City officials spending with little oversight

Jim Davis of The Fresno Bee used city expense reports to show that "Fresno Mayor Alan Autry and the City Council spent tens of thousands of dollars in the past four years on meals, hotel bills and other expenses with little oversight and less public debate." Autry had the city pay for 422 business meals in the first 11 months of 2004, records show. "The mayor and council members rarely turn in receipts when asking to be reimbursed for meals. The city doesn't require receipts for meals that cost less than $9 for breakfast, $14 for lunch and $19 for dinner. Almost no rules are in place to regulate how elected officials spend their expense allowances. The reimbursement form they sign each month asks only that the money be spent on 'official business.'"