$1,100 for a meal? $1,500 for a hotel room? No problem for school district chancellor (video)

November 25, 12:00 PMSF Headlines ExaminerEd Walsh

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Despite budget cuts, Rosa Perez, the Chancellor of the San Jose Evergreen Community College District, racked up a lavish expense account, KGO-TV reports.

Perez was paid a salary of nearly $300,000 plus a $600 a month for expenses, but her spending went way beyond that on her district credit card.

Her spending included $5,000 for her and three of her executives to join the Silicon Valley Capital Club,  According to the station, she spent $1,100 on a business meal and on another date, $200 on food and wine.

She spent $3,900 on a painting by an artist from her native El Salvador at a gallery in San Francisco.  It is on display at the Evergreen Campus.

The district defended spending $3,900 on the painting telling the station: "I think we try and create a holistic experience here for our students. That includes providing them the opportunity to participate in global education in the arts."
 

Perez bought $2,000 in home furnishings from the Bombay Company, including $1700 for a desk.

Records show she and her partner racked up expensive hotel rooms including $1500 for a hotel room at the San Francisco Hilton, just 11 minutes from her house.

Days after KGO-TV requested an interview with Perez, she announced that she will retire.    According to the San Jose Mercury News, Perez said her retirement was for health reasons and had nothing to do with the rumors of financial impropriety which had been circulating for some time.   

Below is video of Part Two of the KGO-TV report.   Click here for Part One that details Perez's lavish travel spending.

Full disclosure:  Examiner.com reporter Ed Walsh works part-time for KGO-TV but he did not work with the station on this story.