The City Council voted to make Richard Miranda Tucson’s permanent city manager. Miranda will make $200,000, along with his pension of $135,887 a year.
The equivalent position in Albuquerque, a town of similar size and complexity earns slightly over $75,000.
If Miranda remains on the job for another year and a half, he will receive a second annual pension of $22,837.
Parade magazine just named Miranda has one for the highest paid persons in Tucson, and they didn’t include his pension.
Miranda was made interim manager when former city manager Mike Letcher was fired.
The Council claimed that they wanted to conduct a national search. However, it was widely understood that Miranda had the job. According to Mike Rankin, the City’s attorney, 25 people applied for the job. He did not say if interviews were conducted.
The City Of Tucson’s hiring process is as opaque as its spending practices.
Councilwoman Regina Romero, not known for her ethics, told Miranda, “I trust that you love Tucson and will do what is ethical and best for not only mayor and council, but most importantly, for the residents of our community.”
Miranda told the Council, “I see my job now as providing an environment of leadership, an environment of trust and competency,” he said. “We will continue to provide quality services to our great city.”
Tucson’s unemployment rate is one of the highest in the country. Scandals have plagued the City especially over its failure to revive the downtown.