Posted on 07/11/2009 4:44:08 AM PDT by Virginia Ridgerunner
It was just a few months ago when insurance giant AIG sparked outrage after company executives walked away with millions of taxpayer-funded bonuses.
Now, the Social Security Administration is treating its 700 managers to three days at the Arizona Biltmore Resort.
But the Agency's Pete Spencer says his group is no AIG.
"We get a regular appropriation, which includes money for training, and that's what we're using," says Spencer.
The conference is being paid for by taxpayer dollars. Critics say the training session is too lavish and should be scaled down.
But Spencer says the Arizona Biltmore was actually the cheapest resort available.
Says Spencer, "We used a regular government process for contracts. (We) got the cheapest rate -- looked at all the places where we could potentially do this -- and the cheapest rate was here by far."
Government loves to spend other peoples money and then justify it.
700 attendees at (?) per person??
Air-fair, hotel rooms, food etc., what is the total expenditure?
My guess is around $2.1 million. They could have had an online conference. What kind of forum with 700 people could possibly produce coherent solutions?
Boondoggle at tax-payer expense. SURPRISE!!!!
My experience with government senior managers is that the bulk of their time is either spent at these lavish conferences, held at least quarterly, or planning for them.
Why did they need to meet at a RESORT?
It’s beyond disgusting how taxpayer money is wasted.
> Boondoggle at tax-payer expense. SURPRISE!!!!
Work & Income New Zealand tried to pull a stunt like this about 10 years ago, and it helped to defeat the National government.
I have to sit through BORING teleconferences where I work - CAUSE IT’S CHEAPER!! They even do a video feed to the remote offices of the quarterly resuls presentation! Even shelling out $18000 for the video-conference equipment is cheaper than this crap!
I understand they got the rooms for $80.00 a night. That’s about right for this time of the year in Phoenix. Those rooms go for $400 per night in the cool season, but they are mostly empty this time of year. I wouldn’t call Phoenix in July much of a luxury. It’s too hot to even go outside. If you wanted to play a round of Golf, you have to tee off at 5:30 AM and even then it is about 90 degrees. You will finish in 110 degrees. Not my idea of a fun time. but maybe it beats Omaha.
I wonder if they have lots of dancing girls there, to go with the free booze? LOL.
It is one of my favorite hotels in the country bar none.
Yea,they’re living it up by being forced to listen to speakers drone on about the joys of diversity.
Socialist Security...the greatest fraud ever forced on “free” people.
“But Spencer says the Arizona Biltmore was actually the cheapest resort available.”
Is there a law that says these government conferences must be held at resorts? There are plenty of government facilities available in D.C. to hold these worthless gabfests. Everyone who has the time to spend at this conference should be fired, because in these disastrous economic times, they obviously are not necessary.
Taxpayers struggle to pay the mortgage every month, while these government fat cats squander the money we are forced to send them out of dwindling pay checks.
nausea alert
Wish we could get an insider’s look at the amt of money government spends on such lavish conferences. Am sure it is mindboggling amounts. While most in private companies are lucky to still have the ability to do remote dial in conferences from their cube.
It’s a lot, and this does not even include the big holiday parties they throw for themselves. I once did a job at a government installation during the Christmas season, and walked in on a major party in progress, complete with shrimp cocktails.
Yes indeed. At my workplace, our holiday “parties” are bring your own from home jigs now. No company-sponsored parties allowed, period.
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