Last week when the stories began to erupt regarding Hartford's problem with use (or misuse) of city credit cards, WFSB's Len Besthoff was working on the story. He interviewed Mayor Pedro Segarra regarding one of the charges that raised some eyebrows. Is a charge for the Mayor's New Years Eve dinner that was put on his Chief of Staff's City Credit card for $707.21
When asked about the dinner charge by Besthoff, Segarra replied angrily "I paid for half that dinner, half that dinner". You can view the interview and Mayor Segarra's exact words here on WFSB.com. I'm not sure why, I just don't believe a lot of what is coming out of City Hall these days so I asked the Mayor's Office for documentation of the payment, when it was made and a comment as to why the Mayor thought it was necessary to make the payback in the first place.
I had hoped that maybe the payback was made January 1st or 2nd after the wine cleared and someone realized it was wrong for Hartford's taxpayers to pay for the Mayor's Dinner as well as the Mayor's partner, and his Chief of Staff and a female acquaintance. Last Friday , April 5th. I made my request through e-mail to the Mayor's Communications Director Maribel LaLuz. She replied asking me to giver her until Monday. That was fine, it was Friday afternoon, and Happy Hour at Salute was just around the corner.
Monday I received an e-mail from LaLuz informing me the information wouldn't be coming Monday because " Am working on getting this but due to POTUS visit may not get to it until tomorrow.
Keep you posted. M. "
On Tuesday another e-mail, but still no verification"
Mayor was in budget meetings all day and did not bring
the statement in. I've requested it for tomorrow. Will keep you posted..M
From that point on, nothing until late today
This afternoon another e-mail with a couple receipts attached arrived, and this is where the confusion begins. Despite the fact that the Mayor had stated to Besthoff that he paid half the bill, the receipts were dated today, and for 1/3 of the bill , not half. I guess anyone can make a mistake, but Segarra was so adamant and visibly upset, I had hoped he was telling the truth.
The explanation given by LaLuz also seemed to confuse me somewhat."Attached and below is the
requested documentation regarding the Mayor’s dinner at Max on New Year’s Eve.
It’s important to note that once Mayor Segarra realized that the charge was
done incorrectly and not as he requested, he called MAX on Feb 28 at 11:00am
and asked them to fix it- hence Adam’s apology below. There are telephone
receipts confirming that request. That was before any reports surfaced about p
cards. To be clear, Segarra paid $205.76 on his personal card and Charlie
paid $250.76 on his personal card. "
Why did it take two months for the buyers remorse to kick in, no one at that table realized that night it was wrong? And the scans provided showed only one charge for $250.76 and a credit for $250.76. In trying to make sense, I can only assume the charge was to Segarra's AMEX card and the credit was back to someones City Credit Card apparently, but only for a third of the bill, not half as was stated in the interview. No documentation was provided for the charge claimed to the Mayor's partner, Charlie Ortiz..
I guess it is troubling to me as to why Mayor Segarra would make the statement to Besthoff that the bill had been repaid when it clearly hadn't and why they would string me along for a week saying that the receipts were coming. The Transaction hadn't even been done yet.
I probably would believe it more if he had said he needed to go to the Credit Union for a loan after the request for receipts had been made
19 comments:
You beat on the City Government so much, how bout looking into the what high ranking state official was at MAX downtown, spending our tax dollars. I bet it was the governor along with his staff and security detail eating up a $3000 meal. Last time I check the governors mansion has a kitchen and staff to prepare food. FOI those bills...
Kevin, why are you confused? He pulled an Eddie Perez. Pedro knew it was wrong and was caught so tried to make it look good 4 months later. Now what was his statement, any misuse of pcards would result in repayment, arrest, termination? You think he will fire himself?
I dont know why anyone would be surprised by this. They are all liars. They were "working" on First Night and deserved a $700 meal on the City taxpayers. What a joke. No wonder the City is broke.
I can't wait to see what lie he tells next to cover this whopper. He's now a bigger imbarassiment then before, good going getting caught in your straight up lie to the media and the whole state of CT. If you paid half of the dinner that would of been 350.00 not the 250.00 you had credited to your own card on 4/12 approx 4 months and 12 days late. You can't even get the math right. Good going you snake oil salesman. Idiot.
