The city has apparently decided to implement new rules to govern what taxpayers will provide for community events.

What prompted concern apparently was the Lake Kennedy's Boosters' Community Day which, basically, was a Charles Brown campaign event, the way I understand it.

Suffolk taxpayers spent $7,221 on this party, $3,000 of which was on food.

I remember when this became an issue among council members a month or two ago.

After it was mentioned at a meeting when Brown invited everyone out, one council member reportedly remarked sarcastically afterward something to the effect that "I need some money from the party fund for a party in my neighborhood, too."

Spending taxpayer money in this manner is simply outrageous.

It's insulting to the property-owning, taxpaying residents of Suffolk to be handed a piddlin' 2-cent tax rate reduction on the grounds that no money is available without setting the city back, and then see money wasted on things like the Lake Kennedy Boosters' Community Day, black tie city parties and roof-top-city-official-only fireworks viewing parties.

Granted, $7,000 here, $1,000 in appetizers there, is not much in the grand scheme of things, but the amount is not what is important. It's the brazen attitude of privilege and entitlement that obviously pervades that needs to change.

It's time for the party to come to an end, or at least time that a new host was found.