Mayor pro tem temporarily steps aside

Monday, March 06, 2006

(3/06/06 - HOUSTON) -- City Council member Carol Alvarado temporarily stepped down as mayor pro tem on Monday amid an investigation into payroll padding in the Office of Mayor Pro Tem.

"I intend to temporarily -- temporarily, make sure y'all wrote that down right -- step aside from the Office of Mayor Pro Tem pending the outcome of the grand jury investigation," she told reporters at a news conference.

Mayor Bill White said Houston police investigators have found no wrongdoing by Alvarado in a scheme where four office employees were paid bonuses of more than $143,000.

The four employees have been suspended with pay.

They are accused of receiving a series of bonus payments authorized by memos with the initials of Alvarado, who says the initials were forged. The employees also received base-pay raises -- some as high as 64 percent -- using their own signatures, according to records.

White has described the bonuses, first disclosed Feb. 15, as "employee theft."

The employees were set to appear at a city hearing Tuesday to determine if they should be fired.

Alvarado said she stepped down in part because the continuing investigation might be a distraction.

"I do not want to be the lightning rod for those who wish to take advantage of this situation in order to stimulate divisiveness on the council," she said.

The Houston Police Office of Inspector General has given the Harris County District Attorney's Office its report on the investigation.

Don Smyth, chief of the office's governmental affairs bureau, declined to discuss details of the report, which has not been made public.

Prosecutors are reviewing the report to see if any criminal charges will be filed in the case.

Smyth declined to speculate on what, if any, charges might be filed.

"We want to make sure we're fair and thorough," he said.

The mayor pro tem, largely a ceremonial position, is appointed by the mayor and approved by City Council.

The mayor pro tem works with the mayor to determine where council members stand on issues.

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