County execs enjoy $1,600 meal on taxpayers’ dime
Officials say dinner yields greater rewards for residents
A group of county supervisors and executives enjoyed a $1,668 meal – including a $300 tip – courtesy of Placer County taxpayers. In light of the budget crisis, some have questioned how government officials have been spending taxpayers’ money. The Journal recently obtained a copy of a dinner receipt for 10 Feb. 28, 2007 at The Capital Grille in Washington, D.C. The evening was an “appreciation” for former District 4 Congressman John Doolittle and the guest list included Doolittle’s then-deputy chief of staff, current Placer County Supervisors Jim Holmes, Rocky Rockholm and Robert Weygandt as well as current county executives Tom Miller and Richard Colwell. Items listed on the receipt range from $45 for a cold shellfish platter to $280 for the order of seven $40 porterhouse steaks. There were also orders for a $34 10-ounce filet mignon, two $8 orders of truffle fries, a $9 order of a wedge of bleu cheese and $13 for pan-fried calamari. Colwell claimed there was a $300 mandatory service fee for reserving a $653.55 room for the meal. However, the $300 charge was listed as the tip on two receipts from the restaurant. A copy of the receipt is posted on AuburnJournal.com. The 2007 dinner is considered “outrageous” and “ego-driven” by some taxpayers while officials say the benefits far outweighed the cost of the dinner. Ken Campbell, former Placer County Republican Party chairman, was angered by the expense. “To have these guys live like kings on our pocketbooks and our hard work is offensive,” Campbell said. Colwell, who used his private credit card to initially pay for the dinner and then was reimbursed by the county, said the meal was a “key part” of the county’s effort to lobby its elected representatives for federal funds to help local projects. In an e-mail response to questions from the Journal, Colwell said the county has “achieved impressive results and has managed to obtain more than $109 million in federal funding since 1998 to assist in funding important community projects as the Interstate 80 Capacity Improvements, the Lincoln bypass, the Foresthill Road Improvement Project, the Regional Waste Water Treatment Plant, the Children’s Health Center/Emergency Treatment Shelter and the Regional Public Safety System.” He said the County Executive’s Office “carefully followed the county’s administrative rules,” when it came to the dinner with Doolittle. Colwell said a private room was rented to “more easily conduct business.” “Staff verified the legality of renting the room with County Counsel and the Auditor before the trip and agreed the County should not pay for the dinners of Congressman Doolittle, his staff member or Mrs. Rockholm,” Colwell said. “CEO Tom Miller and I personally paid for those dinners and other costs which exceeded County guidelines.” Colwell said a copy of his $200 canceled check is available. According to three different county documents, Dorothy Rockholm’s $22 meal was the only item that was deducted in reimbursement requests. Colwell and Miller both signed a Placer County accounting expenditure entry dated April 4, 2007 that lists the total $1,668 dinner costs and only deducts $22 for a roasted chicken. They requested a total reimbursement of $1,646. Rockholm’s wife, Dorothy, ordered the $22 roasted chicken that was deducted. The Journal also has a copy of an April 5, 2007 order to pay $1,648 to Rich Colwell to “reimburse for Doolittle dinner.” When asked why he didn’t initially deduct the dinners of Doolittle and his staff member along with deducting Dorothy Rockholm’s meal, Colwell said he would have to examine the receipt. He asserted that he paid a check over $200 to Placer County in regards to costs of the dinner. “I can guarantee to you every expenditure there was accounted for in the appropriate manner,” Colwell said. Supervisor Jim Holmes said he thought the dinner was a “nice gesture” for Doolittle. He said it was treated as a going away or departing meal. Also, Holmes said, it was a thank you for Doolittle finding federal money for the county. “We just appreciate all the support he gave us,” Holmes said. Holmes said of the several legislative advocacy trips he’s taken to the nation’s capital, this dinner was “a little out of the ordinary.” He said usually he is “very prudent” with his expenses and is billed by the county for anything that goes over the allowed limit. “It’s a challenging time for us because we’re going to meeting after meeting after meeting,” Holmes said. “We want to make wise use of our time.” Current Board of Supervisors Chairman Rocky Rockholm declined to comment for the story. “I don’t feel like I’m treated fairly in your paper so I’m going to decline to comment,” Rockholm said. Supervisor Robert Weygandt said in the context of the trip, the cost of the dinner was a “tiny addition.” “It’s very important to develop those relationships and those kinds of settings are the way by which you do it,” Weygandt said. He added that he did discuss issues surrounding the regional wastewater treatment plant with Doolittle. He said he felt the congressman was able to take the time during the dinner to hear about the local politics surrounding the issue. However, officials’ explanations are not enough for some taxpayers. Diane Hart, a Meadow Vista resident who is a Farmer’s Insurance agent in Auburn, said it’s “just sad” to hear of elected and public officials spending that amount on dinner. “It’s extravagant, it’s ego-driven and it’s out of touch with the people,” Hart said. She said hearing of waste of public money impacts her clients, many of whom are living in their vehicles just to afford their insurance bills. “I hope that the people who are spending so much money can get a realization of what some of the rest of us are going through,” Hart said. Campbell added that it’s frustrating for taxpayers to work hard and then see their money used to pay for an expensive dinner. “I believe (county officials) are poor stewards of taxpayers’ money,” Campbell said. “They disrespect our hard work by using our money that way.” The Journal's Jenifer Gee can be reached at jeniferg@goldcountrymedia.com or post a comment.
