« MUST READ: BRODKORB HAMMERS SOS RITCHIE IN INTERVIEW FOR LET FREEDOM RING BLOG | Home | MICHAEL MARTENS CANDIDATE FOR BOARD OF ESTIMATE AND TAXATION »
CITY PAGES: COUNCIL PRESIDENT BARB JOHNSON SPENDS $11,000 OF YOUR MONEY ON HAIRCUTS, DRY-CLEANING
By Luke Hellier | November 2, 2009
If she wins a fourth term to the Minneapolis City Council this week, Barb Johnson may allow herself a moment to breathe a sigh of relief—but only a moment.
Because even though she won’t be up for re-election again until 2013, Johnson is always—always—running for office.
“I consider myself to be campaigning continuously—all the time,” Johnson says. “I can’t go to the grocery store or to church without bumping into a constituent and being asked a question, which is the life of a politician.”
That’s why, Johnson says, she feels okay about charging her campaign supporters for her dry-cleaning, haircuts, cell phone, internet and cable television service for her home, AAA coverage for her car, and a land line for her lake house.
“This is a full-time, 24-hour-a-day job,” Johnson says. “And it requires having a lot of things set up in your home, so that you can take care of business as it comes in, that sort of thing. It’s kind of an all-consuming job.”
During her most recent council term—2006 through 2009—Johnson charged her campaign $1,154 for hairdresser appointments and $986 for dry-cleaning.
Rest of the story here.
Tags: Uncategorized
Topics: Uncategorized | 20 Comments »
20 Responses to “CITY PAGES: COUNCIL PRESIDENT BARB JOHNSON SPENDS $11,000 OF YOUR MONEY ON HAIRCUTS, DRY-CLEANING”
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.
November 3rd, 2009 at 6:36 AM
Yes, and I always thought Sarah Palin got a raw deal on these issues. Of course these kinds of expenses are campaign expenses. Candidates are constantly driving from place to place for campaign reasons, so car expenses can be quite properly charged to the campaign. Political campaigns make extensive use of communication services like the internet, and cable tv.
“During her most recent council term—2006 through 2009—Johnson charged her campaign $1,154 for hairdresser appointments and $986 for dry-cleaning.”
So why were these expenses so low considering they were charged over a three year period? Could it be that Ms. Johnson was careful to charge only those expenses that were directly related to political events?
November 3rd, 2009 at 7:48 AM
Hiram, she has been billing her campaign $700 a year for hair dos and dry-cleaning. For a candidate that represents a ward of about 30,000, that seems a bit much doesn’t it?
How can you claim these expenses are low, when others aren’t billing their campaigns at all.
“Could it be that Ms. Johnson was careful to charge only those expenses that were directly related to political events?”
How is AAA coverage related to political events
November 3rd, 2009 at 8:07 AM
“Hiram, she has been billing her campaign $700 a year for hair dos and dry-cleaning. For a candidate that represents a ward of about 30,000, that seems a bit much doesn’t it?”
The size of the ward one lives in, it seems to me, doesn’t have much to do with a cost of a hair do. Whatever the size of the ward, 700 bucks a year strikes me as a low figure. I expect many, many women routinely pay much more in such expenses. As someone who does contribute to political campaigns, I think it’s important for my candidate to both arrive at events, and to look nice when they get there. I have no problem at all with my campaign contributions being used for either purpose.
“How is AAA coverage related to political events.”
Basically, local politicians do two things. They attend meetings and they drive to the meetings they will attend. They must have reliable transportation and transportation services. And this is particularly true for a woman politician who will often attend meetings in the evening.
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:24 AM
How much is her salary, 80K? That should be more than enough to maintain a life stlye where she can have reliable transportion and can show up at an event looking presentable. She represents 30,000 people, it’s not like she’s doing TV appearances.
AAA does nothing to ensure her safe or reliable travel. Nothing. If she locks the keys out of her car, AAA is sitting there waiting to help her.
I doubt Johnson has violated any laws with the abuse of her campaign funds, but she certainly has given off the impression of impropriety. I amazes me that moonbats like you would defend her.
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:33 AM
“I doubt Johnson has violated any laws with the abuse of her campaign funds, but she certainly has given off the impression of impropriety.”
Is it your impression that Republicans don’t charge travel expenses, to their campaigns? Do you think Sarah Palin or Michelle Obama, for that matter, pay for their own campaign planes?
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:11 AM
Is it your impression that Republicans don’t charge travel expenses, to their campaigns?
No, In fact Michele Obama bills the government for travel expenses on a romantic nights in New York.
Does AAA charge more for customers who travel during campaigns.
