City Council of Los Angeles to eliminate per diem pay
No more free lunches
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—The City Council, reacting to reports that Housing Authority commissioners charged the city more than $150,000 over the past two years for travel and food, approved a motion today to eliminate per diem pay associated with travel.
"Every dollar counts, and it is outrageous for the city to continue to cover food costs and other incidental expenses,'' said Councilman Dennis Zine, who authored the motion.
All per diem costs associated with city-related travel will no longer be reimbursed.
"We don't pay for their meals when they are working in Los Angeles and, today, we are saying there's no free lunch when you're traveling either,'' Zine said.
On Monday, the board that oversees the Housing Authority fired the agency's chief executive, Rudolph Montiel, in part for trying to evict nine tenants who protested outside his home. He also was criticized for not reining in spending at the agency, which operates mostly with federal money and has a budget of about $1 billion.
In fiscal 2009-10, about $1.8 million was spent on travel by city officials. Since then, travel has been restricted to city lobbyists with matters before the Legislature in Sacramento or Congress in Washington, D.C.; travel by police detectives to pick up suspects named in warrants or extradited
from other jurisdictions; or travel by city officials aimed at preventing city financial losses.
Any exceptions are supposed to be cleared by the deputy mayor for budget and finance.
"Today's action represents another step toward creating a more responsible government,'' Zine said. "Our financial situation is bleak and we are running out of options. We must focus on critical core services and prioritize our funds.''
Sixteen-year-old Los Angeles resident Diona Okunbo was selected to work in the prestigious U.S. House of Representatives Congressional Page Program in Washington, D.C., and is among a small group of students selected from across the country, who began participating in the program in the fall.
In addition to obtaining sponsorship from U.S. Representative Maxine Waters, Okunbo had to complete a lengthy application which included several essay questions explaining why she wanted to participate in the page program and what her contribution would be.
This Christmas, House Republicans attempted to give America’s seniors, the working class and the unemployed a stocking full of grief as they played political poker with vital benefits that affect the livelihood of millions in our country.
The madness we now call “holidays” takes on a different meaning in times like these, when you have people without homes and homes without people.
Instead of society focusing on what it should be focused on—rectifying greed run amuck, or putting a stop to the gamesmanship of a dysfunctional Congress—we instead preoccupy ourselves with another holiday that becomes more absurd than the last.
As you sit down with family and friends before a table laden with holiday meats and treats, it may be difficult to consider eating healthy. But it can—and should—be done. Packing on the pounds may be among the most unwise and hurtful things you can indulge in during this season, especially if you’re already older or having challenges with weight, blood pressure or blood sugar.
However, there are tips that can be implemented to put at least some focus on nutrition throughout the holiday.
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
—Chinese Proverb