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These are my favorite quotes. Jim Holmes says, "nice gesture" for Doolittle, and " a little out of the ordinary". Rockholm says, " I don't feel like I'm treated fairly in your paper so I'm going to decline to comment." Weygandt states, "tiny addition." Anyone ever heard of a deli tray? I have a "nice gesture" for you folks. I understand this was 2 years ago. What other "a little out of the ordinary" and "TINY ADDITIONS" are taking place?
Are you insinuating Colwell was lying about the "tip". He never lies until he opens his mouth or writes. Was his mouth moving?
You guys picking on Rocky again? You nasty people, leave the poor guy alone. Now if you really wanted to pick on him you would try to find out if his $100,000.00 check to pay for the plane trip cleared the bank or if it was just another photo op.
Miller, what can I say, he had a shower built so he could shower after he jogged at lunch time.
Weygandt, how about the solar deal and other improprieties that fortunately never came about due to "technical" difficulties.
Let's face it folks, Placer County is a dirty little dirty County nestled in the beautiful Sierra foothills.
Now A-J, please go find someone else to pick on, leave the poor folks in County Government alone, they are doing the best they can and being paid substandard wages.
I really think that in the past year Miller and Company have opened the windows of the County for all to see what a band of honesty challenged individuals are running the County. Put pressure on your elected officials to solve the problem(s) other wise these people will continue to get away with fiscal murder
Ya know, the tip was just over 20% and that tax was under 5%, get that in Placer County!
Thank you Ms. Gee and A.J. staff for bringing these issues to light. Great reporting! In fact today I will be renewing my subscription. I enjoy small town reporting but this kind of revelation regarding issues that directly impact how we live is essential to our well being as a county. How else would we find out what dirty dealings these clowns are pulling right under our noses?
The “Supervisors” comments are stupid attempts at covering up their tracks. The title of their job implies something, to supervise. The buck stops there, with them. Oh yeah, I forgot, they spent it. You would think that with the salaries they get they would buy their own meals. That money would have fed a lot of people at a place like the Salvation Army.
The BOS is responsible to give direction to staff. When you have corrupt, immoral (good thing the A.J. has not reported on the boy’s extracurricular activities at taxpayer’s expense) leaders it only stands to reason that the modus operandi will flow downward. The whole lousy Board needs the boot. Transparency in government, the people deserve it.
Richard Colwell boasts that he reimbursed the county a whole $200 for this $1,668 meal & has the cancelled check to prove it--what is that for him, one hour worth of salary according the compensation article from last week?
I don't understand why everyone is getting up-set about this.. According to the article this extravaganza took place back in 2007. I don't recall there being a budget issue back them. Maybe I am wrong, BTW I am not condoning this spending. I think it is still wroing. The AJ needs to provide us with Recent News. Otherwise it just looks like a smear campaign against the county.
Hey, AJ, how bout some figures from the City of Auburns expenditures..... or is that off limits?
Per the county Policy county employees are allowed $29.00 for an out of county dinner meal. I have no idea how the leaders of this county can possibly justify this expense. But they also are able to take their vehilces home when your county detectives who respond to crimes in the middle of the night have to drive to the office and pick up a county car before responding to a crime scene. The county elected leaders have lost the way and its up to the voters to show them who really leads this county. The only way to put limits oin these leaders is to show them with our votes what we expect. I say vote all county supervisors out of office and start fresh. These leaders are way out of line. I am sure this is just the tip of the ice berg.
Two kinds of politicians: those in it for themselves and those in it for the good of the people. Sure these kind of things might be legal and follow the letter of the law; but, if their Mothers raised them right, in the back of their minds they know that ethics are involved, especially when the people in the county are facing high unemployment. And, none of these politicians meet the ethics test...they all smell bad!
