USPS charges us for tkts & booze

Taxpayers Charged For Pro Sports Tickets, Booze
ViewDiscussion.Last Updated: Thu, 06/30/2011 - 11:44am
Crippled by an $8.3 billion deficit, the U.S. Postal Service may soon need a taxpayer bailout yet the federal agency blew hundreds of thousands of dollars on professional sports tickets, booze and fancy meals.

The items were purchased by USPS managers and employees with special charge cards issued to U.S. government agencies. More than 3 million federal workers nationwide have the cards and they charge around $30 billion annually, according to the U.S. General Services Administration.

Despite its monstrous financial troubles, the USPS is known to rack up big-time expenses as if it were a major corporation with lucrative profits. In fiscal year 2010 the agency charged more than $239 million on the government-issued plastic, according to federal auditors.

This week the USPS Inspector General revealed that agency policy was violated in at least $400,000 worth of charges that were not properly authorized or justified. Among the items purchased were expensive season tickets to professional basketball, football and baseball games, gift cards, beer, wine and unjustified “business meals.â€