UPDATE!
CM Sharon Shropshire informed me that she and CM Alex Gothard sponsored the Jazz Festival initiative, and I did not include his name on the posted “All Jazz Invoices”.
Georgia State Constitution is very clear about the “gratuity clause” that prohibits the spending of taxpayer funds to any person, entity, or event where there is no tangible benefit flowing back to the taxpayers in exchange for the funds. Because of the gratuity clause, the City does not pay for any food or refreshment for the inauguration of elected officials; back-to-school supplies; public safety banquets; retirement banquets; trophies or plaques for volunteer appreciations or athletic sportsmanship; student appreciation awards or lunches; business appreciation refreshment or food; and sponsorship of nonprofit walks/races among other things. President Trump has to use his own funds for the food served at the different sports recognition at the White House. An event may have great significant moral, emotional, cultural, and artistic value and vastly entertaining and fail to provide a “tangible benefit” to taxpayers. “Tangible benefit” is quantified in terms of income, job growth, and tourism that benefit economic growth- meaning how much money is created for City businesses from the events. Previously, the answer has been none or not enough to cover the cost of the event. However, this has not stopped the Mayor, some Council Members, City Departments, and the Mayor and Council as a whole from using taxpayer money for the following:
- Silver Foxx Ball for senior citizens: Where is the tangible benefit to the taxpayers?
- Sickle Cell Foundation Walk/Race: Mayor and Council voted on February 18, 2019 to increase the cash donation to $45,000 and in-kind services to $16,491.12 for a total of $61,491.12. Where is the Tangible benefit”?
- Business Holiday Affair: What determines the “tangible benefit” to the taxpayers from the businesses owners invited?
- Jazz Free Concerts: How does paying jazz singers and musicians to come to East Point provide a ‘tangible benefit”to the taxpayers without the City proving any economic growth in business receipts during the event? Most of the attendees are not East Point residents.
- Halloween in the Park: Where is the “tangible benefit” to the taxpayers?
- Parks and Rec Sports Awards Banquet: Where is the “tangible benefit” to the taxpayers?
- Main Street Association Projects: (a) The Fourth of July Celebration is a money maker for temporary out of City flea tent markets while City businesses Downtown are closed. (b) Fall Festival -Destination East Point started out an event highlighting the Downtown food businesses with entertainment. It has evolved into another temporary out of City flea market tent with a carnival that can be found in any small town mall parking lot. What does “Destination East Point” really mean and what is the goal? (c) Spring Festival- Taste of East Point- Again another flea tent market with a rented sound stage and food vendors from everywhere but East Point. (d) East Point Farmer Market and Holiday Market is more of the same type of out of City flea tent markets that do not pay for the cost it takes to have them in the City. What “tangible benefits” do the taxpayers receive from any of these “mid-town” wanna be copy cat events?
East Point is known for the many taxpayer’s funded “Banquets, Jazz Events, Holiday Events, and Non-profit Events” that have exploded within the City during the past three years. These social events tell a lot about the Mayor and Council’s vision for the City. Not only are these taxpayer’s funded social events a violation of the State Gratuity Clause, they do not offer any redeeming value to the City or the vast majority of the residents. They are usually for a very few handpicked residents and business interests that favor certain Council Members and can more accurately be described as “political favors” or “social favors” for certain political supporters and a specific sorority. Not any of of these “favors” are functions of any government and should never be paid for or supported by taxpayer’s funding. Mayor and Council Members often use money from their Ward Expense accounts to provide “taxpayer’s funding” for these events which is a violation of the use of the Ward Expense account funds.
Below is a list of some of the events and the agreements and invoices that Mayor, Council Members and Departments used public funds to pay for.
COUNCIL MEMBERS: All Silver Foxx Invoices CM Butler
All Business Holiday Affair Invoices CM Sauicer
All Jazz Invoices CM Shropshire
Invoice 82-JB Moonwalks_101118 (Halloween) CM Shropshire
EPMSA_CityContract2018_2019_Signed
Invoice to EP Main Street Board
Tri-Cities_2(Clerk) Economic Dev.
MAYOR: ORR 608-2019 04022019 PT Mayor
I will provide invoices for three other events as soon as I get the information from Open Records.
