☆ “Taxpayers deserve better,” says local gov't expert re: City's $500k payout in SJ Spotlight transparency suit
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While in office, then-mayor Sam Liccardo used personal email and text messages to conduct City business. The San Jose Spotlight recently sued Liccardo and the City of SJ for violating the CA Public Records Act, and SJ forked over an ungainly $500,000 for insufficiently searching Liccado's personal communications for public records. California Policy Center's Mari Barke comments on Liccardo's “inexcusable” transgression in this Opp Now exclusive.
When we elect public servants, we expect them to obey the law and be transparent with regard to their official duties and business dealings. This intentional violation of the law is inexcusable. The lack of transparency and disregard of the law led to taxpayer dollars being wasted unnecessarily to settle a lawsuit. Taxpayers deserve better representation from their elected officials and better use of their hard earned tax dollars.
— Mari Barke, director of California Policy Center's California Local Elected Official (CLEO)
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