I can only say remember the $40 steaks when you go to the polls next time and for god sakes tell your friends...vote for the man and not the party next time and this sort of stuff goes away.
I dont begrudge the county for spending money for county representatives on a dinner on Dolittle's behalf, even though i dont care for Dolittle, he did bring a lot of $$ to the county, its paying for the others that bothers me. So all the detractors, how should the county show their appreciation for do nothing Dolittle?
I am suprised at the uproar over this, and the details this article includes. I wish I got the blow by blow on other local items, like Board of Supervisors public meetings for example! I do want my local government lobbying for federal attention and this is a pretty small event (which happend quite some time ago).
Can we say how disgusting- they can spend all this money on meals - and try to explain their way out of it- this money should be goping to our schools or food shelters- this economy seems to be only hurting people who are not in government positions . All these people need to repay this money and be held accountable for what they have done. This is cojmpletley disheartning
Large, multi-national corporations that have to take their profits to banks in the truckload don't spend money like this on meals for employees at this level. This expense report would have been rejected by a typical Fortune 50 company, even in 2007.
It looks like there were nine people at this event (a total would have been nice, AJ) based on the entrees. Seven porterhouse and one filet mignon steak and a chicken dinner. $1,668 divided by nine is $185 per person. My company blows a gasket if meals average over $75 to $100 per person at the VP level - no spouses. If the steaks were $40 each, then with a 20% tip ($37 of $185) that leaves $108 for appetizers, side dishes (Capital Grill has an a la carte menu like Ruth's Chris), drinks, dessert and private room fee. Ouch! I'm guessing there were a few $75 bottles of wine on the receipt and maybe a big piece of chocolate hazelnut cake (house specialty) for Doolittle.
Of course Dorothy Rockholm's $22 meal was subtracted from what the County reimbursed but apparently not her portion of the rest of the charges.
Here is a photo of where this dinner probably took place at the Capital Grille:
http://www.thecapitalgrille.com/Locations/WashingtonDC/images/DC-Fabric-Rm.jpg
Notice the nice painting of Bridal Veil Falls on the wall...a nice California touch for The Boss' good-bye shindig.
Do I need to say that every single person at this dinner is a Republican? No, guess not. This is Placer County, afterall.
For the record, Ken Campbell wrote an OpEd in the Journal in August 2007 calling on Doolittle to drop his bid for re-election in 2008. Also for the record, Dr. Campbell enthusiastically supported John Doolittle from 1990 through August, 2007. This dinner took place during his period of enthusiastic support.
This information is from a 2008 post by Kirk Uhler, a Placer County Superviser, on a Republican blog:
(contributions by Dr. Ken Campbell to John Doolittle)
December 2004, $250
March 2005, $500
June 2005, $350
March 2006, $500
March 2007, $500
May 2007, $400
That's $2,500 bucks just in the last 2-1/2 years before Campbell pulled his support. Why the change? By the summer of 2007 Doolittle's ethical transgressions were becoming a very big issue. Campbell's OpEd, though, failed to note these issues. He focused instead on Doolittle's pork-barrel spending.
Here's an excerpt from a 2002 Sacramento News & Review article on Placer County politics:
"Doolittle engenders loyalty and admiration in his conservative supporters.
“When you are running against Congressman Doolittle, you are running against Assemblyman Leslie and Senator Oller. They are all the same. You cannot peel one off without taking them all on. They are the Republican Party here,” said Campbell. “And you can’t fight Congressman Doolittle, Assemblyman Leslie and Senator Oller and get away with it.”
This could all might have been avoided if they just could have gotten him to go to Baja Fresh, but John doesn't like Baja Fresh.
Miuwtant
"every single person at this dinner is a Republican?" Are you sure about everyone or just the elected ones execs often stay Independent because they move from county to county? Besides So what, we could run through bay area newspapers and find similar scandals about Democrats. This is what it is bad ethical and political judgment the comment was irrelevant and your partisan stripes are showing.
Miuwtant is dead on.....I work for a mult-national Fortune 50 company and there are definitive policies relative to expenses....if one of my engineers, or managers, submitted this expense report then it would be rejected....Would be curious to find out what expense reimbursement policy exist relative to daily meal limits and / or per diem.....There are "Business Events" that fall oustide of daily limits, however their should be a policy / approval process for that too....Not saying the charge is wrong (depending on nature of the event), I am saying that you cannot always trust people to act as good stewards of taxpayer / coroporate money.
This sends a clear picture of the, "Let them eat cake" crowd. This story should be repeated just before the election.
