$300K a year in legal fees and board expenses

2011-10-22 The Rio Nuevo board costs us more than a city manager.  However, they apparently spend $300K+ of our tax money every year deciding on how to sue the city.  In the last financial report, total positive project spending has shrunk to  $49,171.14.  

How does it make sense to have $300K of managerial expenses to supervise $49K of spending on projects?

In fiscal year 2009, $29,605,274.14 was spent on projects from the Cushing St Bridge to the Greenway Multiuse Path to Barrio Viejo (a nicely done conversion of an old school to a retirement home).  How well it was managed is an open question, but at least some things were getting done.  The main task of the Board, if you believe their financial reports, is to put a stop to projects.

Oh - and the legal and other office expenses for 2009, when supervising over $29 Million of projects?  Less than half of what they spent in the most recent report, or about $116K.   Threatening and suing Tucson's elected government is apparently much more expensive than actually doing work.

FY 2011

FY 2009