Fun for free

Marion City Council members are considering buying laptops for themselves with tax dollars, and I don't believe this justification for a second:

According to city officials, the computers would be used by council members for checking city e-mail and receiving information in preparation for council meetings.

City Clerk Kathleen Kiley has said it takes a lot of legwork and paperwork to copy hundreds of pages for each council member every two weeks.

They want the laptops because those gadgets are still in the "fun to have even if they are used for work" category of electronic toys. And why not have taxpayers foot the bill? That's what they're there for, right?