The Million Dollar Bodyguard
The CityBeat blog has a post by Kevin Osborne about the cost of Mayor Mallory's bodyguard.
Paying for the Mayor’s Bodyguard
Check it out. City Council is fighting to make the Mayor accountable for the cost of his own body guard in his administrative budget.
CityBeat is reporting that Johnson's salary is $58,000 a year, and the expected overtime is going to reach $30,000 by the end of this year.
I got to wondering about the total cost to the taxpayer if Mayor Mark Mallory decides that he wants a bodyguard for the rest of his term.
I will admit right out that I am ignorant on the particular facts. I have to rely on personal knowledge of accounting and public pensions. Employers have to pay FICA matching taxes (for social security and Medicare) of 7.65% of the wages that they report for every employee. I have made estimates to come up with the total figure.
I don’t know Scotty Johnson. I don’t know the ins and out of the CPD pension package. I also don’t know what his medical premiums actually are. I suspect that the Cincinnati Police have an impressive benefit package. I also suspect that police departments in cities with significant crime rates have to pay a premium on Worker’s compensation, disability and insurance. These are all estimates, and that should be stressed at the outset. That said lets give it a go.
Kabaka Oba was shot in April, well into the second fiscal quarter of the year. CityBeat reports that Scotty Johnson is on pace to amass $30,000 in overtime by the end of the year. Working at a full year at that pace, Mr. Johnson would amass $40,000 in overtime.
So let’s work out the numbers
Year 1 (the partial year):
Salary $43,500 .00 (75% of his regular $58,000 salary, due to the partial year)
Overtime: $30,000.00
FICA Taxes: $ 5,622.75
Health Benefits: $6,750.00
Workers Compensation/ Insurance: $2,000.00
Total for the first partial year: $87,872.75.
After the first year we switch to full year estimates, because Mr. Johnson would be working January through December. His full salary and benefit package would then be on the table.
Year 2
Salary: $58,000.00
Overtime: $40,000.00
FICA Taxes: $7,497.00
Health Benefits: $9,000.00
Workers comp / disability / life insurance: $2,667.67
Total for the second year: $117,163.67*
*Note that the second year includes no cost of living adjustment, which could easily be within the $2,000 range.
Year 3 and Year 4 would mirror year two, with the exception of Cost of Living adjustments that would make the total higher. This is also assuming that Scotty Johnson does not receive a promotion in pay scale, which could also alter the dynamic.
So for four years, here would be the cost of the Mayor’s bodyguard.
Partial Year One: $87,872.75
Year Two: $117,13.67
Year Three: $117,13.67
Year Four: $117,13.67
The total for four years (or 3.75) of a bodyguard? A whopping $439,363.76.
But the great news is that it doesn’t end there. We haven’t even factored in the legacy cost of the pension.
I don’t know the particulars of the CPD pension, but I am aware that similar police departments pay out pensions equal to 60% of the final earnings of the policeman. I read this in an article about New York’s budget crunch. After 9/11, New York policemen racked in the overtime for homeland security detail. Then they started retiring with record pensions. It is going to affect the New York City pension fund for decades to come.
I am assuming that CPD officers have the same deal. If that is correct, $40,000 in overtime is going to boost Scotty Johnson’s pension by the amount of $24,000 a year. In fact, if the ratios are correct, Scotty Johnson will make more in pension pay than he makes in base pay today because of the affect of the overtime.
So if Scotty Johnson is going to make an additional $24,000 a year, let’s assume he lives another 25 years after he retires. The additional cost to the taxpayer under that scenario would be $600,000 in pension legacy costs.
To recap the total:
Four years of a bodyguard: $439,363.76
Pension / Legacy Costs: $600,000.00
Total Cost to the taxpayer for Mayor Mallory’s bodyguard: $1,039,363.76
There you have it, your million dollar bodyguard. Ain’t it grand?
Consider this:
As of the last census the median income for a family in Cincinnati was $37,453.00. The city tax rate is 2.1%, and the median family would pay $786.51 in City Taxes over the course of a year. (Note: That doesn’t count permits, fees, sales taxes, or property taxes).
Given those statistics, it would take 1,322 families in the City of Cincinnati to pay for Mark Mallory’s body guard until the end of his term. That is quite an efficient use of resources, especially in the time of a budget crunch.
