Annise Parker takes executive staff to pricey Heights area restaurant, for lunch.
A quick review of the Crisp menu (PDF) reveals entrée price points somewhere in the $20-30 range. This doesn't include appetizers, dessert or drinks. True, there appears to be a $9.75 daily lunch special which is a good value but it doesn't appear that Mayor Parker took advantage of that deal.
Based on her "a little pricey" comment I'm guessing the average ticket per person was somewhere in the $50 range. Since a comment was made about the bar can it also be assumed that this was an old-fashioned 3 Martini lunch? Apparently, if you're working in the Parker administration it's very profitable to be on the executive staff but very difficult to be almost anywhere else.
The default response from ruling class courtiers will be that this staff "works hard" and that they deserve these little perks. I'm sure they do. Of course, one could argue that the rank-and-file members of the Fire Department, Police Department, Public Works and other staff that directly serves the public works very hard as well. Parker's priorities are such that they are suffering huge cuts (in some cases, mostly for what appears to be political reasons) while the Queen's court is dining on cake.
Yes, this lunch was a small-ticket item and, by itself, has almost no bearing on the city's budget as a whole. However, it's very clear that the Mayor has a tin-ear when it comes to appearances and just how gluttonous her office is coming across. Annise Antoinette anyone?
