Ouimet Should Return $35,000 of Wasted Taxpayer Money

 
LANSING – Citizens group Progress Michigan today put a spotlight on the spending habits – at taxpayer expense – of Washtenaw County politician Mark Ouimet, who claimed more than $35,000 in reimbursements for wasteful and questionable spending. In addition to reimbursements, Ouimet also gets a $15,000 taxpayer-funded salary as Washtenaw County commissioner.
 

 
As a Washtenaw County commissioner, Ouimet asked for and received reimbursements, using taxpayer dollars, of more than $35,000 for mileage and meetings from 2005 to the present, including reimbursements for breakfast and unexplained meetings, online news site annarbor.com reported on Sunday (10/10/2010). Ouimet is running to be state representative for the 52nd House District.
 
Here are some details about Ouimet’s taxpayer-funded spending:
 

• He claimed a total of $6,142 in mileage reimbursements and expenses for attending conventions outside the area in 2009 alone, according to www.annarbor.com.
• In 2009, Ouimet claimed $6,550 while the other 10 county commissioners claimed an average of around $1,200 each, www.annarbor.com reported.
• In 2008, Ouimet’s $6,450 reimbursement claim represented 42 percent of the total $15,325 of all 11 county commissioners.

 
While Washtenaw County commissioners receive $25 for each official county meeting they attend involving the county board, its committees and other county-related official business, Ouimet asked to be reimbursed for activities that may not meet that criteria. Ouimet filed for reimbursements for events such as attending memorials, a senior center event in Chelsea, the American Legion, an employee breakfast and several unspecified meetings with an attorney, according to www.annarbor.com on Sunday (10/10/2010).
 
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