http://www.charlotte.com/109/story/676579.html

Quote :

"Easley's trip to Italy cost taxpayers $170,000 The governor led a group on the 9-day trip to recruit businesses and promote tourism for North Carolina. Taxpayers spent more than $170,000 to send Gov. Mike Easley, his wife and a dozen others on a nine-day business-recruiting trip to Italy. The expenses ranged from $700 for a lunch for eight in Rome to $61,000 for a daily chauffeured Mercedes just for N.C.'s first couple , referred to on the invoice as “Governor Easley and Lady Easley.” The state released documents concerning the April trip after a public records request, but the bills are still coming in. Still unknown are expenses for Easley's security detail and the head of the state commerce department. The trip was designed to recruit industry to North Carolina and pitch the state as a tourist destination, especially because the dollar is so weak against the Euro. The dollar's weakness was starkly illustrated by hotel bills that topped $590 for two nights in Florence. Four years ago, that same bill would have been $160 cheaper at the going exchange rate then. State officials say the trip has led to as many as six promising leads of new or expanding business. It led to at least two news stories in Italian publications highlighting North Carolina as an attractive tourist destination. “The trip was a success,” said Jim Fain, secretary of the Department of Commerce. If one or two businesses locate to or expand in the state, the trip would pay for itself in new tax revenue, officials said. Fain, whose expenses for the trip were not yet available, was appointed to his cabinet position by Easley, a Democrat nearing the end of his second and last term. The delegation toured a winery and held meetings and luncheons with business leaders. Easley's role was often to give brief remarks before turning the program over to someone else. At a luncheon in Padova hosted by a pro-business group, Easley was scheduled to speak for four minutes of the 90-minute program. At a gathering for reporters and travel agents, Easley was scheduled to mingle for 25 minutes before addressing the group. Many of the dinners taxpayers paid for, though, included only the N.C. delegation. Fain said the governor was needed on the trip because he was a draw for business leaders, government officials and reporters. Events were well-attended, likely because of Easley's presence, he said. Sherri Johnson, Easley's communications director, accompanied Easley on the trip. But she referred most questions about the trip to Fain. Johnson said she helped Easley deal with Italian news media and stay in touch with what was going on in Raleigh. “It's my job to assist the governor and make sure his goals for the trip … were achieved,” Johnson said. “I think it's kind of odd that you think he would go without a staff person.” The largest single expense of the trip was a chauffeured Mercedes S-Class and Mercedes van available for Easley and his wife. The car and its driver alone cost as much as $3,600 on a single day, according to an invoice from Green Line Tours. A Commerce official said the decision to rent a Mercedes was made by Easley's security detail. Bryan Beatty, head of the agency that handles Easley's security, said the car was necessary to ensure the safety of the governor. “The governor, to us, is very important. But in Italy you don't know how they will perceive him,” Beatty said. “We want to make sure we're familiar with the transportation we'll be getting. The cost is what it is. We obviously don't want to request anything that's not needed.”"

I understand that sometimes you've got to invest some money in order to make more money, but $61,000 for a chauffeured Mercedes? Are you serious? And there are people who want to raise taxes?

6/19/2008 11:41:07 AM

Mike Easley is a baller, and lives a baller life style. That's just how it is.

6/19/2008 11:43:32 AM

it will more than pay for itself and even if it doesn't it isn't much that was lost in funds. the expense was definitely worth the gamble of recruiting new tourists and businesses to the area.

i'm shocked to find that you believe the chauffeur was so expensive. would you expect him to take the bus? walk everywhere? what would your alternative be in such a situation. if you've ever had to hire a driver for anything, senior prom perhaps, you would realize that its not all too uncommon for things of that sort to get pricey. part of recruiting is displaying a lifestyle, and that is what he needed to carry out.

a little objective insight can be a great tool when evaluating an article.