Kevin,
I know the Mayor is terrified of you, but if he was smart , you are exactly what he needs in City Hall right now, people trust you and give you information, it would be a lot less embarassing for him if you got the information first and worked to clean that mess up.Instead he is listening to the fools that are out for themselves and make our City and the Mayor look like idiots in the media. Jared, Sandy and Colon-Rivas need to be dumped from the gravytrain if Pedro wants to save his reputation.
Kevin, get a life.
You were not even good enough for public office.
Now your just a downtown groupie.
Kevin,
I agree with Integrity Matters. They NEED YOU
working at City Hall. Segarra take notice or you will end up as Eddie's cellmate.
Anonymous 8:10pm
thanks for the confidence, but I think I'll hold off on ordering the nameplate for my door.I don't see that offer coming any time soon
Kevin your a bitch.
I wrote a negative response to you, no vulgarity. Where's the post?
Your a joke
What a shameless bunch of greedy people. Caught red handed and he has the nerve to lie to Bestoff on tv. And be aggravated at the question? Can you say investigation? These people are using our tax dollars as their own piggy bank! Shame. And shame on the council. Theyre useless in my book! Just rubberstamp bunch of knownothings.
I still say send the copies of the list of the spending of the "P" cards to the Hartford Courant, and let the tax payers of Hartford see this in black and white....sit back and wait for the reaction from the people of Hartford.
Thanks for your work on this. The amounts are not trivial, but still we as a City have to look at legit spending to try to keep out of the ditch.
I'm not complaining, but am asking why we, a poor town, giving money to artists? Nothing against artists, but we have less than no money.
---------------
City Of Hartford Offers Business Development Grants For Artists
Hartford’s Marketing, Events, and Cultural Affairs Division (MECA) is accepting applications for its 2013 business development grant for artists and the creative industry. Selected awardees will receive up to $10,000 for working capital purposes, including wages, operational costs and equipment purchases. The grant—a one of a kind municipal program—was created in partnership with the Greater Hartford Arts Council to support Hartford-based artists and microenterprise businesses in the creative industry to increase their capacity to produce new work. To date, over 30 Hartford-based artist and businesses have been awarded funds from the grant.
So the Mayor thinks he's going to get $3MM in Union concessions? After seeing how City directors are using their P-cards like 17 year old girls at the mall, I don't think so. "Shared sacrifice"? Does that mean dinner at Max's only twice a week now and no more I-pads for the family? Ouch, the pain!
and what says when you get into city hall you wont be as corrupt as the others. Learn Kevin that no one voted for you last time, no one will vote for you. Give it up, once a loser always a loser
Well I seek that the ass clown and the boy blunder and the wicked witch of the west is at it again, really 3 million in consessions,HA.
Good luck getting anything form the unions. Its the same movie re made year after year after year, wha,wha,wha, we cant balance the budget becasue we spend too much and give our fineds big dollar salaries. Hey idiots grab yourself a box of tissue and stop the sniviling because we are all tired of your song and dance. Ask yourself how did the Mayor get the MOU for the ARC payment it wasnt because the Treasures office was kind hearted, it couldnt of been done without the support of the unions, and no he wants more, unreal. I wouldnt beleive anything they say anyway his flat out lie on Local TV to Channel 3 tells you something about his lack of character. I was looking for the stirngs that were attached to him but i guess Pinoccino got his wish and became a real life boy.
He's just like that lame ass bunch of flunkies called the city council cant think outside the box and address the real problem the individuals they see when they look in the mirror each morning.
Shell games dont work and trying toi balance the budget on the city workers back isnt an option anymore, try something new and inovative like "generating revenue, and cut your redicilious spending and high paying jobs for your buddies".
You know..kinda like the time he had that new fence and stonework done at his house and "forgot" to get the permits. He also apparently "forgot" to pay the whole bill.
http://blogs.courant.com/cityline/2009/02/new-fence-no-permit.html
Your confused because you stupid...
I'm not a math major but isnt 350 half of 700? No wonder the budget is screwed up.
Hartford has been used as the personal ATM of the politicians for years and will never change because you people will do nothing about it.
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