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By most standards, $220,000 a year is a lot of money, especially when it's coming from taxpayers and all going to one person
Jim Spore will tell you you get what you pay for. And for 18 years, Virginia Beach has paid him quite nicely to be its city manager.
"I'm a translator, an implementer, a person who administers and carries out day to day affairs of the city."
For his work, balancing budgets and managing 7,000 plus employees, spore not only making more money than any other Virginia Beach city worker, he also gets free health benefits and a $12,000 car allowance.
That's why Spore agreed to an interview with NewsChannel 3 after initially refusing to be part of a story we did on city manager salaries six-months ago.
Today, his city is projecting about a $50 million tax-revenue shortage.
So a few weeks ago spore asked city workers to fill out a survey: a choice for them between furloughs, pay cuts and lay-offs.
"I feel for many of our employees that are struggling to make it, as are many people, and that certainly wears on your mind... and when you ask those questions, you're seriously looking for their help."
"It is definitely a sincere effort on my part, and I hope it's received that way - it's certainly meant that way."
But how far does spore's sincerity go?
His trio of assistant city managers all make more than $150,000.
They along with Spore are four of the top eight highest-paid city employees.
NewsChannel 3 asked him what would happen to the salaries of those at the top if he were to cut salaries of employees making far less.
"If there are reductions... They'd apply across the board."
When we pointed out that the cuts would affect someone making $35,000 is a lot different than the way it would affect him, spore replied, "Yeah, I don't want to speculate on what we'll come up with, in terms of that.... i certainly understand that logic..."
Spore quickly shifts to what he wants taxpayers to understand.
Given his experience and responsibilities managing a budget nearing $2 billion
In him, Virginia Beach taxpayers are getting what they're paying for - if not more.
"We can demonstrate with hard data that we're not overpaying people and not underpaying people."
Jim Spore will tell you you get what you pay for. And for 18 years, Virginia Beach has paid him quite nicely to be its city manager.
"I'm a translator, an implementer, a person who administers and carries out day to day affairs of the city."
For his work, balancing budgets and managing 7,000 plus employees, spore not only making more money than any other Virginia Beach city worker, he also gets free health benefits and a $12,000 car allowance.
That's why Spore agreed to an interview with NewsChannel 3 after initially refusing to be part of a story we did on city manager salaries six-months ago.
Today, his city is projecting about a $50 million tax-revenue shortage.
So a few weeks ago spore asked city workers to fill out a survey: a choice for them between furloughs, pay cuts and lay-offs.
"I feel for many of our employees that are struggling to make it, as are many people, and that certainly wears on your mind... and when you ask those questions, you're seriously looking for their help."
"It is definitely a sincere effort on my part, and I hope it's received that way - it's certainly meant that way."
But how far does spore's sincerity go?
His trio of assistant city managers all make more than $150,000.
They along with Spore are four of the top eight highest-paid city employees.
NewsChannel 3 asked him what would happen to the salaries of those at the top if he were to cut salaries of employees making far less.
"If there are reductions... They'd apply across the board."
When we pointed out that the cuts would affect someone making $35,000 is a lot different than the way it would affect him, spore replied, "Yeah, I don't want to speculate on what we'll come up with, in terms of that.... i certainly understand that logic..."
Spore quickly shifts to what he wants taxpayers to understand.
Given his experience and responsibilities managing a budget nearing $2 billion
In him, Virginia Beach taxpayers are getting what they're paying for - if not more.
"We can demonstrate with hard data that we're not overpaying people and not underpaying people."
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