6/19/2008 11:59:29 AM

so $61,000 is acceptable for 8 days worth of automobile transport? Objectively, thats way too much for the transportation of TWO PEOPLE

6/19/2008 12:04:50 PM

the Italians probably wouldn't respect him, and by extension the state of NC, if he rolled around in an old Yugo.

this makes me lol though

Quote :

"Easley was scheduled to mingle for 25 minutes before addressing the group."

what did they write on his calendar? "4:00 to 4:25 - mingle"

6/19/2008 12:06:31 PM

$3,600 a day for a limo fit for a foreign leader?

That's a pretty decent deal.

6/19/2008 12:09:28 PM

Quote :

" what did they write on his calendar? "4:00 to 4:25 - mingle" "

rofl

6/19/2008 12:18:18 PM

Quote :

"$3,600 a day for a limo fit for a foreign leader? That's a pretty decent deal."

He's a governor, not a head of state. Let him find more modest arrangements.

6/19/2008 12:22:57 PM

Y'all are crazy. Thats a ridiculous amount of TAXPAYER money to spend on 8 days of a car and driving. Why not hire a middle-class Italian who knows the area, buy him a $1,000 suit and pay him $200 a day to drive around? That, with the rental car would cost maybe $10,000.

6/19/2008 12:24:00 PM

hes the gov for crying out loud. he went to look very professional to attract tourists and such, and he was successful. look at for the long haul. i see nothing wrong with it.

6/19/2008 12:25:48 PM

so you couldnt spend...i dunno...$30,000 over 8 days for the transportation of 2 people? gotta spend $60,000?

Quote :

"$3,600 a day for a limo fit for a foreign leader? That's a pretty decent deal."

$3,600 / day is just the Mercedes car...that price doesn't include the Mercedes van that they also had the entire trip

6/19/2008 12:27:29 PM

the car he got matters, and the driver isn't making the outrageous wage, its the company that is getting that. i'm sure they lease out a car and then provide a driver and then book them separately. its not that hard to conceive. when making a presentation and acting as an extension for the place you represent you must put forward your best image. It is how you will be remembered and how people will associate the area from which you come.

sure he could have spent 30k, but he also could have spent 120k. he spent neither of those, so its best to deal with it. what he spent was not excessive and was in the realm of reason.

[Edited on June 19, 2008 at 12:29 PM. Reason : .]

6/19/2008 12:28:06 PM

I see something wrong when our hard-earned tax dollars pay the same amount of money for a car for 8 days than could have paid for a modest house for a struggling family for life

6/19/2008 12:29:30 PM

yeah, if this was a personal vacation, sure i could see something wrong with it, but it was for enrichment of our culture to a foreign entity.

6/19/2008 12:31:09 PM

Quote :

"money for a car for 8 days than could have paid for a modest house for a struggling family for life"

then i would be more concerned with the $2million dollars, give or take, that generals and other such high level people in the pentagon get to rennovate their offices to their suiting when they receive them.

2 million for an office. think about it.

this is a drop in the bucket compared to that.

6/19/2008 12:31:41 PM

It may be a drop in the bucket, but it's a clear indication of how things need to CHANGE

6/19/2008 12:32:34 PM

Quote :

"sure he could have spent 30k, but he also could have spent 120k. he spent neither of those, so its best to deal with it. what he spent was not excessive and was in the realm of reason."

"And hey, he didn't murder anyone on his trip either! So buck up those expectations, people!"

6/19/2008 12:33:46 PM

quick google search

http://www.italyautorental.com/ourcars/cars.php?vendor-category=MPremium

I can rent a Mercedes E280 for $161(USD)/day over 8 days

apparently Easley's people can find a nicer Mercedes to rent for only 20x more

6/19/2008 12:34:52 PM

A governor and his family is supposed to rise around in an unmodified E-Class with a 2.8L engine?

6/19/2008 12:39:28 PM

did he have bullet proof windows and security while he was there?

6/19/2008 12:42:25 PM

headdesk.

have you ever been in a rented car with a driver?

I was on a business trip in feb.

we had a limo that consisted of me, a sales guy with my company and one customer. the limo rental for the night, which was 7pm - 12am was over two grand.




[Edited on June 19, 2008 at 12:43 PM. Reason : .]

