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One Way to Take Care of Business
At the Golden Dragon Parade in Chinatown | Photo by Huro Kitty via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr
Remember how Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa took two vacations over the summer? First there was one to Iceland and then another to Africa. That bugged KTLA's Eric Spillman enough to go digging for costs, if any, to taxpayers.
At first he was given the run around, being denied access from public records about the Mayor's security detail. "The LAPD stated, in its denial of our request, that releasing records relating to the cost of the mayor's security for his trips abroad might somehow compromise his safety," Spillman wrote.
Nevertheless, the City Controller's Office released the information. $20,736 was spent to send officers with the Mayor on the two trips. That, Spillman finds, "would cover the cost of a rookie LAPD officer's salary (to help fight crime here in Los Angeles) for more than 4 months."
Yesterday
- Your Tax Dollars at Work: How Some Confidential LAPD Records are Stored
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"That, Spillman finds, "would cover the cost of a rookie LAPD officer's salary (to help fight crime here in Los Angeles) for more than 4 months."
It would also cover (on the cheaper end) flying, housing, feeding, and compensating a full security detail on trips to Iceland and Africa. This is such an incredible non-issue it blows my mind.
Next up for Stillman: "Rumors report Villaraigosa owns a home. A home!"
Breaking news. The secret service detail for president Obama is paid for by tax payer money. Oh n0z!!
I'm sorry, but the Mayor is a public figure of one of the world's largest cities and sniping about the cost of his necessary security detail is really grasping. This is the way it works now, folks. What's he supposed to do, never take a vacation? This story could easily be about the hidden costs of violent extremism - which make this security a requirement - not the "waste of tax dollars."
I'm sorry, but the Mayor is a public figure of one of the world's largest cities and sniping about the cost of his necessary security detail is really grasping. This is the way it works now, folks. What's he supposed to do, never take a vacation? This story could easily be about the hidden costs of violent extremism - which make this security a requirement - not the "waste of tax dollars."
You people really think anyone gives a **** about Villaraigosa outside of LA, let alone CA or the USA? No one would even know him and there's absolutely no need for taxpayer's to support his trips outside the country. If he doesn't feel safe going to Iceland (Iceland!) maybe he should just stay home.
Toffer is the way! ¡Viva Toffer!
though i agree that his "safety" should be a concern, i also agree that few people would actually know let alone care who he is outside LA.
the rule should be taxpayers pay for security within the county and related work events outside LA, but as soon as he's out then he's on his own. :)
This guy is the most useless politician in the history of the state of California. Unless shoving your giant mug in every available camera counts as governing?