CA04_Voter,
You're right. Colwell and Miller may be "Independents". Saying they are all Republicans may not be accurate even if it makes little difference as a practical matter.
But let's reflect, just a moment. Right now Republicans throughout the state accuse Democrats of spending like drunken sailors (I've been a drunken sailor and yes, we can spend some money fast!) in the past causing this horrible budget mess in California as well as Placer County. Yet here we have an example of a number of Republican lawmakers feted by Placer County at a luxurious restaurant in DC. As you said, bad ethical and political judgment crosses party lines but apparently so does profligate spending. If you think calling attention to that in these days when California Republicans are claiming the moral high ground on spending is partisan then so be it. I think it's topical.
that rocky... "treated fairly" he said. well, he should know when people are treated unfairly. hes been doin it to us for awhile. he needs to go run and tell that to someone else. and for the rest of the guys. they only picked that place and ordered those plates because they knew they weren't paying for it. if they were true gentleman or scholars they would have paid their own way and used the money they would have spent on the meal to better the world the people who voted for them live in. doesn't matter if it was last week or 2007. this is why our state is broke, why the country is in debt, and the citizen have to shoulder it.
WOW......they spend money like a drunken Kennedy at a strip joint. The bottom line is their attendance is not a mandatory and should be considered vacation. So....the tax payers should never pay for their leisure activities. The difference between these officials and a prostitute is the prostitute gives value for the money she takes. These individuals entered their county position by means of contrivance, concealment, conceit, dissembling, deceit and had no honest intentions of spending our tax money in an appropriate manner. They all should be identified as a domestic born domestic enemy. They clearly don't solve problems, they create them and subsidize them. The only solution is to fire not only Colwell but his master Tom Miller and recall all the supervisors. On all ballots there should be area's to recall the present elected officials as well as electing new ones.
Miuwtant
Your point is that one partisan hack attack deserves another. So from now on when goes wrong with any elected official we should always make a big deal out of partisanship. No one should bother to rise above politics as usual. Your position reminds me of Doolittle's comment "From now on, it's a matter of 'you kill my dog, I'll kill your cat"
A majority of the board of supes met over dinner and according to Superviosr Weygandt as quoted in this article, discussed county issues. I don't know the answer but my curiosity is piqued, was the meeting a violation of the Brown Act?
The supervisors and Doolittle are all just shaking their heads at the public and how we don't understand how "business" in politics works. This is how it is done. Conservatives my a##! Campbell is feigning outrage and his flip-flop support of Doolittle is traitorous. Of course, for Doolittle this dinner was already like going to Baja Fresh relative to the places his lobbyists took him. What's that do nothing, useless Republican who spent this country's treasure and sent our kids into a useless war doing now a days anyway?
CA04_Voter,
Guess you missed my comments regarding Democrat Monica Conyers and her husband, John, a Democrat who chairs the House Judiciary Committee. In one of my comments I said I hope the FBI looks into the issue to see if John Conyers had any role in his wife's corruption (she pled guilty to bribery).
Corruption knows no political boundaries but to not comment on the party of the transgressors is like giving a weather forecast without saying the location.
Many conservatives get upset when "the mainstream media" fails to add the (D) after the names of Democrats who get into hot water. Google "mainstream media fails to identify democrats" and see what you get. Of course Fox News doesn't usually fail to identify party...they just get the party identifier wrong sometimes. Google "fox news misidentifies".
Party identification in the context of a questionable act like this dinner is a valid issue. If you don't think so maybe you can explain why it doesn't matter. I don't think we need to be so decorous that we just ignore something this basic. You were right to point out that I was wrong to say that all of the people at the dinner were Republicans when that may not be true. I'll accept that. But let's put it this way: Doolittle, Holmes, Weygandt, and Rockholm are all Republicans while nobody at the event was a known Democrat.
Miuwtant
Actually I did see your comments on Conyers and at no time did you make any direct reference to their both being a Democrat. Perhaps that was because it was mentioned in the post. I also caught the nifty redirect to the Doolittle's from my count you used 230 word on the Conyers and 206 word about the Doolittles on a post about the Conyers.
Acts in the abuse are opportunity driven and not driven by party affiliation its just that simple. Its supposed to be a non-partisan office and it might actually get that way if we stop trying to make all issues partisan.
Concerning the fact it was 2 years ago. To me it is a charachter issue. Is this the kind of character and attitude we want spending our tax dollars? 2 years ago times weren't that good. If they were that good, wouldn't we want to think of what lies ahead of us and what we could be doing for the future of our county?
