Fools Soon Part You from Your Money

Who do Collin County officials think they’re fooling anyway? Apparently, everyone.

Michael Sullivan was on CBS 11 in Dallas/Fort Worth
this week, interviewed as part of an investigation
 into questionable travel by elected officials. This is
why local governments are fighting hard to stop
transparency efforts. We have to fight back!

More than a dozen officials took a trip to Orlando
and Tampa for three days to tour a courthouse and
“some” (that means not all) attended a court technology
conference. Sounds good? Here’s the rub: a $20,000
spending spree, all taken directly from the tax payer’s
pocket.

Valet parking, luxury cars, lobster, and fancy hotel suites are only a few of the burdens that taxpayers bore from these officials as they frittered away hard earned money. The only defense: elected officials have the “discretion” to take trips “as they deem necessary” and costs in that area are listed as “reasonable and justifiable” with no limit, says County Judge Keith Self – who doesn’t like these free spending ways. Sounds like a blank check to me.

A simple priceline.com search quotes the per-person cost of a three night stay in Tampa (including round trip flight, hotel, and even a rental car) at $319, for a grand total of $2552. This price is for 4 rooms and 8 adult passengers (the maximum allowed). Do the math. As for food, the last time I checked, McDonalds had a dollar menu. But then again, they don’t sell lobster.

If William Shatner, the “Priceline Negotiator”, only knew what these spend-o-holics were up to. Apparently they set their phasers to “spend”.

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