The CityBeat blog ends with this:
It is nice to know we are hiring million dollar bodyguards with no apparent threat. It is also nice to know that we pay for this guy to sit in a luxury box in Pittsburgh. Because we all know that Mayor Mallory couldn’t stand a chance if he had to sit in a luxury box in Pittsburgh without an armed police officer. I suspect that Scotty Johnson also flew to DC for the last Mayor’s conference. I bet we aren’t even including all of the costs associated with the bodyguard in this estimate.
What a sad and pathetic tale. The man with the million dollar body guard is telling you not to worry, your city is safe as can be. What wretched excess. It seems to me that we have more than one Mallory that needs to be impeached.
======================================
Update by Kevin Osborne via the CityBeat Porkopolis Blog:
Mallory Says His Bodyguard Isn’t a Bodyguard
Clue me in but I just don't get the semantical argument. Is calling a bodyguard a "security detail" going to change the amount of funds needed from taxpayers? Is the Mayor currently under any threat? Is the Mayor's staff under any threat? Why does our Mayor need a million dollar security detail?
And couldn't the police send over guys in shifts so that they don't have pay for exhorbitant overtime and pension costs? Mallory selected a friend for his own "security detail". As the post describes above this friend will cost the taxpayers over a million dollars if the current situation persists for the Mayor's full term.
Paying for the Mayor’s Bodyguard
Check it out. City Council is fighting to make the Mayor accountable for the cost of his own body guard in his administrative budget.
CityBeat is reporting that Johnson's salary is $58,000 a year, and the expected overtime is going to reach $30,000 by the end of this year.
I got to wondering about the total cost to the taxpayer if Mayor Mark Mallory decides that he wants a bodyguard for the rest of his term.
I will admit right out that I am ignorant on the particular facts. I have to rely on personal knowledge of accounting and public pensions. Employers have to pay FICA matching taxes (for social security and Medicare) of 7.65% of the wages that they report for every employee. I have made estimates to come up with the total figure.
I don’t know Scotty Johnson. I don’t know the ins and out of the CPD pension package. I also don’t know what his medical premiums actually are. I suspect that the Cincinnati Police have an impressive benefit package. I also suspect that police departments in cities with significant crime rates have to pay a premium on Worker’s compensation, disability and insurance. These are all estimates, and that should be stressed at the outset. That said lets give it a go.
Kabaka Oba was shot in April, well into the second fiscal quarter of the year. CityBeat reports that Scotty Johnson is on pace to amass $30,000 in overtime by the end of the year. Working at a full year at that pace, Mr. Johnson would amass $40,000 in overtime.
So let’s work out the numbers
Year 1 (the partial year):
Salary $43,500 .00 (75% of his regular $58,000 salary, due to the partial year)
Overtime: $30,000.00
FICA Taxes: $ 5,622.75
Health Benefits: $6,750.00
Workers Compensation/ Insurance: $2,000.00
Total for the first partial year: $87,872.75.
After the first year we switch to full year estimates, because Mr. Johnson would be working January through December. His full salary and benefit package would then be on the table.
Year 2
Salary: $58,000.00
Overtime: $40,000.00
FICA Taxes: $7,497.00
Health Benefits: $9,000.00
Workers comp / disability / life insurance: $2,667.67
Total for the second year: $117,163.67*
*Note that the second year includes no cost of living adjustment, which could easily be within the $2,000 range.
Year 3 and Year 4 would mirror year two, with the exception of Cost of Living adjustments that would make the total higher. This is also assuming that Scotty Johnson does not receive a promotion in pay scale, which could also alter the dynamic.
So for four years, here would be the cost of the Mayor’s bodyguard.
Partial Year One: $87,872.75
Year Two: $117,13.67
Year Three: $117,13.67
Year Four: $117,13.67
The total for four years (or 3.75) of a bodyguard? A whopping $439,363.76.
But the great news is that it doesn’t end there. We haven’t even factored in the legacy cost of the pension.
I don’t know the particulars of the CPD pension, but I am aware that similar police departments pay out pensions equal to 60% of the final earnings of the policeman. I read this in an article about New York’s budget crunch. After 9/11, New York policemen racked in the overtime for homeland security detail. Then they started retiring with record pensions. It is going to affect the New York City pension fund for decades to come.
I am assuming that CPD officers have the same deal. If that is correct, $40,000 in overtime is going to boost Scotty Johnson’s pension by the amount of $24,000 a year. In fact, if the ratios are correct, Scotty Johnson will make more in pension pay than he makes in base pay today because of the affect of the overtime.
