The San Diego County Taxpayers Association (SDCTA), a nonprofit organization that monitors government spending, held its 14th annual Golden Watchdog & Golden Fleece Awards dinner May 13. The event commemorates the best (Watchdogs) and chastises the worst (Fleeces) uses of local taxpayer dollars. “This is the optimal time for ‘right-sizing’ government and implementing desperately needed reform,” said Lani Lutar, SDCTA president and CEO. Despite the lagging economy and general decline in revenue most nonprofits are experiencing, Lutar said this year was the largest attendance on record for the dinner, the organization’s primary fund-raiser. Some of the Golden Watchdog award recipients included the city of San Diego for pension reform and tough cuts to compensation, and SANDAG for safeguarding capital improvement projects. Golden Fleeces were bestowed upon the San Diego County Employees Retirement Association for costly hedge fund investments, and the city of La Mesa for a taxpayer-funded mailer campaign to persuade voters to increase taxes. In the spirit of the annual tradition of local elected officials and movers and shakers getting together to make fun of themselves on this night, this year’s program featured film skits with Mayor Jerry Sanders selling off corporate sponsorships of the city (Spam Diego), and Police Chief William Lansdowne patrolling SeaWorld, handing out water violation tickets to children and marine animals. For more information, visit www.sdcta.org.