Petrelis Files

Board of Supervisors Prez Chiu's Israel Junket Cancels Meetings

(Chiu's gift of travel disclosure, filed according to the law prior before taking his junket, from the Ethics Commission site.)

San Francisco's City Hall on Tuesday was quieter than usual, all because one member of the Board of Supervisors, President David Chiu, is on a junket in Israel. Wish I knew what pressing city business requires Chiu to spend ten days in Israel and brings a halt to some BOS business.

According to the SF Chronicle:

In the absence of its president, the board could have voted on appointing a temporary leader at the start of Tuesday's meeting, according to Board Clerk Angela Calvillo. But Chiu's office polled the rest of the supervisors, and they went along with his inclination to cancel the meeting.

In addition to the regular Tuesday meeting, the Land Use Committee meeting was also cancelled. Total tab being picked by the Jewish Community Relations Council for Chiu's junket comes to $6,780. Chiu isn't the only Supervisor on a junket this week.

Supervisor Norman Yee leaves today for a three-day junket to Chicago. Like Chiu, he filed his gift of travel disclosure before getting on the plane with the Ethics Commission. 

The cost of Yee's junket, $1,594, is paid for by the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

I sure wish the citizenry received detailed reports from our elected officials after they take these junkets, about exactly how the their travels benefit us.