Every once and a while, the place where I work will spring for some food. It’s always nice to have dinner provided for you and I appreciate not having to pack a lunch. However, if they were spending $152,000 a year on food for us, I would call that ridiculous.
The Mayor and City Council of Phoenix call it business as usual:
Over the last three years, members of the Phoenix City Council have spent more than $152,000 on food and catering.
Council members have spent thousands at Tom’s Tavern, the Downtown Deli, and Paradise Bakery.
“We all get a paycheck,” Phoenix resident Justin Evans said. “We all have to pay for our own food. Why can’t they?”
Great question, but the real kicker isn’t here yet.
Last February, when the city was already facing a $90 million deficit, the council dropped $2,100 on food and entertainment at the Bougainvillea Golf Course near Baseline and 59th Avenue for Councilman Michael Nowakowski’s inauguration party.
An additional $4,100 was spent on shirts, pens, and magnets as promotional items for Nowakowski.
…
The mayor and council also spent more than $7,000 on coffee even though there’s a Starbucks downstairs in the City Hall atrium, and more than $9,000 went to maintaining all the plants and floral arrangements for their offices.
Additionally, the ABC15 Investigators found the city council is actually giving away taxpayer money to charities of their choice.
This includes the National Rifle Association, which has received $2,800 from the City of Phoenix for fundraisers with dinners and auctions.
…
The ABC15 Investigators also found that Mayor Phil Gordon’s personal membership to the State Bar of Arizona is paid for by the taxpayers.
Most offices will set up a coffee area, with the sweetener and creamer on a table, maybe some stirring stick and an old coffee can with a slot in the top. This is so people getting a cup can drop a quarter or whatever in to contribute to the kitty. It works well in offices around the country.
In Phoenix, the people pay for the Mayor’s coffee.
And while I support the NRA, I don’t want my tax dollars taken from me and given to any charity.
This story is really about a bigger problem. The politicians today feel that the taxes collected are not the people’s money, but their money, to be spent however they please. This was the motivation behind the Tea Parties last month.
Apparently Phoenix City Hall didn’t get the memo.
Hat Tip: Dustin’s Gun Blog
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