Gratitude in politics

Andy Mirikitani was busier cleaning out his desk in City Hall than one might have expected, quietly spreading yule cheer from the public coffers prior to taking measurements for his new striped suit.

Just before resigning his City Council seat so he could face sentencing for corruption, Mirikitani made no secret of his marriage to his co-defendant, Sharron Bynum, qualifying her for lifetime health insurance and other benefits. Not so apparent was his last-month pay raise of $1,286 to administrative assistant Angelique Tepper and a bonus of $958 to part-time aide Alice Park -- both disclosed in Council records.

Those blatant acts of generosity with taxpayers' money should dispel any doubts that his constituents might have harbored about Mirikitani's disdain for the responsibilities of public service.

Lee Catterall

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