Capitol Cafeteria Another Rendell Sweetheart Contract

While some have pointed to the rodent-poo filled cafeteria at the Pennsylvania state capitol as a failure of the free market (as a private firm was contracted to manage the cafeteria), the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the contract appears to be yet another in a long history of government contracts awarded to campaign donors under Governor Rendell.

Aramark won the main Capitol cafeteria contract in 2004, the year after Rendell took office.

A longtime supporter of Rendell, the company’s political action committee has contributed $20,000 to him since he first ran for governor in 2001, half of it in 2002, the year he was elected, according to campaign records. Aramark chief executive officer Joseph Neubauer also has contributed $15,000 to Rendell since 2006.

Indeed, Aramark has a long history of health violations, which folks might want to consider before giving them any more government contracts (albeit, many of these violations occurred after 2004) Rodent droppings were also found at Aramark’s concessions at PNC Park in Pittsburgh and at Fenway Park in Boston. Aramark was cited for health violations at Reliant Park in Houston, school cafeterias in Calgary and Springfield, Missouri, and Georgetown University. You will note that almost all of these are government contracts.