Patrice Douglas Lands $250,000 Job

The Oklahoman

The Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust announced Tuesday Patrice Douglas has accepted a newly created $250,000-a-year job heading up the state agency.

Douglas is a former Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner, a former Edmond mayor and an unsuccessful Republican candidate for the U.S. House.

The announcement came a week after the trust stirred public concern with word that it was starting a lucrative new position and had offered it to an undisclosed person at a time when most state agencies are facing severe budget cutbacks.

The trust manages $1 billion in tobacco settlement money, spending only the interest, mainly to discourage smoking.

Tracey Strader, 57, who has been leading the trust as executive director, earns $120,000 a year. She was expected to stay on with the agency, which has 22 employees.

The salary has drawn criticism; it came today from John Tidwell, state director of Americans for Prosperity:

“At a time when the public’s distrust and disappointment in government is at an all time high, the creation of this position is an affront to all hard-working Oklahomans. This action fans the flames of political rancor in our great state and we should all be outraged by the startling salary and scope of this new job. It’s no wonder people don’t trust government.
“Americans for Prosperity Oklahoma will work with policymakers and our activists to bring common sense reforms and greater accountability to the apparently out-of-touch TSET board and those who control their actions.”

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  1. Vernon Woods, 15 June, 2016

    I guess this promotes her to the top 2%. A little explanation of this is probably not in the cards.

  2. steve, 15 June, 2016

    This is absolutely outrageous!!!!! TSET should be ashamed and this position be done away with. What was wrong with the last director?

  3. Jimbo, 15 June, 2016

    Political debts must be paid, and TSET is a slush fund for politicians.

  4. Kevin, 15 June, 2016

    FINALLY! Someone is finally making more than an Oklahoma School Superintendent! (Except for those in OKC, Norman and Tulsa)

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