Brooklyn Community Board Used $26K Grant To Buy Car: Report

WILLIAMSBURG, BROOKLYN — Mayor Bill de Blasio called for an investigation into a purchase by Brooklyn's Community Board 1 after it was revealed that the board used $26,000 of taxpayer money to buy an SUV.

De Blasio was asked about the purchase, which was first reported by The City, in an appearance on WNYC on Friday. The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid was paid for with a City Council grant meant to help volunteer boards around the city.

It reportedly is for the board's manager, Gerald Esposito, who had it parked in front of his home, which is four blocks from the board's office.

“I’m really surprised by this and I’m not happy about it and I don’t think that it was right for the community board to do that,” de Blasio said. “I think the Department of Investigation needs to look into that and I hope they will do that quickly."

Community Board 1 was the only board out of 59 across the city that used the council grant to buy a car, the City said.

The news of the $26,000 purchase shocked other board volunteers when it was brought up at a recent meeting. The SUV marks the board’s largest single expense outside of payroll.

The board's chair said the vehicle was used to "go different places" and later, in an email, the community board told The City it was for "business operations."

Read The City's full story here.