four current and former officials of the city of irwindale are accused of spending $14,000 of taxpayer money on a new york city trip that included broadway plays and baseball games. the four, including a current city council member, were supposed to be in new york to work on getting a higher bond rating for their city. recently, eight officials from the nearby town of bell were accused of misusing $5.5 million in public funds. @% >> susie: with the nation's jobless rate hovering near 10%, the recession has created a whole new class of workers. they're called "perma-lancers," and tonight's "money file" commentator says it's indicative of the new "you're on your own economy." she's manisha thakor, co-author "on my own two feet: a girl's guide to personal finance." >> permalancing-- is it fair or outright exploitation? the answer depends upon what role you think employers should play in an employee's life. short for permanent freelancer, a permalancer works the same hours as a full-time employee. just without benefits. permalancing started as a corporate response to the sky- rocketing cos