So if Scotty Johnson is going to make an additional $24,000 a year, let’s assume he lives another 25 years after he retires. The additional cost to the taxpayer under that scenario would be $600,000 in pension legacy costs.
To recap the total:
Four years of a bodyguard: $439,363.76
Pension / Legacy Costs: $600,000.00
Total Cost to the taxpayer for Mayor Mallory’s bodyguard: $1,039,363.76
There you have it, your million dollar bodyguard. Ain’t it grand?
Consider this:
As of the last census the median income for a family in Cincinnati was $37,453.00. The city tax rate is 2.1%, and the median family would pay $786.51 in City Taxes over the course of a year. (Note: That doesn’t count permits, fees, sales taxes, or property taxes).
Given those statistics, it would take 1,322 families in the City of Cincinnati to pay for Mark Mallory’s body guard until the end of his term. That is quite an efficient use of resources, especially in the time of a budget crunch.
The CityBeat blog ends with this:
Since that time no specific death threats against Mallory or council members have been reported.
Johnson’s new assignment comes with perks. He accompanied Mallory over the weekend to attend the Bengals-Steelers football game in Pittsburgh. Johnson joined the mayor and others in watching the game from a private luxury suite at Heinz Field.
It is nice to know we are hiring million dollar bodyguards with no apparent threat. It is also nice to know that we pay for this guy to sit in a luxury box in Pittsburgh. Because we all know that Mayor Mallory couldn’t stand a chance if he had to sit in a luxury box in Pittsburgh without an armed police officer. I suspect that Scotty Johnson also flew to DC for the last Mayor’s conference. I bet we aren’t even including all of the costs associated with the bodyguard in this estimate.
What a sad and pathetic tale. The man with the million dollar body guard is telling you not to worry, your city is safe as can be. What wretched excess. It seems to me that we have more than one Mallory that needs to be impeached.
======================================
Update by Kevin Osborne via the CityBeat Porkopolis Blog:
Mallory Says His Bodyguard Isn’t a Bodyguard
During his weekly press briefing this afternoon, Mallory said that calling Johnson a bodyguard was a misnomer.
“First off, I don’t have a bodyguard. It’s a security detail assigned to me by the chief of police.”
Asked to explain the difference, Mallory replied that a security detail provides protection for all members of the mayor’s staff, not just him.
Clue me in but I just don't get the semantical argument. Is calling a bodyguard a "security detail" going to change the amount of funds needed from taxpayers? Is the Mayor currently under any threat? Is the Mayor's staff under any threat? Why does our Mayor need a million dollar security detail?
And couldn't the police send over guys in shifts so that they don't have pay for exhorbitant overtime and pension costs? Mallory selected a friend for his own "security detail". As the post describes above this friend will cost the taxpayers over a million dollars if the current situation persists for the Mayor's full term.
posted by Male Dallory at 11:12 PM
17 Comments:
If we are paying 24/7, who guards him when Scotty is not there? 3M is seen at plenty of functions without SJ. Sj was not apparent at several democratic activities where 3Ms family was gathered such as the Northside visit of Ted Strickland and people commented heavily on that. 3M makes visits by himself to the Dayton Street office, driving by himself with no SJ in sight; neighbors can attest to this. Is this just illusion to make the office look more important? Or is this stupidity if 3M really feels threatened. Luken had a 'shadow'from time to time. Is 3M accorded the same when he's not with SJ?
Boy this is really a shame. All with 'no apparent threat'. Doesn't is just make you feel safe all over?
Johnson is going to get himself a fat pension with all that overtime. The Mayor is tight with the CPD. That is why they won't investigate his brother.
"It seems to me that we have more than one Mallory that needs to be impeached."
When do we start on this project???
I believe it was in Monday's Enquirer, that a number of 2Gs was tossed out there for this City Hall contigent to party in Pittsburgh. That seemed extremely low to me.
I have to give Leslie Ghiz credit for bringing this personal guard garbage before the Finance Committee on Monday. However, it doesn't matter what pot the money's coming from to pay for Scotty - Police budget or the Mayor's budget - it's taxpayer money, regardless of how you slice it.
Although the Committee briefly mentioned an uptick in City revenues, the flood of beggars has yet to begin - the Social Services freeloaders. Then there's more being added to the police, heaven only knows what is going on with the fire division in making upgrades & improvements. We've got Smitherman screaming in his psycho hysteria that the Retirement System is flat broke. Then, we've got a Mayor spending money as if he's a millionaire, not accountable to anyone other than his whims & paranoia. Let's don't forget the bulletproof shields on the Council Chambers' dais, here.
