Posted on 03/16/2006 1:35:29 PM PST by John Jorsett
CHULA VISTA – Although his bodyguard was driving him to all mayoral functions in a new, fully loaded SUV the city had bought, Mayor Steve Padilla collected his $1,000 monthly car allowance for nearly four months, records acquired by the The San Diego Union-Tribune show.
The city's payroll records also show that Padilla reimbursed the city $3,500 in late January for car allowances received in October, November, December and part of January.
“It was a mistake,” Padilla said of collecting a car allowance. “It was an oversight on my part.”
Padilla said he realized the mistake in early January when he was reviewing the city's budget with City Manager Dave Rowlands. Padilla reimbursed the city on Jan. 27, Assistant City Attorney Bart Miesfeld said.
City Councilman Steve Castaneda said he prompted the reimbursement when he asked in a Jan. 17 closed-door council meeting whether Padilla was accepting car stipends while he was being chauffeured.
“I asked the question and people looked down and nobody said anything,” Castaneda said. “It became obvious what the answer was.”
Castaneda and Padilla are running for mayor in the June election.
The city purchased the SUV on Sept. 30, 2005 for a government discounted rate of $32,373.54, said Ed Van Eenoo, the city's director of budget and analysis. The car was purchased for Dave Kanter, who was hired on Sept. 27 as Padilla's personal bodyguard.
The four-door, 2006 Chevrolet Tahoe has leather interior, tinted windows, a CD player and an OnStar calling system. The city paid an extra $754 for a gun safe, which was installed in the back of the SUV, Van Eenoo said. In an October interview, Kanter said the SUV was always armed.
(Excerpt) Read more at signonsandiego.com ...
Me too.
Ooooooh, I await your comments, Doodlelady!
Padilla's in deep doo-doo.
Hope it's true that Cheryl Cox will be running against him next election. She's the wife of former mayor Greg Cox (current SD County Supervisor), and also our kids' former elementary school principal!
We think the world of her.
This should give her a good incentive!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.