"We're just doing what elected officials do every day," Menino said. The list of fancy dinners, he said, falls into the category of constituent relations."
So when does he take YOU out to dinner, Boston resident?
Related: Boston Mayor Can't Take the Pounding
"Pricey meals, costly galas add up for mayor; Political tab hits $1.2m in the last 3 years" by Donovan Slack, Globe Staff | December 29, 2008
Mayor Thomas M. Menino may often act like a small-town mayor, with his focus on potholes and local neighborhoods, but his political operation is strictly big city.
A review of spending from Menino's campaign account shows that the veteran mayor has spent $1.2 million on political expenses during the past three years, even though he has been cruising through his fourth term with no elections.
The largest outlay was for fund-raising receptions and parties at $325,000, including the rental of halls and ballrooms, catering, and entertainment. Most events were held at swish downtown hotels, such as the Fairmont Copley Plaza, the Boston Harbor Hotel, and the former Ritz-Carlton, now the Taj.
He also billed his campaign account for 70 dinners at a variety of restaurants, from Tavolo in Dorchester to Hamersley's Bistro in the South End and the Four Seasons and Locke-Ober downtown. In the city, the tabs ranged from $65.90 at Salvatore's on the South Boston waterfront to $552.62 for a meal at Bertucci's in December last year.
A couple of out-of-town meals were more expensive. One dinner at the Venice Ristorante & Winebar in Denver ran $652.29 in August, during the Democratic National Convention. In Las Vegas, the mayor spent $618.35 for a meal at the award-winning Bartolatta Ristorante at the Wynn resort and casino.
The mayor said this week that the expenses are just part of holding office. "We're just doing what elected officials do every day," Menino said. The list of fancy dinners, he said, falls into the category of constituent relations. "We meet people, go to dinner with them, and find out what's going on in the city," he said. "I do a lot of that every day. It's not a job where you go to the office and come home at 5 p.m."
The out-of-town meals were with Bostonians who were traveling, politicians or lobbyists who could be helpful to the city, or business people with potential interest in doing business in the city, said Dot Joyce, the mayor's spokeswoman.
Fund-raising, Menino's largest expense, netted his campaign $2.33 million in contributions since his last bid for reelection in 2005, and that was more than twice what he spent, the records show. If he chooses to run, he is in a strong position to campaign for an unprecendented fifth term in 2009 - with $1.3 million still in the bank.
The mayor has a full campaign operation up and running with a downtown office, salaried campaign staff, and he also just commissioned a $30,000 poll from a California firm, a sure sign that he is strongly considering a run....
You can have him, Boston; in my mind, this state and your city have earned him.
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Menino's events are a sign of the times in modern politics, where it now costs an estimated $1 million to win a mayoral election....
I guess I won't be winning the job anytime soon.
Michael McCormack, a lawyer and former city councilor... said fancy dinners are necessary. "If you're going to sit down with CEOs, you don't go to Joe's pizza shop, you go to the Four Seasons," he said.
How about NONE at ALL?!! This is the kind of shit Blago is in trouble for?
The campaign hosted 42 receptions - about one per month - at two dozen venues. The campaign spent an average of $7,500 for each reception, including floral arrangements, catering, invitations, and music. The mayor's spending also included some $81,000 in contributions to local community organizations and $17,000 for flowers for constituents....
Sounds like he is more concerned with his political career than the city.
