacting to Ragsdale having a literal slush fund for community projects out of which he funds favors for commissioners who vote the right way (can you spell John Mills?)

Clearly, we need zero slush funds. But if slush we will, Scott is simply saying commissioners should control the output into their districts -- not Ragsdale. With this I concur. -- s.

And I still dream of the day that the "wheel tax" will be the appropriate ad valurem that it should be.

Where is that consultant from Nashville going to be hanging out? I want a word with him.

As for whether or not "Discretionary Funds" are an appropriate source of dollars for an elected official to have access to, I have mixed feelings about it. But, after thinking about it, I have to say that I don't support the increase.

A politician could develop/use a great deal more favor with any amount of cash. Having more to do it with feels a bit like taxpayers helping to foot the reelection campaigns.

No go. And maybe the practice should end.

Hey,

Let's just do away with all the county departments and let the commissioners dole out the money as they see fit. Call on your local ward healer give em a half pint of whiskey, and ask if he'll call Lumpy for ya and come fix the pot hole in your road.

Now thatttts gooood guvvvernment. Kountry Kommishin

Aren't these folks needing millions for their KCSD pension startup(try and not let anyone else walk out of custody, deputies) seems like asking for more discretionary funds is not cool.

What do they want to do with the money? What are the specifics?