Union leader quits as credit card use probed
May 30, 2009
SAN DIEGO — Judie Italiano, longtime leader of San Diego's largest city employee union, resigned last week amid an internal investigation into potential misuse of a Municipal Employees Association credit card.
Since leaving, Italiano has paid the MEA $13,903 to cover her indebtedness plus interest and advances on unaccrued annual leave.
The matter has been referred to the District Attorney's Office to see if any crime was committed in violating MEA protocol by using a union credit card for personal reasons.
Italiano's resignation was made public yesterday in a letter sent by five union officials to some 4,700 members and dues-payers, detailing a probe into credit card issues that have dogged Italiano for three years.
Italiano, the MEA's general manager, worked with the union for 24 years. She played a role in the city's pension scandals when the Internal Revenue Service deemed a benefit she was receiving improper. Retirement officials eliminated the $70,000 annual perk in late 2007.
In 2006, Italiano's union credit card use led the MEA to enact new policies to prevent the cards from being used for personal purposes. The issue became the subject of heated internal politicking and an investigation by former City Attorney Michael Aguirre, and just this month a lawsuit by two MEA members.
Union President Tony Ruiz III said Italiano's more recent credit card use came to light in recent months as the MEA began its budgeting for the fiscal year that begins July 1. He said controls are in place to avoid recurrences.
Italiano was placed on leave May 12, resigned May 22 and sent a check to the MEA on Wednesday. The results of the internal investigation into Italiano's credit card use were shown to the MEA board in a special meeting yesterday.
Ruiz said Italiano was paying down her debt as she used the union card without telling anyone.
“Judie has been here at MEA for so long that she controlled a lot of the flow of the information, and the officers and the board were not made aware of any of this activity at all,” Ruiz said.
“I was disappointed in that we had gone through this pain back in 2006 and agreed that this wasn't going to continue, and now it happened,” he added. “It was a breach of trust.”
Attempts to reach Italiano last night were unsuccessful.
Ruiz said it was difficult to see Italiano leave.
“It was a hard decision because she has grown this organization to what it is today,” he said.
Former Councilman Michael Zucchet, who was a consultant for the union, has been acting general manager since Italiano was placed on leave. A search for a permanent replacement has begun, and he's expected to apply.
Sources: http://www3.signonsandiego.com |
