As a hard working taxpayer, I am very concerned about how my taxes are
spent. Through my research, I have discovered that the Galveston City
Officials are abusing my hard earned taxes by staying in $409.00 per night
king suites at luxury 4 star hotels, ordering expensive room service, which
is even against THEIR own City Policy, ordering alcoholic beverages and
steak dinners with room service, and having thousands of dollars billed to
the taxpayer by City Manager, Steve LeBlanc, for so-called, “ working lunches”. I
discovered through my research that he makes anywhere from $140,000.00 to
$200,000.00 per year plus pension, car allowances, etc. I
even found out that a former Galveston City Council woman, Dianna Puccetti went 4 days prior to
a scheduled conference charging me, the taxpayer, with her extravagant “get
away”. I will show how City Officials used public funds illegally.
Barbara Lawrence, the City Secretary with the City of Galveston who makes
$6,000 per month or about $72,000 per year plus pensions, car allowances,
etc., apparently attended a conference in Austin and billed the taxpayers a
room charge of $275.00 per night when she stayed at Hyatt Regency of Austin Townlake, A FOUR STAR HOTEL, from
01/30/08 until 02/01/08. Barbara Lawrence
went to a bar called Branchwater Bar on 01/31/08. We called Gena at the
hotel on 10/30/08 and she indicated that the charges were for 4 drinks
including 2 glasses of wine, one Smirnoff and one tonic. Again, this
violates THEIR own City Policy. In fact, taxpayers should not have to pay
for ANY alcoholic drinks for the city employees.
Barbara Baruch, Assistant City Attorney with the City of Galveston, stayed
at the Radisson Hotel Austin North from 03/05/08 until 03/08/08. She ordered
video movies twice on 03/07/08 and this was documented on the bill. She also
ordered room service on 03/07/08, which included a steak for a charge of
almost $26.00. Video movies and steak!
Lori Schwarz with the City of Galveston attended a conference in Las Vegas
from 04/27/08 to 05/01/08. Ms. Schwarz did not provide any receipts
regarding food or transportation. There was a fax in the documentation I
reviewed for $126.00 for food and $100.00 for “miscellaneous”. There were
no receipts.
Every private business in this country requires receipts from their
employees when they attend any conference or meeting. Also, the Internal
Revenue Service requires receipts. The policies of the City of Galveston
appeared to be in conflict with the rule of law. After reviewing the City of
Galveston’s Travel Regulations and Entertainment Policy, I discovered that
the City of Galveston does not require any receipts. However, there is no way to know how
a City Official spent that money that gets reimbursed. The City of Galveston
does not require a receipt for meals so the taxpayer is unclear as to how
much money is actually being spent on city business. There is no
accountability.
Dianna Puccetti, a council member for the City of Galveston, flew to
Washington, DC for NLC Congressional City Conference which was from March
8th to March 12th. However, she apparently went 4 days prior to the
conference and stayed at Washington Embassy Row hotel, a FOUR STAR HOTEL,
from March 4th to March 12th. Council woman Puccetti stayed in the King
Suite at a room rate of $409.00 per night. We called the hotel on 10/30/08
and talked with Tiera who said there were cheaper rooms available at that
hotel at a rate of $249.00 per night. However, the council woman decided to
spend taxpayers’ money on a room rate of $409.00 per night. She also ordered
room service several times which is against City Policy. It looks like
council woman Puccetti owes the taxpayers a refund for the $409.00 room
charge, room service charges, and the 4 days of her pre-conference “sight
seeing”. All expenses were signed off by City Manager, Steve LeBlanc.
The district attorney needs to prosecute Ms. Puccetti. This is theft! If Ms.
Puccetti can’t or won’t pay, then Steve LeBlanc needs to pay and reimburse
the taxpayers of the City of Galveston. In fact, Steve LeBlanc needs to
resign.
Steve LeBlanc, the City Manager, bills the taxpayers of Galveston for
so-called “working lunches”. I found that he makes $140,000 per year plus
pension, health insurance, car allowances, etc. I want to see documentation
generated and what city business was discussed during those “working
lunches”. In fact, emails from the public information person, Lupe Rushing,
indicate that there were “no documents” generated during those “working
lunches”. Therefore, this shows there was no city business during those
lunches.
Steve LeBlanc gets a salary. Why can’t he and the rest of the City Employees
pay for their own lunches, just like employees of Wal-mart, Valero, and
Kroger, to name a few. The Texas Ethics Commission does not allow private
campaign funds to be used for personal use. The Texas Constitution (Article
III, Section 52a.) PROHIBITS public funds for private use. These “working
lunches” are abusive and amount to taxpayers’ funds being used for private
use. These so-called “working lunches” are nothing more than “free lunches”
provided by the taxpayers. WHERE IS THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY OF GALVESTON?
Investigations will continue by private citizens tired of abuse by public
officials.
