Senator Seum and Chris Thieneman worked hard to pass legislation in Frankfort that would put the City of Louisville and the Mayor under the same sunshine laws as the Governor of our Commonwealth only to be thwarted by Louisville Democrats in Frankfort that liked the secrecy.
Well as skeptical as I was about the Louisville Checkbook program Mayoral candidate Hal Heiner, and Councilman Kevin Kramer, worked on I must say it has gotten loads better.
Why would I say that? Check this out on Vicki Welch:
2008 You searched on Operating Expenditures for:
Fund Source > General Fund > Metro Council > District Operations/Neighborhood Development Fund > 13TH District Operations > Contractual Services > Travel, Out of Town
Vendor
Expenditure Total
JURYS WASHINGTON
$874.78
NLC MEETING SERVICES
$1,065.00
VICKI WELCH
$724.93
Total: $2664.71
2009 You searched on Operating Expenditures for:
Fund Source > General Fund > Metro Council > District Operations/Neighborhood Development Fund > 13TH District Operations > Contractual Services > Travel, Out of Town
Vendor
Expenditure Total
MARRIOTT WARDMAN PARK HOTEL
$770.01
NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES
$360.00
NLC MEETING SERVICES
$1,075.00
ORLANDO WORLD CENTER MARRIOTT RESORT
$576.67
VICKI WELCH
$930.00
Total: $3711.68
2010 You searched on Operating Expenditures for:
Fund Source > General Fund > Metro Council > District Operations/Neighborhood Development Fund > 13TH District Operations > Contractual Services > Travel, Out of Town
Vendor
Expenditure Total
MARRIOTT HOTEL SERVICES INC
$1,534.10
MARRIOTT WARDMAN PARK HOTEL
$807.23
NLC MEETING SERVICES
$445.00
VICKI WELCH
$1,022.60
Total: $3808.93
Grand total in 2 years? $10,185.32
Welch reimbursed herself $2677.53 or roughly 26% of the charges. That is our tax money folks. I just simply love the Marriott expenditure in Orlando as well considering that is where Disneyworld is located. Convenient eh?.
This is a waste of funds period there can be no other way to explain it.
For starters what have we gained for this money? Do we see new jobs, new way of doing business, or anything positive at all? Secondly, why in the world does a Metro Council member need to take all these vacations to begin with? They are a LOCAL rep that's all. They do not represent Kentucky and Abramson represents Louisville so why all the trips.
Don't forget the KLC is the reason Vicki takes all these trips and the KLC itself has been proven to be as crooked as it gets. Do we want to continue with this representation? Can we afford reps who brazenly use our money for their personal vacation travel plans? Yes I said vacation. There is nothing Vicki brings back from these places that benefit her District.
Folks this is Welch spending in just one term! How far would $10,000 go if kept in the District and not in Welch's personal vacation expense?
So thanks Hal Heiner for the Louisville Checkbook it is indeed just one more way to keep tabs on our spending.
It gives us one more avenue to work against those like Welch who abuse our trust and our money.
In two out of three years (2008-2010), Kevin Kramer (R) spent more than Vicki Welch (D). That's just an example.
ReplyDeleteYour presentation makes it appear that Welch's spending was out of whack compared to others on the council.
Also, given this is a news site, did you ask Welch for explanations for any of the expenditures?
Predictable response Steve. As usual. Feel free to do your own article on Kramer. Right now he is unopposed in his election and therefore I am not wasting time on every candidate who is running unopposed.
ReplyDeleteWelch however is running with opposition and therefore will be scrutinized for her lavish spending. Whether "out of whack" or not she is running in a contested election and therefore will be scrutinized harder.
By the way why in the world would I ask Welch anything? This is public record and speaks for itself. If she wants to answer it she can. I would not hold my breath waiting for it.
Thanks for writing.
Speaking of frankfort as you did earlier Ed...They need to close the loophole in the amount of time a Legislator has when filing his or her expence account. I believe they have something like 6 months before anything is actually due. No reason that within a week the paper work cannot be filled out and filed.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous I agree totally. The sooner the better.
ReplyDeletethanks for writing
Damn fascinating that ol' Stevie-the-man Magruder is coming to Vickie Welch's defense.
ReplyDeleteWelch writes all kinds of favorable prose on her Facebook account, but avoids responding to her critics.
She must have the same "thin-skin" disease ol' Stevie-boy has!
If these expenditures were illegal they wouldn't have been approved. Try Again.
ReplyDeleteSincerely,
THE PING PONG CHAMP
lmao Ping Pong champ who said the expenditures were illegal. I believe that they are extravagant and unnecessary. A reflection that Vicki Welch is i it for herself. I also stated that the KLC, who Vicki supports is illegal and there is more evidence to back that up than time allows me to write.
ReplyDeleteBy the way "ping pong champ" really? Don't hide behind this lame anonymous post with this lame signature. You are supposedly above that. lol
Oh yeah thanks for writing.