"Acts in the abuse are opportunity driven and not driven by party affiliation its just that simple".
I disagree. If an organization is relatively more corrupt than another then corrupt acts by members of that organization are likely to be condoned and covered up so they are in fact more liekly to take place in that organization than in the other. Second, if one organization makes a big deal about their "fiscal purity" and constantly attacks the other on this issue then if members of that organization are caught being fiscally impure their membership in that organization is news.
Placer County supervisers and the non-elected managers are supposed to be non-partisan. Never mind that Weygandt, Rockholm and Holmes all contributed money only to Republicans (Holmes (R) to his own campaign) since 2006 (opensecrets.org). If they were truly non-partisan then why did Weygandt give $1,250 to Doolittle's PAC and Rockholm $300 to Doolittle's campaign?
Placer County politics IS partisan CA04_Voter. You can't get away from that, even by accusing me of being partisan. I still say that party identification in an ethical transgression is news. If a transgression were to involve Jennifer Montgomery (whose 'non partisan' campaign was ruthlessly attacked by 'non partisans' last year) then she should be identified by party, also. She gave $250 to Democrat Charlie Brown's campaign.
I don’t even see what the problem is. If any of you had ever done business you would know this is the way it is done sometimes. It’s not like they have dinners with these expenditures very often. Give it a break. I don’t think it was that bad, not to mention it was years ago.
Pat,
It's a great deal of money for a dinner. Is this a one-time thing or does it happen all the time? We don't know. But $185 per person for a government-paid dinner is almost incomprehensible. If I had done this as a senior officer in the Navy I would have had my butt handed to me in a sling.
Bob
If this dinner of a quorum of supervisors included talking about specific issues under BOS purview (i.e. the regional wastewater treatment plant), then this could be a violation of the Brown Act. (See: http://ag.ca.gov/publications/2003_Main_BrownAct.pdf).
The Brown Act is a set of state requirements to prevent secret meetings by legislative bodies like the BOS. Someone at the state level should investigate this event. (And yes- the amount spent was obscene. These county executives and supervisors are totally dismissive and out-of-touch with their constituents.)
How could anyone drink DIET COKE with food like that ? Ack !
Some historical context is missing from the story, so I'll provide it. The date of the dinner was Feb 28, 2007. Doolittle was deep in the middle of the Abramoff scandal investigation by the Dept of Justice, because of his and his wife Julie's close financial entanglement with the lobbyist. Julie was taking 15% of every campaign contribution as a "fundraiser's fee." During the 3rd week of February, 2007, Doolittle had done a listening tour of the district.
The Placer County Supes were meeting with a man in deep financial trouble. First, let's look at his April quarterly FEC statement for Jan thru March 31, 2007.
(a) Total Contributions (other than loans) $129,354
operating expenditures $99,702
cash on hand $91,298
debts and obligations 172,490.
http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/dcdev/forms/C00242768/285024/sb/ALL DOOLITTLE's 2007 April Quarterly disbursements
This means that Doolittle was already in the hole $172,000. Here's some of the expenses he was paying out:
SIERRA DOMINION FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS INC.
10531 MEREWORTH LN.
OAKTON, Virginia 22124 this is his wife Julie's "business" paid her on 1.30.07= $3500
and paid her on FEB 28 07= $3500 "fundraising fee" that's the same day as the Placer County execs met w/ Doolittle in DC
he paid her again on March 12, 2007= $3500
WILEY REIN & FIELDING LLP
1776 K ST. NW …
my comment, continued, about the year 2007 and Doolittle
Wiley Rein & Fielding the defense lawyers. he was under investigation by the DOJ, paid on 1.30.07 = $3500
paid them $2002.92 on 2/13/07 paid them $1013.13 on 2/13/07 So that's over $6500 over 3 months.
and then there's more money Doolittle paid to:
VOTENET SYSTEMS
8345 CEDAR FALLS CT.
GRANITE BAY, California 95746 This is one of Doo's staffer's addresses paid him $3500 1/31/07
This Votenet was a single client "consulting" service and Richard Robinson's address. Robinson and another aide, Lopez, took in over $300,000 over 5 years in consulting and fundraising fees while working for Doolittle at the same time, according to Citizens for Ethics.org http://www.citizensforethics.org/node/22323 The 4000 + sqft custom built in 2002 house at this Cedar Ct, Granite Bay address is now listed for sale (since May 2009) for 1.19 MILLION dollars.
