SN&R > Local Stories > They spent our money on what? > 11.19.09:
"You can think of it as the community chest, or as a local government slush fund. Each Sacramento City Council member, including the mayor, has their own special taxpayer-funded account, which they can spend on pretty much whatever they please.
These discretionary funds get little public scrutiny. Whether it’s a $7 lunch at Panda Express, $1,000 donated to a local charity or nearly $100,000 spent on a local teen center, none of this money requires a public hearing or a council vote.
Still, it’s your money, so we thought you might like to know how it’s being spent.
These special funds come in two parts."
"You can think of it as the community chest, or as a local government slush fund. Each Sacramento City Council member, including the mayor, has their own special taxpayer-funded account, which they can spend on pretty much whatever they please.
These discretionary funds get little public scrutiny. Whether it’s a $7 lunch at Panda Express, $1,000 donated to a local charity or nearly $100,000 spent on a local teen center, none of this money requires a public hearing or a council vote.
Still, it’s your money, so we thought you might like to know how it’s being spent.
These special funds come in two parts."