Dallas residents have a lot on their plate to be pissed off about. A hospital and jail that is falling in. Fancy bridges and toll roads inside levees. Maybe you heard about the $69,995 plasma TV you bought for City Hall? No? Well, now you have. Get your pitchforks and torches ready, because we ain't finished, friend!
But the TV isn't as much of a scandal as this tidbit. Far North Dallas Councilmember Ron Natinsky has been purchasing toys, er, trinkets with his name on them. Sounds cute, if it were for his re-election campaign. But this is with your money! Over $12,000 worth.
Ron Natinsky is no stranger to wasting taxpayer money for shits and giggles. He has gone on several trips to China on your dime. His wife Nancy also enjoys the trips Dallas residents pay for. However, in this latest case back home, Natinsky purchased items such as shopping bags, pens, flashlights, and pizza cutters with his name on them. Mama mia! As the DMN blog notes, it isn't uncommon to purchase items for the city to promote programs. But what borders on unethical, not to mention illegal, is that they bear his name.
Normally, officeholders do not give out trinkets with their name on them unless it is for campaign purposes. Even members of the Texas Legislature are held to a standard that only allows them to send our district newsletters, and even then there is a disclaimer that they are not for campaign purposes. Why a City Councilmember should be held to the same ethical standard is apparently beyond Natinksy, as he stated "I don't see anything wrong with this."
We encourage the budget scouring members, of which Natinsky claimed to be, to look into this case. Spending $12,000 on dish scrub brushes seems, oh shall we say, FUCKING STUPID, when the city of Dallas looks for money to pay for police officers and fire fighters. Of course the City Council will likely turn a blind eye. Move along, nothing to see here.
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