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Wasteful Spending


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2009 Aug 9, 11:44pm   5,188 views  25 comments

by elliemae   ➕follow (3)   💰tip   ignore  

I do know that this isn't Housing Crash related, but then again neither are many other posts here.  This article is disturbing because it shows out-of-control spending by pompous assholes.  Among other transgressions, they flew to LA from San Diego a couple of times, often spend huge amounts on meals and travel business class on a regular basis.

http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/articles/2009/08/09/economics/846airport080909.txt 

When the reporter questioned the expenses:  "He suggested that a voiceofsandiego.org reporter couldn't relate to business class travelers because the reporter didn't make enough money. Watkins compared voiceofsandiego.org's examination of authority expenses to a "person who works for the Internal Revenue Service who’s making $40,000 a year and goes in and audits someone who lives in a $1 million home or $2 million home. They’re going to be skewed in terms of, 'Wow, I don’t have that.'"

Watkins said the authority's expense reimbursement policies were a "guideline" and needed to have flexibility.

The article goes on:  Though they had the option to pay $950 to fly economy, authority Chairman Bob Watkins and board member Bruce Boland upgraded to business-class fares. So the public paid $11,000 for the tickets instead of $1,900.  If you flew out of Lindbergh Field last year, fees you paid went toward Watkins' hotel room because he chose to arrive early in London. Your money was used for him to attend a $350 reception for the San Diego Chargers, who were playing an exhibition game against the New Orleans Saints at Wembley Stadium.

And your money was used to pay $1,200 for tickets so Watkins and a guest could attend the Chargers-Saints game. Watkins said he took a member of Parliament involved with airport security issues. Their seats were on the 5-yard line.

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I know, immediately this will become a "Lib vs. Neo-con" issue and I'll hear all about how horrible govt spending is by either Dems or Republicans.  But that's not the issue, the issue is out-of-control spending even tho there are controls there.  If they're blowing $ on luxuries, such as expensive meals while employees are in town, what else are they blowing your money on?  And why is this asshole allowed to remain the chairman with an attitude like that?  The economy is in the tank and they shouldn't be allowed to continue.

Simply stated, they should all be fired for not following policies and the flagrant abuse of power shouldn't be allowed to occur.  IMHO, of course.

#housing

Comments 1 - 25 of 25        Search these comments

1   Tude   2009 Aug 10, 12:21am  

Man oh man, this reminds me of the millions being wasted at the University of California by executives and senior administrators. There's absolutely no recession happening for them at all. It's still crazy all over.

2   justme   2009 Aug 10, 2:36am  

>>they flew to LA from San Diego a couple of times,

If officials needs to get from San Diego to LA, they should DRIVE. In a CARPOOL. What kind of idiot takes a plane from SD to LA? I know, a *pompous* one.

3   nope   2009 Aug 10, 3:29pm  

Firing them all wouldn't change much. The next batch of assholes would suck it up just the same.

That said, I'm much more concerned with the trillions we're spending inefficiently on medicare and the military than the waste from government officials. The idea that we're spending $40 on a bag of saline or $10 on a can of coke is infuriating.

4   WillyWanker   2009 Aug 10, 3:35pm  

justme says

>>they flew to LA from San Diego a couple of times,
If officials needs to get from San Diego to LA, they should DRIVE. In a CARPOOL. What kind of idiot takes a plane from SD to LA? I know, a *pompous* one.

Actually, I can picture YOU doing EXACTLY that very thing if you were given half the chance.

5   justme   2009 Aug 11, 3:46am  

>>Actually, I can picture YOU doing EXACTLY that very thing if you were given half the chance.

Wanker, nobody can stop you from picturing/imagining things, and so far even posting your imaginations all over the web.

But that does not mean you have the faintest clue about anything in general, nor me in particular.

6   WillyWanker   2009 Aug 11, 4:08am  

justme says

>>Actually, I can picture YOU doing EXACTLY that very thing if you were given half the chance.
Wanker, nobody can stop you from picturing/imagining things, and so far even posting your imaginations all over the web.
But that does not mean you have the faintest clue about anything in general, nor me in particular.

Not true. You are wholly transparent and as easy to read as a greeting card. You are about as profound as a greeting card as well.

7   justme   2009 Aug 11, 4:59am  

Wank-ever, dude.

8   elliemae   2009 Aug 11, 3:57pm  

justme says

>>Actually, I can picture YOU doing EXACTLY that very thing if you were given half the chance.
Wanker, nobody can stop you from picturing/imagining things, and so far even posting your imaginations all over the web.
But that does not mean you have the faintest clue about anything in general, nor me in particular.

Justme:
That's his semi-intellectual attempt at saying, "I know you are, but what am I?"

This San Diego thing reminds me of the group of idiots that were Clark County(Nevada) Commissioners, former Commissioners, Strip Club Owners and others a few years ago. These people ran on promises of honesty, and one received thousands in bribes for her & her family (Mary Kincaid), one sold her office to the highest bidder and then turned state's evidence to lessen her sentence (Erin Kenney), and one golden boy (Dario Herrara) received oral sex from prositutes on a golf course while his wife was awarded lucrative no-bid consulting contracts.