6/19/2008 12:42:31 PM

Quote :

"A governor and his family is supposed to rise around in an unmodified E-Class with a 2.8L engine?"

yes the governor and his family wife are supposed to ride around in a rickety old Mercedes, what a shitty car its not even a 500!...is this Bush going to Iraq or something? are there going to be assassination attempts in Italy on North Carolina's governor?

i just hear so many of you saying you're against overspending by the government, yet the same people seem to think this is a non-issue, instead of seeing this is just another example of wasteful government spending

6/19/2008 12:45:46 PM

can i understand the concern over this bill for the tax payers, but i am sure this had to be approved.

6/19/2008 12:47:18 PM

doesnt sound like it

Quote :

"The state released documents concerning the April trip after a public records request, but the bills are still coming in. Still unknown are expenses for Easley's security detail and the head of the state commerce department."

seems like the only reason this even got out was because someone requested an expense report

6/19/2008 12:48:02 PM

government spending is wasteful if there is nothing to be gained from its use. in this situation the presentation of image was a requirement, and overall we are likely to receive more money than money spent. this would make the money used in this situation an investment and not an example of government wasteful spending.

e.g. if you buy starbucks coffee for yourself everyday at 3.00 that could be viewed as a waste, whereas if you were to save that money and at the end of every week put 21.00 into a stock, that would be an investment and not a waste.

6/19/2008 12:48:47 PM

And Easley should've just driven himself around.

That'd impress the Italians.

They're not a very showy culture.

[Edited on June 19, 2008 at 12:51 PM. Reason : .]

6/19/2008 12:50:49 PM

well $61,000 is only like $30,000 in Euros. You have to factor in the cost of fuel over there, and the fact that Green line tours knows a sucker when they see one.

6/19/2008 12:57:20 PM

he's a democrat, what did you expect?

^€39,000

and petrol is about double.

6/19/2008 12:57:28 PM

and for the record i would be equally as pissed if Easley was a republican (just to preemptively silence any partisan shit)...i care about this because this is where MY state income taxes are going

6/19/2008 1:05:05 PM

ditto

6/19/2008 1:05:50 PM

I'd like to see some sort of comparison to other trips made by governors/representatives.

I'm really not seeing why I should be pissed over this.

6/19/2008 1:06:38 PM

i would also like to see some figures on trips by other politicians

however i feel that we'd discover that all of them overpaid

and like i said in the first post, "I understand that sometimes you've got to invest some money in order to make more money"

but i also know there are more methods of tranportation than either spending $60,000 for a weeks tranportation or taking the bus

I mean I'm not really mad about a $700 lunch for 8 people...$90/pop for lunch...get you some filet and crab cakes and a few bottles of vino...sure...you gotta eat...you dont however have to pay $60k for a weeks tranport

6/19/2008 1:08:28 PM

explain how they overpaid

unless you really do think he should've driven himself in an airport rental

6/19/2008 1:10:28 PM

I am astounded by the people who are not only willing to believe but jump to the conclusion that the "Obama Sale" sign was about shooting Sen. Obama, and are not pissed about the governor spending $170k in taxpayer money for a 9-day trip.


When I first clicked this thread, I started reading for the bottom. My first inclination was "treetwista is just stirring the pot about something that's really not a big deal." I know as well as anyone that you often need to spend money to make money, and I'm even ok with extending this to putting on a little dog and pony show for the Italians...but $170k in 9 days? Are you fucking serious?

It doesn't surprise me that Easley did it (though it does piss me off). I am really legitimately surprised that there are people in here defending it, though.

^^ yeah, $90/plate lunches are reasonable for what he was doing. $170k in 9 days is not even CLOSE to reasonable. It's way past what could even be considered the grey area.

[Edited on June 19, 2008 at 1:19 PM. Reason : ^ goddammit, nobody's saying he should've taken a cab or a bus. drop that dumbass argument.]

6/19/2008 1:16:50 PM

Quote :

"and for the record i would be equally as pissed if Easley was a republican (just to preemptively silence any partisan shit)...i care about this because this is where MY state income taxes are going"

not pissed enough to vote or write a letter. but pissed enough to make a thread. bravo, sir.