Doolittle paid Votenet again on 3/12/2007 $6500 and $500 for "political consulting" was not this guy subpoenaed at some point as part of the Abramoff investigation? According to the Anti Corruption Republican blog, which has been following the Kevin Ring indictment and upcoming trial closely, Robinson might be one of the Doolittle staffers mentioned in the original Ring indictment, besides Lopez. Kevin Ring, ex lobbyist for Lincoln city, ex aide for Doolittle, is certainly going to have to name his old boss in this upcoming trial.
part 3
On April 13 2007, Doolittle's Oakton, Virginia home was raided by the FBI after he was offered a plea bargain by the DOJ, which he refused. Doolittle was headed to an Indian casino in Oroville to give a chamber of commerce speech at the time of the raid.
Around May 21, 2007, Doolittle's chief of staff Richard Robinson resigned, "to spend more time with his family", then to get another job, to be replaced by Ron Rogers. Rogers is with the Republican Public Relations firm of Russo Marsh&Rogers and its subsidiary the swiftboating team of "MoveAmericaForward" of the hanging effigy crowd, that Doolittle and then McClintock used in both runs against the Democrat Charlie Brown.
So, let's remind the reader that the in- debt Congressperson who was still giving his wife a cut of every campaign donation, who had just come from a tour of the district where he was trying to blame Carol Lam's firing on her being "soft" on illegal aliens,(the usual Latino bashing plays well here) when it was the Bush dept of justice and Atty General Gonzales who were firing various state Attorney generals to thwart investigations, "GONZOGATE", and who was DENYING he was under investigation during the entire campaign, was now eating very fancy dinners in DC with the Placer County Supervisors.
And it sure looks like he then paid his wife a "fee" that day in Feb, so he could use her salary as another tax deduction. But he was also paying another company to fundraise. …
So why were the Placer County Supervisors eating a great big fancy meal in a private room in DC with somebody who wasn't going to admit he was under DOJ investigation until right after April 15th, tax day ?
Oh, and Ken Campbell acting like he was offended by this must be some sort of joke, as he was giving him money right afterwards, just as Miuwtant pointed out already, just like he had been doing for years. When he realized Doolittle wasn't going to be able to win again he just switched his financial support over to Tom McClintock.
McClintock has had to do multiple refilings of his campaign statements because of financial anomalies, his income not matching his expenditures, and started out HIS congressional career the exact same way- IN CAMPAIGN DEBT, which obligates him to pay more attention to lobbyists than he ever would to his district.
In a time when the financial leadership of Placer County is forcing mandatory time off for its employees and water boarding its deputy sheriffs with salary and benefit roll backs, we must be O.K. with executive raises and lavish dinners for the elite. This is hypocrisy and unethical. Good job Auburn Journal, you have only scratched the surface. Don’t expect Rocky to be accountable for his actions. He is an elected exception to public service, and he knows when he needs to “Lawyer Up.”
I didn't see that the receipt for the dinner was posted by the Journal so I see my math in a comment above wasn't quite right. There were ten people so the bill averaged $166.80 each, still an outrageous amount. And there was no wine which makes sense as Doolittle is Mormon and the others if they drink probably wouldn't have anything to drink in a dinner that is ostensibly for Doolittle.
That just makes the bill total even more amazing. The food and drinks alone were over $100 each including tax and tip but not including the room charge which rang in at over $60 apiece.
Thanks to Canyon Rat for her history around this event. Canyon Rat can you answer the question you posed in your last comment if you have one? Why in your opinion were the Placer Country Supervisers eating a great big fancy meal with Doolittle on 2/28/2007?
The room charge was for a private room. They could eat and talk, but it had to be private. Just go to The Capital Grille in Washington, D.C. website and click on "Private Dinning" along the top and you'll see the nice private room they could chat things up in.
and don't be silly about no alcohol... anyone who wanted it, didn't mind using cash for it.
I can think of ten things that are not hot, not caffeinated, not alcoholic, and go with steak and creme brulee a lot better than DIET coke. bleah !
Truffle fries! Per the menu, Golden fries tossed in shredded Grana Pandano, kosher salt and white truffle oil. Wow that sounds good!
This was 2 years ago. The bulk of the cost was for the private room, which was checked for legality before it was done. Are we ever going to know the contents of that letter that BOS refused to release to the public? I'm all for investigative reporting, but to me, one receipt from one night of an expensive dinner in Washington DC two years ago is just not going to illicit a huge response from me, when I suspect there is more worthwhile info waiting to be discovered. Now the information CanyonRat provided, THAT is worth getting ticked off about, two years ago or not. I can't believe this district was so foolish as to vote for Doolittle for another term, we really are some of the dumbest voters in the state. Every single one of these men in this article were voted into office by the majority of voters. I wish I had confidence things will change at the next election, but I'm not particularly optimistic. That's because I suspect everyone will participate in some form of reactionary, knee jerk, party line voting without any serious investigation into who they are voting for, like last time, and we'll end up with more crappy elected officials to replace the old ones. This last election the lousy voting happened from the school boards on up. The only one I can think of off the top of my head who wasn't a mistake is Jennifer Montgomery.
