Ex-Irwindale City Manager Pays Back Public Funds Spent On NYC Trip
WEST COVINA (CBS) — The retired city manager of Irwindale was sentenced Tuesday for spending taxpayer dollars on lavish trips to New York City.
KNX 1070's John Brooks reports Steve Blancarte doesn't face any jail time for misappropriate taxpayer money, but he is banned from holding any public position.
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Blancarte — who is also serving a three-year probation sentence — has already paid back the money that he spent during trips to Manhattan in 2010 to secure bonds for Irwindale.
Attorney John Tyre pointed to Blancarte's health issues as a primary factor in his decision not to fight the charges.
"He has issues with his heart, he's retired and he just figures that because he doesn't want this thing to kill him, that it's better for him to put this matter behind him," said Tyre.
Two City Council members along with the Irwindale finance director are fighting similar charges after staying at the Ritz-Carlton and taking in Broadway plays like "Wicked" and "Phantom of the Opera" all while sticking taxpayers with the bill.