Everything they did & said just made things worse. As does this San Diego thing.

9   justme   2009 Aug 12, 9:05am  

You mean, willy would love to fly first class the 15min trip from SD to LA?

10   elliemae   2009 Aug 12, 10:48pm  

I think that any unreasonable person would. :)

11   justme   2009 Aug 13, 2:22am  

Heh.

12   zzyzzx   2009 Sep 2, 5:09am  

That's nothing comapred to the wasteful spending on the "Big Dig" in Boston.

13   Clara   2009 Sep 7, 12:33pm  

That's why I'm so against big government.

Less government, less spending, less waste. Nuff said.

14   justme   2009 Sep 8, 2:05pm  

How about being against big corporations:

Less management, less spending, less waste. Nuff said.

15   The Little Guy Lobby   2009 Sep 8, 2:11pm  

Hey don't you guys get it. THEY won, you lost, as they got-get to waste the money and have fun, and all you get to do is bitch about it. Life is UNFAIR. Yes. It's wrong, Yes. It sucks Yes. SO WHAT. YES.

Life is what it is. Period. If you argue with reality, you are going to lose every time. Why not be a winner instead.

16   justme   2009 Sep 8, 2:22pm  

Whos's arguing here? I am merely observing.

17   Thordeer   2009 Sep 8, 2:22pm  

These things get worse and worse until a major crisis arises, then it's up to the details of the situation. Like the California budget. Or the collapse of the Soviet Union.

I think the most socialistic economies in the world function as well as they do because there is a lot of uniformity of population and interests, and a blanket social state can have broad support. I think with such broad support, the officials are more responsible than here, the Soviet Union, Brazil, Africa, .....

18   The Little Guy Lobby   2009 Sep 8, 2:59pm  

I grew up in So Cal, graduated from USC, and left the state a couple of years ago. I feel like I got into the last life boat on the Titanic. RIP Cali. You were the best in the 50's and 60's.

We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun.

19   elliemae   2009 Sep 8, 11:28pm  

The Little Guy Lobby says

I grew up in So Cal, graduated from USC, and left the state a couple of years ago. I feel like I got into the last life boat on the Titanic. RIP Cali. You were the best in the 50’s and 60’s.
We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun.

Goodbye to you, my trusted friend.

The Little Guy Lobby says

Hey don’t you guys get it. THEY won, you lost, as they got-get to waste the money and have fun, and all you get to do is bitch about it. Life is UNFAIR. Yes. It’s wrong, Yes. It sucks Yes. SO WHAT. YES.
Life is what it is. Period. If you argue with reality, you are going to lose every time. Why not be a winner instead.

I guess that I still believe that one person can make a difference. It happens. We can't fix everything, but we can fix some things. As a social worker, I'm saving the world - one old person at a time.

20   Egotonic   2009 Sep 9, 12:04am  

It is heartwarming to see USC boys leave the state. I pity the state you went to..

21   Clara   2009 Sep 9, 7:53am  

I saw a really hot blone girl having lunch with a fat ass middle aged man. Now, that's a wasteful.

Wait... what's the topic again? ;)

22   Clara   2009 Sep 9, 2:31pm  

yeah, that's the topic I want to talk about!

Bap33 says

blondes cant keep up with latin blooded brunetts

23   elliemae   2009 Sep 10, 1:42am  

masayako says

I saw a really hot blone girl having lunch with a fat ass middle aged man. Now, that’s a wasteful.
Wait… what’s the topic again?

No - that's "waist-full!" hahahahaha...

I can too keep up with a latin-blooded brunette. If they slow down. And if they'll help me out of my chair.

24   elliemae   2009 Sep 15, 11:58pm  

http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/articles/2009/09/15/environment/muck/822watkins091409.txt

So, turns out part of the $$$$$ he's spent has been on family. He took his niece's husband to a football game at a cost of $1,200 to the taxpayers, although he did repay when it was revealed to the viewing public. My favorite quote from this article:

"I made some poor choices on answers," he said. "I misspoke. I didn't elaborate on a lot of questions I probably could've and I used examples that probably aggravated you and certainly aggravated the public."
He said the analogy he made about an IRS auditor that suggested that I couldn't relate to business class travelers because I didn't make enough money was "inappropriate."
"It made me look arrogant," he said. "I'm not arrogant."

Perhaps he's not arrogant. He's just a pompous, self-promoting ass who needs to find another job. He's betrayed the public trust and apparently thinks he can spin it his way.

25   HeadSet   2009 Sep 16, 2:09am  

elliemae says

He’s betrayed the public trust and apparently thinks he can spin it his way.

If he keeps his job, his "spin" thinking is correct. He will just consider such items as rightful perks, and the public who object as busybodies with short memories.

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