california controller refuses to pay tab for cdwr staff ' s sushi and pizza
blackouts don ' t justify takeout , connell says
by ed fletcher
bee capitol bureau
( published july 25 , 2001 )
while operating in " crisis " mode , department of water resources staff worked 20 - hour days , slept in conference rooms and were fed pizza and sushi by the state as the department tried to keep california ' s lights on .
saying the department " charged enough to feed a small army , " state controller kathleen connell now is asking those employees to pay the state back about $ 3 , 600 for department food purchases in january .
" we are not going to be paying these bills , " connell told reporters tuesday .
the state does not buy business - hour meals for staff while they are in town , connell said . additionally , the use of a government - issued credit card to make the purchases was improper , she said . if the department does not require the employees to pay for the takeout meals , she said , the department will have to absorb the cost .
the department of water resources began scrambling to buy power jan . 17 after gov . gray davis declared a state of emergency - - the same day northern california was hit with rolling power blackouts . as a result of the department ' s new responsibility , staff members buying power were asked to work nearly around the clock , said oscar hidalgo , a department spokesman .
buying food for staff during crisis situations is nothing out of the norm , hidalgo said .
" under emergencies such as these . . . we believe we were in a position to do this . our staff did nothing other than it would do during a flood , " hidalgo said .
california ' s recent success in keeping the lights on has led people to forget the level of crisis the state was in , hidalgo said . " it seems at every turn . . . people are making monday morning quarterback calls , " he said .
connell and her aides said buying power is not the same as firefighters getting food while battling a blaze .
they said using the " cal - card " for buying food is specifically prohibited . " it ' s not an open line of credit , " she said .
the bee ' s ed fletcher can be reached at ( 916 ) 326 - 5548 or efletcher @ sacbee . com .
california controller refuses to pay tab for cdwr staff ' s sushi and
pizza
blackouts don ' t justify takeout , connell says
by ed fletcher
bee capitol bureau
( published july 25 , 2001 )
while operating in " crisis " mode , department of water resources staff worked 20 - hour days , slept in conference rooms and were fed pizza and sushi by the state as the department tried to keep california ' s lights on .
saying the department " charged enough to feed a small army , " state controller kathleen connell now is asking those employees to pay the state back about $ 3 , 600 for department food purchases in january .
" we are not going to be paying these bills , " connell told reporters tuesday .
the state does not buy business - hour meals for staff while they are in town , connell said . additionally , the use of a government - issued credit card to make the purchases was improper , she said . if the department does not require the employees to pay for the takeout meals , she said , the department will have to absorb the cost .
the department of water resources began scrambling to buy power jan . 17 after gov . gray davis declared a state of emergency - - the same day northern california was hit with rolling power blackouts . as a result of the department ' s new responsibility , staff members buying power were asked to work nearly around the clock , said oscar hidalgo , a department spokesman .
buying food for staff during crisis situations is nothing out of the norm , hidalgo said .
" under emergencies such as these . . . we believe we were in a position to do this . our staff did nothing other than it would do during a flood , " hidalgo said .
california ' s recent success in keeping the lights on has led people to forget the level of crisis the state was in , hidalgo said . " it seems at every turn . . . people are making monday morning quarterback calls , " he said .
connell and her aides said buying power is not the same as firefighters getting food while battling a blaze .
they said using the " cal - card " for buying food is specifically prohibited . " it ' s not an open line of credit , " she said .
the bee ' s ed fletcher can be reached at ( 916 ) 326 - 5548 or efletcher @ sacbee . com .