I’d like to know what Johnson was paying for all these luxuries before she ran for public office. It is obvious she is asking supporters to pay for luxuries she would be treating herself even if she wasn’t in public life.
As usual Hiram, when right v wrong is apparent, you argue for wrong.
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:37 AM
I find this whole thing curious. What does a campaign in Minneapolis consist of other than the the candidate driving around, talking to people and maybe pounding in the occasional lawn sign. What on earth do the folks around here think money is spent on? TV commercials?
“In fact Michele Obama bills the government for travel expenses on a romantic nights in New York.”
No doubt Mrs. Bush billed the government for travel expenses when her husband felt the need to clear some brush at his ranch in Texas. Mrs. Obama’s idea sounds like a lot more fun.
“I’d like to know what Johnson was paying for all these luxuries before she ran for public office.”
Probably a lot less. And based on the figures cited, I think she still pays for many of those things out of her own pocket.
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:40 PM
Hiram, if you bothered to read the article you would see that along with Goodman Lisa Goodman, Johnson outraises other council members 3-1.
“What on earth do the folks around here think money is spent on? TV commercials?”
No. It should be spent on Campaign signs, mailings, brochures … not hair do’s, drycleaning, AAA, cable TV.
Most of the candidates for city council spend no where near the $11,000. Johnson has spent that much just to subdize her home budget.
November 3rd, 2009 at 1:33 PM
“Johnson outraises other council members 3-1.”
What does that have to do with what she spends it on.
“It should be spent on Campaign signs, mailings, brochures … not hair do’s, drycleaning, AAA, cable TV.”
Can you tell me why the candidate should take campaign advice (in this case, not very good advice since person to person contact is far more effective than lawn signs) from you?
November 3rd, 2009 at 1:43 PM
“Most of the candidates for city council spend no where near the $11,000. Johnson has spent that much just to subdize her home budget.”
Is it 11,000 or 1100 as quoted in the text above. There is a cognitive dissonance here. $1,154 for hairdresser appointments and $986 for dry-cleaning over a three year period is simply not very much money for any woman to spend. And for a candidate who has to appear in public a lot and who must look her best, that amount seems next to nothing.
In my experience, candidates do find themselves picking up some of their own campaign expenses. But that isn’t a desirable thing.
November 3rd, 2009 at 2:13 PM
$11,000 Hiram.
And I have recondsidered the legality of what Johnson has done. Usually, dry cleaning expenses are tax deductible when they involve a specific required uniform. That’s not the case with Johnson, and I hope the IRS investigates her for unreported income.
November 3rd, 2009 at 2:55 PM
Leave it a liberal to defend wrong with such gusto. They have no conscience and prove it with their every comment.
November 3rd, 2009 at 3:19 PM
Here is the quote:
“During her most recent council term—2006 through 2009—Johnson charged her campaign $1,154 for hairdresser appointments and $986 for dry-cleaning.”
November 3rd, 2009 at 4:04 PM
Hiram you dumbass, you need to add in the cable TV, AAA, internet, phone bills … It’s about $2,100 for the hair do’s and drycleaning, the rest is other crap she’s bilking people for.
Look at the title of this post, dumbass. $11,000!
November 3rd, 2009 at 4:22 PM
I wonder how she found a way to spend less than the Republican council members?
Is the Republican spending classified as “bilking”?
Oh I forgot, there is no exposing Republicans here.
Nevermind!
November 3rd, 2009 at 5:35 PM
It still doesn’t add up to $11,000, and $11.000 isn’t that much over three years.
The title isn’t supported by the text of the posting. And the title suggests she is spending taxpayer dollars, “your money” when she is using campaign funds.
Campaigns routinely pay for things like transportation, computers, and cell phones.
November 4th, 2009 at 7:09 AM
$3,574 internet and cable
$4,851 cell phone/communications equipment
$1,154 hair dos
$986 dry cleaning
$372 AAA
___________
$10,973
Is that close enough to $11,000 for you, dumbass?
More than 10% of her campaign spending is for personal stuff.
November 4th, 2009 at 7:47 AM
Sorry about that, yes the cell phone and communication cost cost. But that’s pretty obviously a campaign expense.
November 4th, 2009 at 10:12 AM
“Johnson is not the only council candidate to charge a cell phone to her campaign. Betsy Hodges listed a campaign cell phone as an expense this election season. But she charged for the cell phone only during summer and fall 2009—election season. Johnson charged for her cell phone and other communications equipment year-round, every year, for the past four years. Total cost: $4,851.”
Obviously not a campaign expense for most council members.
November 4th, 2009 at 11:33 AM
Good for Betsy.