Apparently, at least one Elk Grove City Councilman lives in a different world than I do. The Fair Political Practices Commission recently fined Councilman Pat Hume $1000 for failing to report brunches and dinners he received during a council members’ annual lobbying trip to Washington D.C. in 2009. The nine brunches and dinners Hume received cost $728. That’s just about $81 per meal! Pretty good wining and dining if you ask me!
That’s not my world. Even though I’ve lived in California for over forty years, I’m still a Wisconsin boy at heart. I feel lucky if, when out with the guys for a few brewskis, someone other than me buys the pitcher of Bud Light.
Fair to say Councilman Hume and the other members of the lobbying trip didn’t dine at an Applebee’s, not that there would have been anything wrong with that. I like Applebee’s. Hey, a guy like me can go to the restaurant, order the most expensive item on the menu, add two or three glasses of fine wine, tip generously, and still have a tab considerably less than $81.
I can’t ever remember anyone picking up the tab for my $81 meal. Heck, I can’t remember ever having a restaurant tab for an $81 meal. If someone did, I’m pretty sure I’d remember it for quite some time. And I’m positive, if someone picked up the tab for nine expensive meals, it would be indelibly seared into my long-term memory. But, that’s my world.
