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The Mayor: A CUT Above U$ |
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LA WATCHDOG
By Jack Humphreville
Wh ile the heads of thousands of City employees are on the chopping block because of the City’s projected budget deficit of almost $500 million next year, our peripatetic, globetrotting Mayor is enjoying wine soaked steak dinners at CUT, [LINK] the Wolfgang Puck, Richard Meier designed restaurant at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel, located at the foot of fashionable Rodeo Drive.
This “temple to beef” with its “smart selection of wines” and “over the top service” just so happens to be the most expensive in Beverly Hills. And the wine list!
His dining partners, Willie Brown and Fabian Nunez, old ethically challenged pals from the smoke filled rooms of Sacramento, are known for their expensive tastes, [LINK] whether it be Willie’s custom made Brioni suits or Nunez’s stays in [LINK] the Presidential suite at the exclusive Hotel Arts in Barcelona.
But who is footing the bill for the Mayor’s opulent, man about town life style?
Many have wondered how Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa supports his million-dollar lifestyle on a mere $225,000 a year, especially since his disclosure form does not list any significant sources of outside income.
After federal and state income taxes, tuitions at Princeton and Marlborough (sticker price of at least $80,000 after tax), and the support of his about to be ex wife who does not live in Getty House, there is not much, if any, left over to squire a former Miss America around town, dine at the City’s most exclusive restaurants with their fabulous wine cellars, and first class travel around the world. And his tailored suits, custom made shirts, and designer ties do not come from 3-Day Suit Broker.
But that may have been the topic of the dinner conversation between these three public servants: How do you support a million dollar lifestyle without the press, the voters, and the Ethics Commission knowing what the hell is going on?
Rest assured, the financially strapped City, its stressed workers, and its beleaguered taxpayers are footing the bill, one way or the other.
(Jack Humphreville is the President of the DWP Advocacy Committee and the Ratepayer Advocate for the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council. Humphreville is the publisher of the Recycler -- www.recycler.com . He can be reached at
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) ◘
CityWatch
Vol 8 Issue 10
Pub: Feb 5, 2010
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