I don't want to speculate, I would LOVE to hear what sort of reasons the Supervisors can come up with. I partially answered it, as it was obviously about ensuring the usual money flow between parties continued in the usual pattern with diversions made to those most in need.
1.2 million house for sale. Granite Bay. 2 dishwashers, 2 walk in pantries, 3 fireplaces. Nanny/housekeeper quarters....
I start with a reminder that I am not a simple elected official chosen by the commoners. I am the "Chosen One" and my actions are pure and correct and not to be questioned or pubicly discussed. All of you voting commoners elected the Board of Supervisors to power. The BOS has determined I am the Chosen One and the only leader of the Placer Reich! They do not question my actions!!! Why does the Auburn Journal attack me like a Russian Soldier on the eastern front fighting for a bottle of Vodka?? Obviiously, I am not concerned with petty attacks from the expendable County workers at the Dewitt Camp. I know where to find workers by the trainload who would work for free and not have the energy to complain.
I do want you to know my good friend Colwell-Himmler embarrassed us all at the feast and was held accountable for his actions. I made him pay 200 dollars of other peoples money right out of his pocket as he was responsible for clipping the coupon and bringing the entertainment book to dinner. He has failed but has paid a painful price with your tax dollar. In closing, I expect nothing but the highest level of respect from the County worker. The same worker who should be thankful I allow them to bend over and be stretched during allotted physical training time. I will continue to plant the seed and push forward!!!!!!I
zieg Hiel!!!!
Miwtant, I'm not going to argue the Republican v. Democrats issue. The fact is that some elected officials and some appointed ones, all from Placer County literally thumbed their noses at the taxpayers of this County, regardless of party affiliation. W can and should vote all of the elected members of the BOS with the exception of Ms. Montgomery who so far has not shown the propensity of the other four to stretch the County's budget.
To the rest of you that pick on poor Rocky. Hey, he's just a retired cop on an ego trip, let the man have his fun and then vote his sorry behind out of office, maybe he can run for Mayor of Roseville again and restart the development there.
Ben_Mavy, there is an old joke that shows a couple of people in a posh club, one says to the other, ask me how work is going and then I can charge this as a business expense.
Placer County- A dirty little County nestled in the beautiful Sierra foothills. They should make that the motto for P C, it would help attract some more scumbags once the ones in power now retire.
I am sorry but you guys have it all wrong. I can't stand John Doolittle, have little patience for some of the Placer staff, and am a liberal.
But the the bottom line is this is the real world. I have eaten at the Capital Grill. My wife and I ate there a year ago. Dinner for two off the ala cart menu was $88 per person with one dessert. I had the Porterhouse and my wife had the filet. I spend $90 for an exceptional California cabernet which I could buy at the wind shop down the street from my house here for about $40. In the real world when someone works for you and delivers the goods you show your appreciation, and $1600 for an event for 10-12 people is not that bad in one of America's most expensive cities.
In the real world if John Doolittle had delivered $100M in infrastructure improvements that the citizens of Placer did not have to pay for because the citizens of New York were paying for them you would all be saying "good show". After all it is your crap they were trying to deal with. Perhaps the ones doing the elimination should pay for it? How about the voters of Placer or the readers of the AJ give the $100M back out of the goodness of their hearts or some pumped up sense of righteous indignation.?
This is nothing more than the AJ muckraking to sell some papers. They are on a "tear them down" binge and this is irresponsible journalism.
And here's another thing. You are all acting like your Supervisors are a bunch of bloated, overpaid, cigar chomping bureaucrats. The job takes at a minimum 50 hours a week. Each Supervisor sits on like 20 committees they have to attend, has a board responsibility to review and decide on hundreds of pages of documents a week, and has to oversee dozens of constituency requests a week. Most Supervisors are also managing at least one or two special project that they are trying to move forward. In addition each one has multiple requests for public appearances, speeches, attendance at events. And for that the wise voters of Placer County pay them $30K a year. Oh yeah, and they get health insurance (which more than 60% of American workers do) and they get to take a car home overnight. Wow! Lets see, If you worked 40 hours a week that would break down to about $14 per hour. Well I know a few of the Supervisors and most of them work a lot more than 40 hours a week. It is a full time job.
