Cultural elites live large while workers scrimp
The takeout menu at Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse is a delicious culinary adventure. From the Fresh Maine Lobster Roll with Lemon Chive Mayo for $31 to the Crumbled Sausage Pizza with Caramelized Apples and Vermont Goat Cheese for $17, there are many mouth-watering choices.
To learn more about the offerings at Davio’s you can go to its website and peruse the menu, or ask the folks at the Massachusetts Cultural Council what they would recommend, as the foodies at that state agency have racked up $3,700 in meals there on a state-issued credit card.
Some people eat to live. Others live to eat. For that second group, a plate of Davio’s Georges Bank Sea Scallops would be so pleasurable that the $34 price tag would be but an afterthought — especially if the taxpayer was footing the bill.
As it turns out, the taxpayers of the commonwealth have been pleasing the palates of the Massachusetts Cultural Council diners, according to the Boston Herald’s Joe Dwinell.
When asked about the matter, the council was indignant.
“What’s the matter with Davio’s? It’s Davio’s takeout,” Council spokesman Greg Liakos told the Herald. “This is the best you can do? For goodness’ sake, we’re a $20 million agency and you’re talking about sandwiches.” Perfect.
The level of entitlement of those in government is astounding. Hard-working people in the private sector would love to enjoy the Hand-Rolled Potato Gnocchi with Organic Mushrooms, Basil, White Truffle Oil for $20, too, but they can’t afford it. One of the reasons they can’t is because the government garners a big chunk of their paycheck in order to, as it turns out, enable greedy state employees to stuff their faces with Tagliatelle Bolognese for $23.
Liakos said in a statement: “All Mass Cultural Council expenditures support its mission as an independent state agency to expand access, excellence, education, and diversity in the nonprofit arts, sciences, and humanities.”
Did you get all that, taxpayer? They have to eat from the menu with Mustard Seed Crusted Atlantic Salmon so they can expand access to arts, sciences and humanities.
Sounds like a good gig. Indeed, the Massachusetts Cultural Council is not only comfortable dining with public funds, but it offers resources for EBT card-holders to make the most of their taxpayer cash infusion.
Last year, the council announced the “EBT Card to Culture.” According to the Massachusetts Cultural Council website, it “provides free or discounted admission to more than 100 nonprofit arts, history, and science venues across Massachusetts.”
The well-fed council suggests that folks on public assistance spend time and money on things like the Boston Ballet, where tickets are discounted down to $25 per person, “CASH ONLY with valid EBT card and photo ID.”
If you like the music minus the dancing, you can head over to the Boston Chamber Music Society for just $8 per adult.
Once again, a state agency is encouraging EBT holders to go out and spend money on things like the Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra, the Spellman Museum of Stamps & Postal History, the Chester Theatre Company and the Andover Choral Society.
The Massachusetts Cultural Council is like the personal concierge for the EBT community. No wonder why they have so little respect for taxpayers.
Real people in the private sector schlep to work with an unremarkable bagged lunch, sans truffle oil, void of caramelized anything. They cannot afford to bask in the lofty enclaves of the arts, sciences and humanities like the “EBT elite” apparently can.
When a state agency’s reaction to questions about the possible misuse of taxpayer dollars is to spit back a barb about sandwiches, it is a good indicator that the culture within has lost touch with those they serve.
Some people work to live. Others live to work. But work they do. Let’s show them some respect.