City Worker Credit Cards to Be Voided

With Councilman Uvaldo Martinez and his top aide under investigation for alleged misuse of city-issued credit cards, San Diego city officials have decided to cancel credit cards for 34 high-ranking city employees and impose dollar limits on how much they can be reimbursed for business lunches and dinners.

In addition, the City Council next month will consider whether to take credit cards away from elected officials as well. The council Rules Committee will hear the proposal on Jan. 6, said Daryl Grigsby, a council representative in the city manager’s office.

The movement to change the city’s credit card policy is a direct result of the scandal involving Martinez and his aide, Rudy P. Murillo, who charged $9,500 in meals and other expenses on their city-issued cards for the fiscal year ending June 30. Two dozen people have told The Times that they either did not dine with Martinez on the dates he recorded or did not discuss city business at meals ordered at taxpayer expense.

County prosecutors, saying they found some substance in allegations that the pair misused the cards, announced last week that they would forward the matter to the county grand jury beginning Feb. 11. The grand jury probe into possible criminal fraud is expected to take weeks and will focus on meals costing the city between $3,500 and $4,000, they said.

City Manager Sylvester Murray and City Auditor and Controller Ed Ryan this week issued a new administrative policy that calls for credit cards for 34 high-ranking city employees to be discontinued after the current ones expire Jan. 31.

“In lieu of these city credit cards, officials will be encouraged to obtain personal credit cards. The city will reimburse the official for legitimate documented expenses,” Murray and Ryan wrote in the new policy, which pertains only to city employees and does not require council approval.

The new regulations set a limit of $10 per person for each in-town breakfast or lunch charged to the city, and $20 per person for each in-town dinner--the first time the city has set any spending ceilings on meals. It also limits employee reimbursements to meals, meetings, refreshments, special recognition ceremonies and awards that involve city business.

Meals attended only by city employees at which “routine” matters are discussed will no longer be reimbursable, the policy says.

The policy also will put a limit on entertainment expenditures to be allowed each city department when the city’s 1986-87 budget is drafted next year. According to the report, “the (expense) amounts will be highlighted during the budget process with the institution of new budget accounts just for such expenses.”

The administrative policy has no bearing on elected officials, including council members. Any changes in credit card policy for elected officials must be approved by the council.

So far, council members Bill Cleator, William Jones, Abbe Wolfsheimer, Judy McCarty and Gloria McColl are on record supporting revocation of city-issued council credit cards for elected officials.