Someone better start a Go Fund Me!
According to The Oklahoman, Patrice Douglas has "declined" that much ridiculed, chastised, and generally hated by everyone with a soul $250,000-a-year job offer with TSET.
Via NewsOK.com:
Patrice Douglas on Wednesday declined a $250,000-a-year offer to work for a state agency overseeing tobacco settlement funds.
The lucrative offer, which is $100,000 more than Gov. Mary Fallin makes, stirred criticism from the public and elected officials.
Douglas, a former mayor of Edmond and a former member of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, said she was disappointed the job offer didn't work out.
Will you look at that!? We finally found a person in Oklahoma who's "disappointed" that our Tobacco Trust Fund Settlement dollars will not be used to unnecessarily pay an establishment politician $250,000 a year to lead an organization of 22 people. Granted, it's the politician who had the $250,000 gig pulled out from under her who's disappointed, but at least somebody is disappointed by it.
Let's cut to the hysterically out-of-touch, void of reality quote Patrice gave to paper:
"After much contemplation and consultation with my family and friends, I have decided the right decision for me and Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust is to allow them to continue their search for a new CEO," Douglas said.
"I appreciate the support of the TSET board and many people in the public and private sectors. The words of encouragement were deeply appreciated, especially when the matter of hiring a CEO at TSET was unfortunately politicized.
I know she's an establishment politician who's used to sticking her head in the sand, but how out of touch can she get? Unfortunately politicized? Uhm, the outrage over this position is one of the few things Democrats and Republicans in our state could agree upon. This decision had nothing to do with politics, and everything to do with the people of Oklahoma not wanting to add an unnecessary $250,000-a-year job to the payroll while our state faces a monumental budget crisis.
Here's the final snippet:
I stood ready and willing to fulfill the responsibilities of the job, but unfortunately, the TSET board had been informed that others will not permit this to occur."
Yeah, and she would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for you meddling kids!
Anyway, we're going to keep our ears to the ground and continue following this story. One positive from all this is that the veil of secrecy at TSET has been lifted a bit, and now we get to see how nonchalant and careless the agency (and its GOP appointed board) is with our state's money. Maybe it's time the media starts examining the role of TSET, how it's governed, and what exactly they're doing with the $50-million they spend each year to "discourage tobacco use." Are they prudent and calculated with their spending, or do they blow through the cash because they have to. Stay with The Lost Ogle.com. We'll keep you advised.
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