Port Of L.A. Spends Nearly $200K [Stimulus Funds] On Party

KCAL9/CBS-LA ^ | 10/27/11 | David Goldstein

[La Enchiladita]

While the City of L.A. is laying off workers and cutting back services, we uncovered one city agency spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a party. And we obtained the video to prove it.

It was like a Hollywood premiere party, complete with a red carpet and paid with public money.

Port of L.A. Executive Director Geraldine Knatz was the host.

If the attendees did not look like stars, they might have felt like them. We found thousands of dollars spent for dancers, wine to toast the party, and even miniature Oscars.

...The Port of L.A. is the busiest port in North America and generates millions of dollars each year. But like every city agency, money is tight.

Workers have even had to give back some of their scheduled raises this year. But that did not stop officials from throwing that lavish party.

The party was held in Busan, South Korea earlier this year for 450 people.

[La Enchiladita]

The port is quick to point out that they do not take any taxpayer money from the city, instead generating their own income. But they did accept $23.5 million in federal taxpayer subsidized stimulus money over the past few years.

[ColdOne]

This government will never stop wasting money like this. It is just awful.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks La Enchiladita.

[Drango]

I feel stimulated.

[Bob]

If they "do not take any taxpayer money from the city", where do they think that the "$23.5 million in federal taxpayer subsidized stimulus money" came from?

Unless that $23.5 million was composted from unicorn droppings, a portion of it was taxpayer money taken from the city's residents and businesses.

[monkeyshine]

They served $60 a bottle wine, they paid for a business class ticket at a cost of $13,000 (while the going rate LAX to Busan is about $6000 on Delta I just checked).

Seems extraordinarily lavish.

What I don’t understand at all is why the Federal Goverment was paying to promote the Port of Los Angeles. Why not the Port of Long Beach or other ports? Its not like this kind of money will increase shipments to the USA. It may just increase shipments to POLA, but that will harm POLB or other ports who lose the business.

I know that we are hosting the harbormasters’ convention (or whatever that event they were promoting is called) next year... but that doesn’t mean we should pay for lavish parties. All the more reason to privatize the ports, among many other things government tries to do and does inefficiently.

[Chode]

well you didn't expect them to use their OWN money now did you???

[NohSpinZone]

But it’s a “professional promotional event” and “not a party”. Yeah, OK, that makes everything hunky dory!

[Chode]

well all righty then...

[bitterohiogunclinger]

“What I don’t understand at all is why the Federal Government was paying to promote the Port of Los Angeles.”

What I don't understand is why they held the party in S. Korea? Just promoting exporting more jobs overseas or were Los Angeles hookers already booked for another event?

[JimSEA]

And OWS wants government to take over big business and redistribute the money? There is so much I could say about this and the extreme arrogance of government but what good would it do? President Clinton will straighten everything out in 2013 I’m sure.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Interesting - we are hearing of a lot of money being wasted at the Port of Houston as well -

[La Enchiladita]

well you didn't expect them to use their OWN money now did you???

Oh no, especially when a typical Port of L.A. exec. salary is only $300K/yr. ++....nooo....

[Osage Orange]

It’s just $200k....what’s the big deal?

[DJ MacWoW]

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[lephantom]

I take it that the Port of LA is being “partied” for governmental bribes of drugs, guns and foreign terrorists, in their coming attack to take America from WE THE PEOPLE and so the “ELITES” will have and control all.

Why and what else will this islamic communist government pay for?

[ChiefJayStrongbow]

When Ben Franklin died, he will $2000 to Philadephia and Boston to be spent 200 years after his death. 200 Years later that $2000 was worth $6.5 million. The Philadelphia share was around %520,000. Ben Franklin left the decision on how to spend the money to city leaders (didn't want to presume he would know how to best spend the money 200 years later), but his original intention was that the money be used to make 5% loans to young craftsmen who wanted to start a business. The city leaders decided in 1990 to spend almost all the money on a July 4th Festival, and invited entertainers Ben Vereen and Aretha Franklin to headline at the festival and honor Ben Franklin. And that is the level of ineptitude that runs our country at every government level.

[1rudeboy]

If you're with the Port of Los Angeles (and wish to justify your exorbitant salary), then you want the S. Koreans to ship into, and ship out of, your port instead of SeaTac, Oakland, Lazaro Cardenas, etc. And if you are as corrupt as the Port of LA folks probably are, you probably figure that a party with hookers should do the trick (pun intended).