Rather than ask tough, pointed questions of this so-called Mayor, it was suggested that the Police Chief get called on the carpet at today's Law & Public Safety Committee to be skewered & grilled about this Mayor-Scotty situation. Doesn't make sense to me. I'd cut to the chase & stick a fork in the Mayor first. I'd want to know his exact reasoning for such a wasteful, frivolous move without consulting with the taxpayers' elected representatives first - City Council. However, this Council is almost a copy of times past. When the heat is on, stick it to the Police & the Chief.
Mr. Dallory, thanks again for a thought provoking item. You covered all bases in an accurate, clear cut manner once again. The financials are absolutely staggering. (Typically, the City sticks to a 3% factor on the cost of living [COLA]). However, Cincinnati's police benefits, welfare, overtime, retirement & all that business are pretty much in keeping with the national standard for all cities such as New York, LA, Houston, etc.
Yeah, it's time for another impeachment. Check out today's Enquirer on 3M's brag list of what he's accomplished to date. It's spit.
Howard Beatty fires shots outside of City Hall. The Mayor was two floors down, under his desk before anyone else realized what was going on. Junebug Beatty shuts down his restaurant and moves to another state. The Mayor hires a bodyquard. This group (including Mayor Mallory) knows what's really going on with the West End gang.
Mayor Mallory stood all alone on a side street off Central Avenue yesterday afternoon chatting w/ a white, laborer looking man. No Scottie Johnson in site. Mallory did not want to be seen. He made that clear with his body motions.
"Yeah, it's time for another impeachment. Check out today's Enquirer on 3M's brag list of what he's accomplished to date. It's spit.
9:39 AM "
It's spit???? the p was a typo.."h" would be correct.
Carstairs.....get it right!
No soup for you.
Mr Dallory Shame on you to question the Great Mark Mallory. This is your leader you should not question your leaders. Oh wait this is a quote from the crossroads lecture.
I think your numbers are pretty accurate in terms of pensions and health care costs. That is a lot of money for a driver. Nice post.
Anybody seen this crap yet?
http://citybeat.wordpress.com/2006/09/26/mallory-says-bodyguard-isn%e2%80%99t-a-bodyguard/
Now that he needs to pay for it, he gets his doughboy to say it isn't his bodyguard, per se. What a load of ish.
At the first crack of gunfire, 3M recoiled on his throne. On the 2nd volley, he was hunkered down. Meanwhile, council is looking around & attempting to continue on with the meeting. The 3rd round adjourned the whole enchilada.
Saw the live telecast & the subsequent replays of the Council meeting. Videotape doesn't lie & neither do I.
3M knew exactly what was going on at the get go. I defy him to tell otherwise. He certainly knows what's going on in the West End & he knows Jail4Dale is up to his eyeballs in it. Why else would 3M uproot Daddy & Fannie from the homestead & take 'em to higher ground?
After Daddy & Fannie are tucked safely in bed, Dale & 3M can continue on with their ah, West End interests without the folks looking over their shoulders. One guess. The other guess is that it must have been getting very toasty in those parts of the West End that it didn't take much convincing to load up the truck & head for the hills.
The only answer I have right now on Scotty spotting is that if he's scheduled to be off - regular off days, dental appointments, show & tell at his kids' schools, etc., that the police department is sending someone else in to shadow 3M. I can't imagine Scotty being with 3M & his outfit 24/7 every day, every night. Regardless of the chunky paycheck, benefits & a fat pension on the horizon, a detail like that would drive me looney. Wouldn't surprise me that the old Mallorys have him as an extra Butler, valet, handyman & gardener. After all, someone's got to help Daddy with his socks & straighten his tie. That rheumatizz will do that to an old coot.
I'm sure he's slopping the floors & doing messy laundry after the Hale YES! caravan cruises thru with honking horns & a clanging cowbell! Prunes, bran & Metamucil will do that to old folks. These people could have saved the taxpayers a bunch of money. Had they hired Howdy the Hitman in the first place, Howdy wouldn't be on his way to the joint. We know he does dishes, but someone could have taught him how to slop floors & do laundry.
I'm not entirely convinced that 3M is out there, on Central Avenue, or anywhere else, without a cover. Perhaps his appointed shadow is sitting in a crack beater with temp tags just a few steps away.