I know many of your Supervisors. I don't always agree with them. But corrupt? on the take? the conspiracy theories implied here? It's bull and most you know it. They are good people trying to do the best they can and you are stoning them in public. Shame on you!
sustaining,
It seems like you have some good inside information on the supervisers and their workload. You know several of them. But you have created a straw man and then knocked it down.
I don't see any serious comments in this string which accuse anyone of corruption. No, those were your words. The issue most of us appear to be concerned about is judgment. You say this was a reasonable expense. If, in fact, this had been a one-time item accompanied by a public statement of thanks to Doolittle I might agree. And even as a public, one-time item it's quite expensive. One can dine well in DC without spending this kind of money. Why was a private room required? It is excessive for people in government. I worked in government for 20 years and have traveled with people of a similar rank as our Congressman and the supes, people who routinely worked over double the hours. This expense would not have been approved. Why would Placer County be different?
And why should Doolittle have been celebrated? His work focused on casinos in other states, the Marianas Islands and contractors based in San Diego. Placer County was already paying a lobbyist to get him to take action on our behalf but his mind was on what Abramoff wanted. CA gets $.80 for every $1.00 we send to DC. We took him to dinner for what? Throwing us a bone?
This dinner was nothing more than a bunch of politicians living it up at taxpayer expense. You can't put lipstick on this pig.
I think a lot of people need to get t life.
Pat,
You are here and apparently have read the string yourself.
Bob
Yes, but I’m not getting my blood pressure up over it.
Me either
Too many people are having quite "a life" while others are getting laid off and the peanut gallery is cheering every pink slip, every application for unemployment, every visit to the food pantry, every empty house.
And then there's that whole morality issue of people constantly either trying to further rationalize it, while dumping all over the ability of others to live with dignity, or telling us to repent NOW cause the Anti Christ just moved into the White House.
I
I'm afraid the Bos are way out of line on this one. What was the objective of the dinner again? A thank you? County employees get thanks at their annual x mas party with dues out of their own pocket paid to their unions who fund the event. The CEO and Bos should be ashamed. Have we only scratched the surface on their irresposible activities?
sustaining, I can't stand Doolittle, can't stand Placer County upper management, I think that they are "putting it" to the rank and file while giving themselves raises. I believe the fact that the timing is wrong also shows their disdain and lack of concern for the County employees.
Oh, did I mentioned I'm a conservative. All I can go by is what we hear and read and so far total lack of common sense, pushing the ethical envelope and disregard for taxpayer's money seems endemic in the Domes, you know, those funny buildings that house the King and his Court of Assistants.
Have a great Independence Day
I'm sorry Miuwtant if you read the string there is clearly the implication of corruption and the sense that the Supervisors are doing something against the law. What they did is not against the law. $88 per person for dinner in D.C. two years ago is not totally unreasonable. I meant it, I can't stand JD, I would not thank him. But that's not the issue is it? The issue is: is what the Supervisors did wrong?
The core point I am making is that Placers Supes, work hard, do good work for the community, and are underpaid and under appreciated. I do not think that one of the pontificators here could do better. If you can, then I suggest you go out and do it, and suffer the slings and arrows of the outrageous expectations of your fellow citizens. It is fundamentally unfair to ask people to serve the community at great sacrifice, then excoriate them for things that are irrelevant. Save the excoriation for REAL corruption and wrongdoing. If we want good public servants we have to treat them fairly as well.
My observation: these pages are dominated by a bunch of bitter old coots whose better days are behind them, who bitch about the government, but want the services, without paying any taxes. Just another form of selfishness.
To Canyon Rat and Loomis: I agree that the upper level management should not be taking raises while the rank and file is cutting, but I do not think that anyone is celebrating anyones pain as CR said.
I wonder how they traveled to DC for the dinner. Did they charter their own private jet, fly first class, or pay their own way. Where did they stay for lodging and how much did we pay for that as well. Anyhow I hope they had a great time. I also work long hard hours and am underpaid and underappreciated. So what? I don't think the Supes are the victems here.
Sustaining. Do u work for one of the Bos, in business with one of them, or just one of their friends? I don't think anyone is implying corruption. Maybe a lack of judgement, morals, integrity, elitism, ego, and/or indifference to the worker bees that actually tow the line and make the machine run. Is the perception of corruption an extension of a guilty conscience?
What is the per diem schedule for county employees? Is it $88 per person per meal? You and I know the answer to that one. There is a difference between what is legal and what is right. It's a morality thing. But then again, to hope certain members of the Bos and CEO's office to act morally is asking a lot.