Valleywide : Credit Cards to Be Used in City Purchases

In a move intended to cut down on time-consuming paper work for expense reporting, the Los Angeles City Council approved a contract with a Chicago firm Friday to issue credit cards to city workers in four departments.

Councilman Joel Wachs, who initiated the program as part of a larger effort to streamline City Hall, said the credit cards will reduce paperwork for “petty cash” purchases such as office supplies by paying off transactions on a periodic bill rather than individually.

“Since the credit card company will do nearly all of the paperwork, the city’s costs will be slashed to next to nothing,” Wachs said at a news conference in which he unveiled a giant replica of the card emblazoned with the city seal. By cutting down on paperwork, he said, the cards will also help reduce the time it takes to pay off vendors.

Wachs, who represents parts of the eastern San Fernando Valley, predicted the cards can save the city up to $3 million per year on petty cash transactions.

The first set of cards will be issued in about two weeks to about 20 employees in the office of the controller, the city administrative officer, the Information Services Department and the Department of Airports. But shortly thereafter, Wachs said, cards will be issued to workers in several other city departments.

City officials have also warned that the cards will be closely monitored to deter any abuses.