In today’s LA Times, Steve Lopez, who’s awesome at pitbulling (aka tattling out) public officials to make them accountable, wrote a great column describing eating with Brewer at–where else?!–the Pacific Dining Car.
$16.95 crab cake appetizers and $28.95 salads later, he requested the Superintendent’s expense accounts. Here’s what happened:
When the documents arrived, much of the information had been blacked out. Why? Because several high-level officials use the same credit card account, I was told, and I hadn’t asked for their expenses; only Brewer’s.
But there wasn’t much listed for Brewer, other than airfare and hotels, so I asked if perhaps his restaurant tabs had been blacked out as well?
No, I was told by the district’s lawyer. He pays for meals and other things from an expense account that was written into his contract. He just gets that money and doesn’t have to account for it.
How much?
Forty-five grand, I was told.
$45,000: no receipts even necessary!
You should see how hard it is for teachers to get money to buy a classroom pencil sharpener.
on Dec 7th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
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