City Managers: Is Jim Spore worth $220,000 a year? - WTKR

As an employee, we have not had a raise in a few years and have had to fight to have our retirement multiplier increased and loose a raise instead. We are not getting a raise for the forseeable future and now you ask us to choose which option we would rather have. It's no wonder why this city looses officers to the federal govt. It's difficult as it is earning a median wage for placing our life on the line for the city and barely affording decent real estate. It's sad that we have to live in another state to afford a good place for our families. Yet you have a guy acting like we owe him a favor and we should be glad to have him. Anyways enough venting.

You got to be kidding me. I believe his office is to top heavy as well as other positions in the city. He should be the first to set the example that's what a true leader does. Drive your own car like us and pay for his own health care. Lead, Follow or Get out of the way. Also I believe the city is mismanaged, why the short fall. The City spend millions for property, then rent it out for thousand of dollars, give me a break. The City Manager and the City Council should be audited for their mismanagement or lack of management.

a little perspective wrote:

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Please do, I don't want you to have anything to do with the operation of my hometown's government. And for the record we have the lowest taxes in the region. Also if you think Jim Spore is a 'greedy oaf' you obviously have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.

I think the reason why the readers and people who watched the interview were so outraged was Spore was asking the rank and file to come up with suggestions on how to gap the budget hole including taking a pay cut for employees making as low as $35,000.00 a year and here he is making this much money and he has not offered to take a pay cut himself. Get it? None of his high paying assistants, department heads who make more than $100,000.00 annually have not offered to take a pay cut and yet they expect the lower ranking employees to even entertain the thought of taking a pay cut or run the risk of losing their jobs, sounds like black mail. Heck, he didn't even offer to pay for his insurance or give up his car allowance. Can you not see the outrage in this? I don't care if he can walk on water, right is right, he is the city manager, he is responsible for the investments of the city money and if he did not invest the city monies wisely to protect us for economic downturn such as now, he is responsible. He should be the first to volunteer to take the first pay cut, after all he is the one who can afford it, secondly his high paying assistants and thirdly, department heads. You know the saying, the "blank" rolls downhill, it should be applicable to this as well.

I would like to see an even bigger raise for him that dwarfs all fortune 500 CEO's, 500 extra cars and a doctor's office and dental office built next to his office. I want to see him as the total ruler of all the world with every human being ready to do his beckoning. I want him lavished in full comfort and unbridled pleasure consuming nothing but the finest of meats and wines while orphans and the homeless watch as they scratch their scabs and hold their bellies in agony. I want to see him hail in loud repose, "the world is mine, all mine!" Money, meats and wine belong to him, we must all surrender to this end for his endless pleasures.

If you want change start with City Council, since the majority of them voted to renew Jim Spore's contract. How does Spore arte a pay raise when other City Employees are deserving of a pay raise but can't get one because theres not enough money. If Spore is so great he should have run for Governor and fixed the states budget.

Dionysos wrote:

I would like to see an even bigger raise for him that dwarfs all fortune 500 CEO's, 500 extra cars and a doctor's office and dental office built next to his office. I want to see him as the total ruler of all the world with every human being ready to do his beckoning. I want him lavished in full comfort and unbridled pleasure consuming nothing but the finest of meats and wines while orphans and the homeless watch as they scratch their scabs and hold their bellies in agony. I want to see him hail in loud repose, "the world is mine, all mine!" Money, meats and wine belong to him, we must all surrender to this end for his endless pleasures.

NICE>>> while at it, let's give them cake to eat!!!

I am so sick of the communistic slant I hear everywhere now...that we should even out the pay discrepancies among workers. Not everyone's talents and efforts are equal. Some people are just smarter or play sports better and can go pro. Hey, I don't hear anyone complaining about how much pro athletes make just the CEOs.

My neighbor is better looking than I am...should we somehow try to level that playing field? Whatever happened to trying to bring the people at the bottom up to meet the people at the top? Why is the solution now always let's cut the person at the top? Let's get more education, better home values and more desire to succeed into the equation.

Disgruntled wrote:

All you "supporters" from Hampton and Chesapeake, who don't have to pay the high taxes, need to rethink your praise. Spore is a greedy oaf who has his own agenda and refuses to follow City Council's direction on virtually everything. The City of Virginia Beach is self insured and had a 38 million dollar surplus last year, a 50 million dollar surplus the year before and pays it's City Manager $220k a year plus and gives him $450k worth of assistants...if he starts furloughs, lay offs or taking vacation days away from its employees he is going to be in serious danger. We haven't had pay raises in three years and prior to that it was three or more years of a 1.5% raise which didn't cover the cost of the health insurance raise, gasoline prices, or anything else. Every day I work here is like Spore is personally spitting in my face. Yes, I am looking for another job...

I totally agree. Why is it when they start talking about layoffs, furloughs, pay cuts, etc., they don't start up at the top. I think I am worth more than I am getting but unfortunately unlike Spore, I don't get paid for what I am worth!!!