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Waste Watchers Investigate Mayor's Credit Card Charges

Kilpatrick Spends Nearly $250,000 On City-Issued Card

POSTED: Tuesday, May 3, 2005
UPDATED: 6:28 pm EDT May 3, 2005

Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick answered questions on Tuesday regarding the expenses on his credit card report, Rescue 4's Waste Watchers reported.

Kilpatrick spent nearly $250,000 on his city-issued credit card, according the report obtained by Local 4.


Video: Mayor Responds To Credit Card Expenses

"That $200,000 -- probably $70,000 a year, I guess it worked out to be -- produced over $2 billion in private and public investment for this city," Kilpatrick said.

Rescue 4's Waste Watchers learned that the mayor turned in missing receipt forms for between $6,000 and $16,000 of the charges that he listed as city-related expenses.

When asked by Rescue 4 reporters why he needed a city-issued credit card if other local leaders such as Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson and Gov. Jennifer Granholm do not have one, Kilpatrick responded by saying, "There are a lot of things the governor and L. Brooks have that I don't have. I don't think that's the perspective that we're dealing with it from."

Some of the items on the mayor's credit report included a $36 purchase at Panera Bread. And, at a $1,000 Super Bowl meeting at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, someone rented a $12 movie on the city credit card, Local 4 reported. Kilpatrick apparently also spent $75 to send flowers to TV host Tavis Smiley.

"It is excessive and I think the mayor has a lot of explaining to do," said Detroit Auditor General Joseph Harris.

Harris pointed out items in the report such as a $1,200 expense at Sweet Georgia Brown, a restaurant near Detroit's Greektown.

The expenditures are raising eyebrows because of the recent budget cuts the mayor has proposed, which include several layoffs, the station reported.

Kilpatrick said last month that an additional 754 layoffs would be needed in the coming year to help overcome a projected budget shortfall of more than $300 million.

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