Dallas City Councilman spends $12,000 on promotional items
From Sunshine Review
19 October 2008
Earlier this month it was reported that Dallas city councilman Ron Natinsky bought a number of promotional items with his name on them, including pizza cutters, tape measures, and letter openers. Documents obtained through a Texas Public Information Act request show that in all, Mr. Natinsky spent over $12,000 in taxpayer money on such items.[1]
[edit] Extent of spending
The first public records request by the Dallas Morning News showed that Natinsky spent $2,838.50 for 1,000 miniature replicas of Dallas recycling bins that dispensed candy. A follow up request showed the full extent of his spending. During the 2007-08 fiscal year, items charged to taxpayers included:
- 1,000 reusable shopping bags ($1,720)
- 1,000 twist-action ballpoint pens ($1,780)
- 600 light-up magnifiers ($1,494)
- 511 plastic pizza cutters ($950.46)
- 500 dish scrubbing brushes ($790)
- 500 tape measures ($1,040)
- 500 letter openers ($840)
- 300 first-aid kits ($573)
While it is not unusual for Dallas city hall departments to use promotional items to try to persuade citizens to do things such as recycle, it is rare that Mr. Natinsky has his name on all of them. The councilman, who is also chairman of the council's economic development committee, said, "I don't see anything wrong with this."[1]
