San Jose mayor,staff hid reason for fee hike

The San Jose Mercury reports on a story you might think could only happen in Philadephia,Chicago,or somewhere in New Jersey:

Working in concert with Mayor Ron Gonzales, San Jose City Manager Del Borgsdorf and his staff hid from the city council and public the fact that most of a $1.40 monthly garbage fee increase in 2003 would pay for a secret deal Gonzales had struck with a city garbage hauler, newly disclosed city documents reveal.

In seeking council approval, Borgsdorf and Carl Mosher, the city's environmental services director, listed five different reasons for the 9 percent rate increase. But they never mentioned the biggest reason -- three-fourths of the increase would pay for the mayor's promise to give more money to Norcal Waste Systems after the company underbid the garbage contract.