[Edited on June 19, 2008 at 1:20 PM. Reason : quote]

6/19/2008 1:18:47 PM

Yeah well you know I'm pretty much a latte sippin effete elite liberal and I think dude paid too much

Pull up to the spot in a Civic or something, maybe one with spinnaz on it

6/19/2008 1:21:23 PM

but for the record, yeah he spent too much for transportation. but on the scale of government waste this pales in comparison to lots of waste. unfortunately he's on his way out as well, so he can't even really be raked over the coals for it.

6/19/2008 1:24:19 PM

Thank you.

Drop the fucking politics and be reasonable, people.

I'm not even saying he should've ridden in a civic (although I think that $61k for that Mercedes is way over the top). Still, and I know this is a lot to expect from a politician, especially one spending other people's money, but if you're going to ride in a Benz, and eat $90 lunches, something else has to give.

The transportation only accounts for a little over 1/3 of the tab! I mean, spending nearly TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS PER DAY, even for several people, even in Italy, even when puttin' on the ritz for a good reason, is completely out of control.

[Edited on June 19, 2008 at 1:27 PM. Reason : asdfads]

6/19/2008 1:26:57 PM

No but seriously though, if he's going to talk tourism and business you would think they'd just listen to what he had to say and that would be that. What difference does it even make what he's riding in or driving if it's not a beater? I have never understood this about business and politics.

6/19/2008 1:31:15 PM

Quote :

"not pissed enough to vote or write a letter. but pissed enough to make a thread. bravo, sir."

touche but i fail to see how me voting or writing a letter will stop greedy politicians from overspending our money...if someone hadnt asked for public records i'm sure this would've just gone by the wayside...besides if i had written a letter i'm sure i wouldve gotten a company line response justifying the costs by basically making some of the crazy defenses that people in this thread have already made...ie Whats he supposed to do ride the bus

6/19/2008 1:50:34 PM

the closer you get to local government, the more your voice will matter.

a letter at least lets him (or his staff) know that people are paying attention.

maybe this isn't possible with your senator or president (or governor for that matter), but you can have a personal relationship with your councilman or mayor or state representatives.

6/19/2008 1:53:42 PM

Quote :

"a letter at least lets him (or his staff) know that people are paying attention."

while i still get your point, i think its kind of moot because i found out about it from an article in the newspaper...i'm pretty sure Easley and his people know people are paying attention

6/19/2008 1:55:12 PM

NC Population (2007): 9,069,370
Tax Dollars spent: $170,000

Cost per person: $0.0187


So, that's like 2 cents per person. No big deal right?
It's OK... actors are meant to get paid a lot.

6/19/2008 1:55:36 PM

^^there are lots of things that make the papers that people don't end up paying attention to. unfortunately in this case, he has no reason to care anymore since he's on his way out.

6/19/2008 1:58:36 PM

since he's on his way out, and since we can't do anything about it

6/19/2008 1:59:28 PM

vote richard moore mcrory

hell, i might do it. bev perdue isn't looking too good to me right now.

[Edited on June 19, 2008 at 2:01 PM. Reason : . brain fart]

[Edited on June 19, 2008 at 2:02 PM. Reason : .]

6/19/2008 2:00:32 PM

i got to see firsthand how mccrory spent money in charlotte

6/19/2008 2:04:38 PM

not to steer this too far off-course, but what didn't you like about mccrory?

[Edited on June 19, 2008 at 2:06 PM. Reason : .]

6/19/2008 2:05:29 PM

a few things off the top

- crime has risen and risen and risen (although so has population)
- spending money on nascar hall of fame, light rail etc instead of finishing off I-485 beltline
- welches on bets with Seattle mayors
- trying to put the uptown ahead of the entire rest of the city

one interesting thing about McCrory though is that he has never lost an election...I think that goes back into the 1980s...so I do expect him to win

6/19/2008 2:10:18 PM

set em up

6/19/2008 2:13:07 PM