San Antonio — On Friday, April 28, 2000, Tyler Mayor Kevin Eltife and City Manager Pinkney Butler will be awarded the Texas Public Policy Foundation “Champion of Limited Government” award at the Foundation’s 11th Anniversary dinner being held at the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas.
In attendance at the dinner to witness the award will be U.S. Senator Phil Gramm, TPPF Chairman Wendy Lee Gramm, U.S. House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, Lt. Governor Rick Perry, Congressman Ralph Hall, Comptroller Carole Keeton Rylander, Land Commissioner David Dewhurst, Supreme Court Justice Greg Abbott, Railroad Commissioners Michael Williams and Charles Matthews, State Representative Leo Berman, and Collin County Judge Ron Harris along with at least eight other state and local elected officials.
As a team, Mayor Eltife and City Manager Butler have been instrumental in promoting a leaner, more efficient local government in the City of Tyler. The Mayor and City Manager are eliminating the City’s General Obligation Bond Debt by 2004 and are lowering property taxes. Furthermore, all Departments have implemented competitive contracting with their costs constantly being compared to the private sector. Implementation of competition has allowed the elimination of some 63 management positions over the last three years.
TPPF President Jeff Judson commented, “Mayor Eltife and Pinkney Butler are implementing reforms in city government that are far more innovative than those of other municipal governments around the state. The citizens of Tyler are very fortunate to have them. Your Mayor and City Manager deserve to be singled out for recognition.”