These are hard times. And, a $49.95 expenditure at taxpayer expense on gourmet cupcakes isn't going to go down well with state lawmakers.
As a consequence, Florida 's 24 workforce job boards are coming under greater scrutiny.
Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey introduced SB 1646, to prohibit workforce boards from spending federal or state funds for the purpose of providing meals, food or beverages, or recreational activities and entertainment for board members. The bill also prohibits board members and their families from having anyfinancial interest in a contract with that board.
In addition, SB 1646 would require locally elected board chairmen to be confirmed by the Senate, and full-time directors of workforce programs would have to be approved by locally elected officials.
The workforce boards fall under the Agency for Workforce Innovation. They are supposed to usetheir money tofind jobs for the unemployed.
On Friday, the Senate Transportation and Economic Development Appropriations Committee passed Fasano's bill unanimously.
"In my findings not all of the dollars allocated to help people find jobs are being used for that purpose," Fasano said. "Money was being spent on lavish meals and on contracts ... that were a conflict of interest. That's not what these dollars should be spent for."
In a56-page report, the Agency for Workforce Innovation's chief inspector general found "excessive" charges for meals, including nearly $50 spent on gourmet cupcakes for a party hosted by Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance Inc. Executive Director Renee Gilmore, who is paid $170,000 a year. The same board spent $615 on pasta dinners and desserts, and another $394 on gourmet ice cream purchased from a Cold Stone Creamery.
Another Tampa board meeting, this one at a Cheeesecake Factory, resulted in a tab for $239.
There are 24 workforce boards in the state. They were created under former Gov. Jeb Bush and designed to provide greater local control over job training programs. Funding for the programs -- some $124 million -- is mostly made up of federal stimulus money. Workforce board members are local, unpaid volunteers. However, executive directors are compensated, some earningin excess of$100,000.
"I think we have a system of checks and balances in place that work," said Jerome Saladino, execuive director of Region 16. "The board members are citizens who have the best interest of job seekers in mind. However, if someone is out to do something inappropriate, they will always find a way."
Saladino's region includes Hernando County, which has an unemployment rate of 15.7 percent, and Pasco County, which has an unemployment rate of 14.3 percent. Both counties' unemployment ratesare well above the state average of 11.9 percent, the highest the state has seen in 25 years.
"We have five layers of checks and balances for how the resources are spent in each region," said Rusty Skinner,CEO of Ocala-based Workforce Connection. "But we don't need another set of requirements dumped on us from Tallahassee. Let's use the money we have to help train people and get them back to work."
John Hinds can be reached at JHinds1949@aol.com
