County officials should detail trip expenses

By Staff
March 28, 2004
After four days in New York City, the last of a group of Lauderdale County officials is expected to return home today ending a trip in which they met with representatives of a bond rating service.
We hope they had a productive meeting, one that will snag a low interest rate on a $3.8 million loan they plan to make at taxpayer expense to repair and pave streets throughout the county.
Supervisors voted earlier this year to borrow the money. If everything goes according to plans, actual paving and repair work of more than 100 roads could begin May 1.
That said, each county official who went to New York a group that included four supervisors and the county administrator should be prepared to quickly make a thorough public accounting of every penny they spent.
This is especially important given the fact that some county residents have questioned the need for the trip as well as the need for such a large contingent of county officials to travel to New York City.
And after comments by John Cline, communications manager at Moody's Investors Services in New York, we also wonder if the trip was needed, if one person could have gone or if business could have been handled by phone.
Cline said last week that "a face-to-face meeting" in New York City has no bearing on a county's bond rating from Moody's; the rating represents the agency's opinion of a government body's ability and willingness to make payments on a debt.
Cline, however, did say that officials at Moody's "meet face-to-face with clients all the time." He added that Moody's also has analysts who travel across the country and meet with government officials in person.
We are not trying to tarnish any county official's reputation. We have the highest respect for people who serve the voters in an elected or appointed office.
But in these difficult financial times need we mention the record federal deficit, tight state finances and lingering problems from the recent recession Cline's comments raise a huge red flag.
That's why taxpayers deserve a full accounting of all expenses from the New York trip; a complete explanation of what took place and what was discussed; and full justification of the entire traveling party.
Then the voters can decide if it was money well spent.