Despite the Big Apple’s fiscal crisis, City Council members went on a spending spree with taxpayer money last year, snatching up expensive furniture, flashy electronics, wedding invitations and a bizarre order of school supplies.
A Post review of the council’s expense reports at Staples and J&R, where city lawmakers have tax-free business accounts, revealed a slew of unusual purchases for the 10 months from July 2008 through May 2009.
In one of the more peculiar purchases, Councilwoman Maria del Carmen Arroyo (D-Bronx) spent $1,176 on school supplies, including 162 glue sticks, 95 boxes of crayons, 200 rulers and 10 easels.
She bought the goods from Staples at the start of the school year, but her spokeswoman insisted the supplies were kept in the office to occupy the kids of constituents who visit. None of her 50 council colleagues made similar purchases.
She also spent $186 on junk food, like Twizzlers and muffins, and $105 on Tylenol.
“Any item purchased is to help staff with constituents or to serve constituents directly,” said Arroyo’s spokeswoman, Carmen Aquinas.
Another eye-catching buy was made by Councilman Miguel Martinez (D-Manhattan), who spent $511 on packets of wedding invitations, envelopes and accompanying labels.
His staff insisted the cards were sent as thank-you notes to constituents in his district.
Councilman Vincent Gentile (D-Brooklyn) splurged on a $586 swivel chair. By comparison, several of his colleagues who purchased chairs spent less than $200.
Each member is given $277,000 to spend on salaries and the costs of running an office, including rent, maintenance bills and office supplies.
Councilwoman Maria Baez (D-Bronx) bought three cameras during the year: a $379 camcorder and two digital cameras, for $200 and $187.
Most members who bought cameras at all got only one.