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If you’re a city contractor in Hartford, Connecticut you better charge full price for countertops you install or you might have to pay with your freedom. Recently, Hartford city contractor Carlos Costa was brought in to court to take the stand regarding bribery charges leveled against Mayor Eddie A. Perez. The topic at hand was Costa offering free and discounted services to several council members and the Mayor himself.

In what surely caused Costa’s lawyers at least minimal heart palpitations, Costa responded to allegations that he installed a countertop in councilwoman Veronica Airey-Wilson’s butler pantry at her request, and at no charge, by saying “because she was a councilwoman and she was in a position to help me.” Well thought out, Mr. Costa. But why is it such a crime gifting someone with the finest gift of all, new countertops? Costa then backtracked and said that he in fact did send Ms. Airey-Wilson a bill, but only “because of the investigation into Mayor Perez.” Strike two.

It was later revealed that Costa had done $40,000 worth of work on Mayor Perez’s home at no cost, claiming the work was merely the cost of doing business with the city (have you gathered that Costa is far from a mastermind?).

The standard cast of corruption characters were present; a multi-million dollar lawsuit from Costa against the city when he didn’t see his public works interests taken care of by Perez, excuses from Perez about his ill wife impairing his ability to keep track of his remodeling bills, and of course the standard laundry list of claims – forgery, bribery, tampering with evidence, etc.

But wait, there’s more! Mayor Perez said that he and his brother had intended on installing the countertops on their own (likely story) and that Costa was in the wrong for being so ambiguous with the payment, especially when it was practically unnecessary (did I mention Mayor Perez’s skill at countertop installation?). Perez’s defense insisted Costa did it despite Perez’s, ahem, talents because he reportedly told him ‘Eddie, you don’t know what you’re getting into. It’s too difficult for you to handle.’ He was eventually billed for $20,000 after the Mayor balked at $28,000. Fishy, indeed. Costa just hopes to stay out of jail, and for what? Installing a man’s countertops and not overcharging him. A shame, really.

Well, let’s take a step back here. So, the price of new countertops in this situation is $28,000, and that’s WITH a discount? I can assure you that if Mayor Perez had simply made a call to Granite Transformations then his litany of legal troubles probably wouldn’t exist, he’d have more cash in his wallet, and he’d have a superior countertop than what currently sits in his, probably, soon-to-be repossessed home. When one of our technicians comes to install gorgeous granite, glass, and mosaic overlays you don’t have to worry about billing ambiguity, or worry about overpaying, and certainly don’t worry about going to jail. We install our countertops within the week, no bribery, no forgery…all functionality and elegance. Keep it legal readers!