Mayor Pro Tem John Erickson was granted a request to attend the invitation-only Scholas Occurrentes USA Delegation Program in Vatican City, scheduled for Nov. 20 and 21, 2023, at the expense of taxpayers by his fellow West Hollywood city councilmembers Monday night.
Erickson brought forward the item, explaining that it follows the city’s past practice of pre-approving organizations and events for council member participation. The city had previously supported a political program related to Scholas Occurrentes, which is focused on delegations discussing opportunities related to the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup. The event emphasizes community, civic pride, and virtue, particularly for families without access to private sports opportunities.
Erickson noted that two Catholic churches in West Hollywood and West Hollywood Elementary are involved in the program, and discussions are underway to use their spaces for the event. Additionally, the County of Los Angeles, the City of Los Angeles, and LAUSD are all participating.
Councilmember Lauren Meister was raised about the policy for covering expenses when councilmembers travel internationally, recalling past instances where costs were split differently due to the significance of international travel and its burden on taxpayers. Erickson mentioned that the current off-season travel costs are minimal, and while he could afford to pay for his expenses, it raises questions about fairness if other council members couldn’t do the same.
City Manager David Wilson confirmed there is no formal policy for international travel, only a general policy requiring council approval for any travel on city business. The council expressed interest in developing a formal policy for international travel.
Council discussed the importance of fairness and equity in covering travel expenses for council members, emphasizing that not all members have the same financial resources. The city manager was directed to develop a policy to address these issues, and the council agreed to revisit the city’s travel budget to ensure fiscal responsibility and equitable distribution among council members.
The motion to approve the amendment passed unanimously,
This city is the MOST UNSAFE it has ever been and these twits are FORCING taxpayers to pay for them to holiday in Italy. Democrats keep voting for this slime.
Detour to Dubai, John, to the UN conference on climate. The pope will be there, too.
They are going to Vatican city for what purpose? How does this benefit the city of West Hollywood?????? They could have done this via Zoom. These people waste a lot of money on things which do not benefit the people in Weho. If he wants to go he should go and pay for it himself. Nobody said he can’t go. I fully support his trip if he wants to go but not at taxpayers expense unless there is a direct benefit to the city.
I didn’t know he was so devout. He’s a grifter. What an abuse of our money. He has no shame.
John Erickson representing West Hollywood at the Vatican on my taxpayer dollars? I wouldn’t give him bus fare across town. No. Nope. Never. Just another farce from the City of West Hollywood.
John Heilman should make application for conservatorship of John Erickson since he and his pal Abbe Land blessed the city with this one and Lindsey Horvath. Horvath seems likely to be fleecing part of the County budget so let’s nip this entitled juvenile PhD Erickson before his antics spill over further or wait until he gets arrested for something which is a reasonable probability.
Isn’t there separation of church and state? Why on earth do the taxpayers of Weho have anything to do with this utter waste of everything? Let him pay for it, or how about his fellow church-goes pay his way, since he wants handouts. A new low for the City. And you know Chelsea will now find some conference in St. Tropez she will claim “benefits the city”, and Sepi without a doubt probably has a list of international luxury trips she wants us taxpayers to pay for. Did anyone ever figure out why the City paid for her personal car… Read more »
How about taking the thousands of dollars of tax paper money and use it towards the homeless problem…or cleaner streets or for one of the many other problems plaguing our city? You don’t NEED to go Italy on the taxpayers back. Remember everyone, this clown in pearls is up for re-election next year.
Reported yesterday I believe, 17.5 billion spent debating the homeless problem which was calculated as being sufficient to have actually housed those individuals that are still on the streets. Where did the money go?
Every day this egomaniac who desperately needs self-glorification, looks less and less like a public servant, and more like a kid running wild in a candy store, or a drunken sailor whose belly needs to be shaved with a rusty razor!
The fleecing of West Hollywood continues unabated. I honestly fail to comprehend how Erickson can make a case with a straight face that this boondoggle benefits West Hollywood.
It actually is worse: it doesn’t benefit anyone except the airlines and hotels who get our taxpayer money. Meanwhile, potholes don’t get fixed and library hours are short.
Erickson has proposed that he will be attending an event at the Vatican whose stated purpose includes “virtue”?
This couldn’t have been a Zoom?