FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – A Fresno City council member holds a news conference Thursday, slamming fellow council members for how he says they are spending taxpayer money.
District 6 Council Member Garry Bredefeld says fellow council members Miguel Arias, Nelson Esparza, Tyler Maxwell and Esmeralda Soria are wasting some of their $700,000 operating budgets and misusing city credit cards.
Bredefeld tweeting on Wednesday of the upcoming Thursday press conference:
Council Member Bredefeld listed hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on meals, restaurants, gifts such as flowers for birthdays, Halloween treats and costly directly mailings.
Speaking to KMJ’s Ray Appleton on Thursday, Bredefeld said he wants to see more oversight when it comes to council members’ budgets.
“I don’t now that I’m going to turn them in to FPPC. ( Fair Political Practice Commission) What I want people to do is understand what’s going on, I want this, this crap to stop, the corruption to stop, that’s what I’m focused on.”
-Garry Bredefeld, Fresno City Council Member, District 6.
Speaking to KMJ’s Broeske and Musson show on Thursday, District 6 Council Member Mike Karbassi, who was not on Bredefeld’s list, stood by his fellow council member.
“It’s amazing how many people will talk about doing the right thing but won’t do it, and I applaud Garry for standing up and doing the right thing. It’s not easy. You know, even I have been getting threatening people saying if you expose this leak we’re going to go after you. Fine, go ahead, here’s my phone, check everything I don’t care.”
-Mike Karbassi, Fresno City Council Member, District 6.
Council Members Esmeralda Soria (District 1), and Tyler Maxwell (District 4), condemned Bredefeld’s claim.
Both council members Esmeralda Soria and Tyler Maxwell, distributed a news release after the news conference on Thursday:
“Fresno City Council operational budgets are approved every year through our city’s formal budget process and approved by a majority of the council to be utilized for staffing and district needs. Additionally, our City Attorney’s office routinely reviews council expenditures and has not found any misuse of council funds. It is up to each councilmember to determine the needs of their district and budget accordingly. Ultimately, each councilmember will be held accountable by their constituencies, not an irrelevant councilmember.”
Press Release from Esmeralda Soria and Tyler Maxwell
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer’s Office also sent out a statement responding to the allegations made by Councilmember Garry Bredefeld:
Anytime these types of allegations are brought forth they create an enormous amount of concern and if not addressed appropriately can create a tremendous amount of distrust by the community of its government. We have detailed administrative orders in place that establish uniform standards and procedures related to the issuance and use of credit cards as well as reimbursement of expenditures related to City business. These standards apply to all who are issued a City credit card.
The City Manager and I will be discussing the appropriate level of review to include an independent external audit. This is to ensure that expenditures by all City of Fresno credit cardholders comply with current policies and to identify best practices.
–Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer
Listen to the report by KMJ’s Liz Kern.