This boy is going to play it to the high hilt. Paranoia struck deep. In his heart it will creep. He knows full good & well what's going on in the West End & he knows who's on the players' roster, too.
Perhaps other Truth Squad members have their colorful takes on this whole sham.
Update on the City Hall discussion about Scotty. Osborne from City Beat gives a rather clear summary on this.
http://citybeat.wordpress.com/
2006/09/26/mallory-says-
bodyguard-isn%e2%80%99t-a-bodyguard/
See? Told you. Rather than waste time attacking the Police Chief, who's caught between a rock & a hard spot, 3M was the one who should have been barbequed.
Whee! Ghiz put Doughboy Dohoney in his place in short order!
I see a mountain of problems with this boy & 3M. We're going to have a little dictatorship or a mini cartel going here. These council people need to backbone up real quick or they'll be looking for new jobs on the next voting go around.
Doughboy & 3M: the prince & his king. They're going to take it all & do exactly as they see fit. Dohoney is already off to a flying start by giving that criminal EZ the money. This is some scary stuff that's being cooked here & more to come if they aren't stopped.
OK, so I didn't get my soup today. I had bread & water instead. That'll hold me over until breakfast, I guess. No, wait! I've got a stash of Halloween candy around here! Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk!
Truth Squad ,,,do your stuff.
Word is that UC and X Presidents and well as P&G and other wheels were stood up by 3M today in his office on a big economic development confab.
3M corners Council member(s) with this BLACKMAIL. "Ease off on the bodyguard or I won't support your economic plans".
3M let these bigwigs go off in a huff.
3M screws our economic future for his million $ driver.
Truth Squad..... flesh this out and GO PUBLIC!
Wednesday's news:
It's in the print edition, but not on line yet of the Enquirer.
Seems Timbo has his shorts knotted up on the selection of the Judge to hear the Liz Carroll case. All the higher felonies have been dropped & subsequently moved to Clermont County.
Liz had an indictment returned for making false alarms, 2 counts of inducing panic & 2 counts of perjury. Conceivably, with a plea deal, she could serve 1 year, credit jail time in Marysville on the Hamilton County charges. Negligible in comparison to her Clermont County charges in the death of little Marcus.
Back to Timbo. The Liz case rolled to Judge Dinkelacker (endorsed by the FOP & Coalition of Court Watchers). Timbo can't get his mind wrapped around the idea that it's how the random draw turned out. He believes it's more than a coincidence.
I'm not understanding Timbo's line of thought here. First, his law professor who hasn't sat on a justice bench & is angling for a seat on the 1st Court of Appeals doesn't have a chance. Timbo & the professor need to get over themselves.
Second, Timbo has a problem with a truly honest, by the book Judge, who embraces clean, healthy family & community values.
However, he doesn't have a problem with a gangster named Jail4Dale, who has a proven record of stealing from the WECC, profiteering from the EZ, dabbling in narcotics, collaborating in assortments of criminal conspiracy, collusion, malfeasance, bribery, rigging of appointments, racketeering, murder & a whole laundry list of other high felonies.
While we're forming a revised impeachment list, I believe it's high time we add Timbo to that list. This unethical so-in-so needs to go. No wonder the Democratic party is in a shambles & voters are crossing over.
And another nugget in today's news - take a look at the Drama Dwarf's blog before he edits it. Focus on the last paragraph. Study it. Analyze it. I think you'll get the picture at the get go.
I've already captured it & will hold this in the event it's ever needed. That little doofus doesn't know when to quit & hasn't an idea of how to measure his words. He'll go sooner or later. Sooner would be swell.
Have a great day, Truth Squad members!
We are going to end up paying more for the bodyguard than we pay for the mayor. Where is the fiscal sanity for that?
"We are going to end up paying more for the bodyguard than we pay for the mayor. Where is the fiscal sanity for that?
11:24 PM "
Scottie is ten times the man that worthless POS 3M is.
Why not pay him more?
I am curious to know if any of you who find the Scotty Johnson overtime issue so egregious felt the same way when Citybeat exposed the broader overtime scandal committed by several Cincinnati police officers. Please see http://www.citybeat.com/2003-12-10/cover.shtml. More recently Christopher Smitherman attempted to investigate the same issue. It would have been helpful if good people like yourselves would have particpated in that debate as well. But I suppose that you can all claim the same ignorance that you have in the past
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