Councilmember Kim Loves The Sharper Image
Each member of the Austin City Council gets a budget of about $260,000 a year, most of it for the member's salary and salaries of his/her staff. The rest goes for office expenditures like notepads, city-related travel, etc. A 2007 review by the Austin American-Statesman showed that Jennifer Kim spent more on non-payroll expenditures than every other member. But what exactly did she buy?
Kim's expenditures, obtained from a TPIA request, show that she is a big fan of The Sharper Image. And traveling. And the self-help book, Discover Your Strengths.
Some notable uses of taxpayer dollars:
$921 for a three-night stay at the W hotel in Manhattan
$700 for a membership to Continental Airlines' 'President's Club'
$550 for a Sharper Image air purifier
$400 for 20 copies of Discover Your Strengths
$232 in Crane and Company brand stationary
$86 in Vera Wang barware
$67 for a Steam Wizard from The Sharper Image
$59 each for "Executive Rollerball" pens from The Sharper Image
"I spend what I need to out of my budget to be able to do the job. And in the beginning, it was a brand new office, a brand new staff, there were a lot of things that we needed," Kim said when asked about the expenditures.
See the full expense report from 2005 to present.
The video story's at six.
Holy Smokes! I've only looked at the first four pages and it's crazy. President's club membership (which includes free booze) Personalized stockings, and $900 for mediation training for a person who now supports her opponent?
This further reinforces my decision to vote against her, No matter how much it will hurt your celebrity status. Her opponents are going to have a field day.
Ever notice how Sen. Whitmire and Jon Dee Graham look alike?
Now wait a minute. I thought YOU were Jennifer Kim.
I'm confused.