The attorney general's opinion is limited to a fairly narrow situation: A local elected official is seeking reimbursement for meal expenses paid on behalf of others. Local agencies could take the opinion at face value and structure their practices so that meals for others are paid by staff or by city credit card (so there is no "reimbursement"). The bigger question, both ethically and legally, is: When is it proper as a general matter to use public resources for others' meals? This is a discussion that each local agency can have by reviewing its expense/reimbursement policies in light of the overarching policy and ethical principles that underlie the limited legal guidance that is available.
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