Tea Party's Berg Cheapest On Honolulu City Council

Courtesy Tom Berg

Honolulu City Council member Tom Berg is sticking with his Tea Party roots.

In the first three months of 2011, the self-identified fiscal conservative from Ewa is the council member who has spent the least of his yearly allotment. However, Pearl City representative Breene Harimoto has a slightly lower per day average.

The nine-members of the council receive a $14,000 annual office contingency account for work-related expenses. Freshman council members who took office in January received only $7,000, because the fiscal year ends June 30.

Berg had $6,368 at his disposal, because he replaced former council chair Todd Apo midway through January after winning a special election. His expense report details purchases from Jan. 18 to March 29, showing that he spent a total of $952, or about $13.41 per day.

Harimoto, who spent $1,008 between Jan. 3 (inauguration day) and March 23 (his last recorded expense), spent less per day, $12.60.

Veteran Kalihi representative Romy Cachola spent $1,087 from Jan. 1 to March 24, just edging Berg on daily expenses, averaging $13.42.

Berg's fellow-freshman, Stanley Chang, has spent the most in 2011. Between Jan. 3 and March 14, he billed $4,332, or $61 a day. The bulk of his expenses came from a mid-March trip to Washington for a legislative conference, where he spent $3,108.

Loading