Posted on 12/07/2009 9:55:04 AM PST by NormsRevenge
Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums is showing no signs of grounding his high-flying spending practices - running up nearly $60,000 on his city credit card in a one-year stretch for airline flights, restaurant meals, conference fees and stays at some of the toniest hotels in the nation.
That works out to more than $1,000 a week that Oakland's taxpayers shelled out from September 2008 to September 2009 to keep Dellums traveling in style.
The mayor ran up nearly every dime of his $59,079 in expenses after the City Council ordered employees in fall 2008 to halt all unnecessary travel to help Oakland deal with its budget problems.
Mayoral spokesman Paul Rose insists that Dellums' travels are necessary, and that Oakland is getting more than its money's worth.
"The bottom line, the mayor was elected to leverage his relationships across the globe," Rose said.
Still, some of Dellums' debits are sure to raise eyebrows.
In October 2008, for instance, just a week after a projected $42 million deficit prompted officials to close city offices on Fridays and float layoffs for 200 city workers, Dellums jetted off to Palm Beach, Fla., for a three-day U.S. Conference of Mayors confab on arts and tourism.
Credit card records show the mayor rang up more than $1,700 for his stay at the oceanfront Breakers Hotel.
Most of Dellums' trips appear to have been for official business in Washington, where the former congressman has been lobbying for federal stimulus money.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Too bad he didn’t spend that money on fighting rampant crime in Oakland instead.
Maybe buy bulletproof vests for the residents that are constantly at risk of being mowed down by gangs.
But what do you expect from a Red?
Ron’s a lberal, he is not subject to same laws as the rest of us peons...
I could make $1000/week work very nicely. I’d even take 20% off if any FReepers want to help with my election.
Well, he’s Black. It would be racist to question anything this worthless POS does.
Ron is a Kleptocrat. He is entitled to take unfair advantage of the system to get over on the man, except he is the man.
“Well, he’s Black. It would be racist to question anything this worthless POS does.”
...yep...and more than that; he’s a black DEMOCRAT...an excellent example of their style of urban governance.
Your remarks are right on, which, coincidentally makes the point behind Ron’s traveling.
Why stay in Oakland, when he can be in better places? He’s not showing up for work anyway, so he may as well be somewhere, right?
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