Posted on 01/02/2010 10:24:25 PM PST by george76
Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter does not have a staff photographer - but he has billed taxpayers more than $200,000 to hire outside contractors and pay for photographs, videos and TV ads promoting his accomplishments since June 2008, including videos of him receiving a "Father of the Year" award and a press conference naming his friend, Michael Bennet, to a U.S. Senate seat.
Photos of the "Father of the Year" award taken by Imagine That! Entertainment cost taxpayers $200. The event was promoted by The Bawmann Group, a private consulting firm that also got a state contract, funded by a federal grant, worth $669,000 to promote fatherhood last year.
The state film commission photos cost $50, and two of the photos ended up on the governor's Web page. They were taken by Ritter's campaign photographer and show Ritter signing a bill providing tax incentives for film production throughout the state. The event was attended by lawmakers, dignitaries and lobbyists.
The most costly item was $200,000 for a series of television ads ...
Colorado faces a $560 million budget shortfall this fiscal year and a $1 billion shortfall next year.
Ritter's office said it is saving money by not hiring a staff photographer.
(Excerpt) Read more at greeleytribune.com ...
I have a better idea. Don't take the damn photos in the first place. Who needs them?
Could buy a $130.00 camera and family take the pictures!!!!
I think I would have called some local small-time photographer and gotten a better deal on the cost.
This is why I’m in favor of handing a governor a very clear and limited budget that he can draw money out of....and actually publish the purchases once a year to show transparency. If the guy needs to travel to a conference in Vegas...fine...but he needs to draw from his little budget and report it to the public later.
I think if you sit down and figure up the travel budget for half the governors in America...they are easily spending $200k a year or more.
Bill Ritter Named Father of the Year.
Therein is the problem. How much have the taxpayers, that would be us, forked over to Obama to travel while neglecting his job?
Because you have common sense and have to spend your own money. Not the case with government officials. We were warned about this many years ago.
How come money is no object when your in the government? Oh I know it’s not their money!!!!
And we thought it bad when the younger Ritter used the executive mansion for a keg party? The arrogance of office as a Democrat is amazing to even the casual observer.
Inquiring citizens want to know! (The day is coming when we will insist.)
Didn't John Edwards also get similar award?
“Didn’t John Edwards also get similar award?”
Or was it Tiger Woods?
I bet 75 percent of that cost was for broken cameras!
Just keep jacking up those tax rates. But I think Atlas is going to shrug very soon.
I think your right! Atlas has already shrugged!
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