"Auditor interested in Louisiana airport board spending"

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Opinion
How are public funds being used?
The Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser


The state Legislative Auditor's Office has taken an interest in spending
practices of the Lafayette Airport Commission. Robbie Robinson, first
assistant legislative auditor, said Thursday that it's now a matter of
finding the resources to investigate.

While the Auditor's Office does not identify sources of information or
complaints, it appears the agency's interest stems from news reports of
questionable spending by the airport commission. Interest was expressed
shortly after the publication by The Daily Advertiser of news articles
showing the commission spent $2,487.30 on a Christmas party for employees,
travel agents, rental car agents and elected officials; $600.83 on a meal
for six people at Bella Figura restaurant; and $442.83 on a meal at Bonefish
Grill.
   
>From what The Advertiser has learned of spending by the airport commission
and the city-parish council, it appears both bodies need to develop a firm
policy to guide the use of taxpayer dollars. Both were found to be spending
money on items that, based on opinions from the state attorney general's
office, may be improper. 

Purchase of beads to be thrown from floats in Mardi Gras parades and funding
a Christmas party were among Consolidated Council expenditures that raised
questions.

It is essential that public bodies in Lafayette avoid even the vaguest
appearance of improper use of public funds. We already suffer from the
state's long-held reputation for questionable spending. It has been a
deterrent to economic development. The political environment is a
consideration of those businesses seeking new locations or attractive areas
for expansion.

Lafayette has kept its reputation clean and has been able to overcome that
of the state in competing for new business and industry.

We need to keep it that way.

Beyond that practical consideration, we the taxpayers need to know that our
elected and appointed officials spend public revenue on projects that serve
the public good.

>From what our studies have shown, there is sometimes little or no attention
to the propriety of public spending. We would urge that the opinion of the
attorney general's office be sought before any public agency indulges in
expensive meals or items such as Mardi Gras trinkets.

It would also be a wise practice to keep track of opinions issued by the
attorney general on public spending in other communities and determine how
they apply to local spending practices. A staff member could be assigned the
duty of keeping up with the attorney general's opinions.

There is an even less complicated basis for judging whether a particular
expenditure is proper. Officials can simply ask themselves - as they
consider spending money on food, liquor, travel, trinkets or other
questionable items - will the taxpayers benefit from this?

It is their money. The manner in which it is spent is a serious matter.

Unless some obvious, tangible good accrues to the taxpayers, an expenditure
is probably improper.

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