http://www.charlotte.com/109/story/693882.html

Quote :

"Trips by Easley's wife cost N.C. $109,000 Taxpayers picked up the tab By Benjamin Niolet (Raleigh) News & Observer * Easley's trip to Italy cost taxpayers $170,000 North Carolina's first lady, Mary Easley, visited some of the finest museums in France and Russia during the past 14 months. She dined at first-class restaurants, slept at top-notch hotels and sat in the fifth row for a Russian ballet. Her travels – a trip to France in 2007 and one to Russia and Estonia in May – cost taxpayers about $109,000. Gov. Mike Easley did not go on either trip, which were not publically disclosed at the time. Mary Easley did not respond to requests for an interview, but expense reports and other documents released in response to a public records request indicate the trips were considered cultural exchanges to build links between North Carolina and officials in the countries visited. The trips have so far produced no tangible benefits. In May 2007, Mary Easley and an executive assistant traveled to Paris and Compiègne, France “to see the ambassador and to visit major museums for sister city cultural arts” exchanges, according to the expense report filed with the state. Once there, Easley had a round-the-clock chauffeured Mercedes sport utility vehicle that cost taxpayers more than $27,000. Taxpayers paid another $8,900 for Easley, her executive assistant and a state trooper – who was along for security – to stay in a hotel and participate in a Monet-themed tour. The trip was five months after the Monet exhibit closed at the N.C. Museum of Art. In May 2008, Easley went to St. Petersburg and Tallinn, Estonia, with a delegation of the state's arts officials. The trip was intended to begin a relationship with museum officials in those two countries, which could some day lead to a loan of their exhibits, said Larry Wheeler, director of the N.C. Museum of Art and a delegation member. Also on the trip was Libba Evans, head of the Department of Cultural Resources, and Judy Easley, who in addition to being the director of Boards, Commissions and Foundations for the Department of Cultural Resources is the governor's former sister-in-law. She was there to tend to the first lady, Wheeler said. The governor's office referred questions to the Department of Cultural Resources, which sponsored the trips. The governor appoints the head of the department. An official at the department declined requests to interview Evans and Judy Easley. Staci Meyer, a chief deputy for the department, said such trips are vital to landing blockbuster attractions such as the Monet exhibit in late 2006 and early 2007, which drew 220,000 visitors to the N.C. Museum of Art. State officials estimate the exhibit had an economic impact of $20 million. “You talk about $50,000 or $60,000 and to me, if you look at the economic impact of great art and what it does for a region, it just doesn't seem like it's outrageous to me,” Meyer said. High-end hotels, ballet The invoices, receipts, bills and itineraries for the trips were provided after a public records request. That request was made after similar documents showed that a business- recruiting trip to Italy in April for the Easleys and others cost more than $170,000. Less than a month after returning from Italy, Mary Easley left for Russia. The five people traveling at taxpayer expense, including a state trooper for security, flew to Russia in business-class seats that cost a total of $34,388. In St. Petersburg, the group had tickets to the ballet at the Mariinsky Theatre at a cost of about $1,100. They stayed in an $800-a-night hotel and dined at a first-class restaurant, Palkin, for more than $100 per person. “It's a great restaurant,” Wheeler said. “You're probably looking at the bill, which I'm sure was outrageous ... We wanted to try one of the good restaurants and wanted to show Mary a good Russian experience.” According to Lonely Planet's online guide to Russia, you can “spend your day eating in Moscow's finest restaurants and sleeping between their crispest sheets … (for) around US $500 a day.” While the state's travel policy allows for greater expenses when traveling to costly locations, it says employees are “expected to exercise the same care in incurring expenses that a prudent person would exercise if traveling on personal business and expending personal funds. The policy also states that appointed and elected officials fall under the same rules. But when Easley traveled to France in 2007, she first flew on a state-owned plane to New York at a cost to taxpayers of $4,565. The flight to Paris was canceled that night and Easley, her assistant and the state trooper stayed at the Jumeirah Essex House, a luxury hotel that overlooks Central Park. The bill for the night was $1,157.22. Touring the Hermitage Wheeler said the trip to Estonia originated with an invitation from Kay Phillips, the wife of Dave Phillips, a former N.C. commerce secretary who is U.S. ambassador to the former Soviet republic south of Finland. Wheeler said the group decided to add St. Petersburg so they could tour The Hermitage, a world-famous museum. Having Mary Easley on the trip probably opened doors for the N.C. delegation, he said. “My God, if we could get some great things from The Hermitage to be on view at the N.C. Museum of Art, how fabulous would that be for the people of the state?” Wheeler said. On May 12, the delegation dined by itself at the restaurant Palkin. The receipt shows the state officials ordered entrees such as leg of pheasant with homemade sausages, and rabbit with black truffles and foie gras. Evans didn't bill the state for the $647 they spent on two bottles of wine and a bottle of Veuve Cliquot Brut Champagne. Taxpayers paid $624.54 for the food. N.C. exposure in Estonia In Estonia, the delegation stayed with the ambassador, and the expenses dropped considerably. The biggest bill from the country was from the trooper, who stayed in a hotel instead of the embassy. The delegation attended a reception at the ambassador's home. Wheeler was impressed with the work of Estonian artists and decided to try to organize an exhibit for them in North Carolina. Easley met with reporters and picked up some news coverage. “She got lots of good exposure for North Carolina in Estonia, without question,” Wheeler said. Wheeler said it's hard to measure the cost of a trip against the quality-of-life improvements it could produce for North Carolina citizens. “I don't know how we could have done it much differently,” he said. “To get the first lady and the group ... to have them there for a week and to accomplish what we did and to meet the people that we did and to see the things we did. It's certainly worth it.” News researcher Lamara Williams contributed to this report."

Hey look, here's another $109,000 worth of expenses by Easley....whoops Easley was nowhere to be found...these trips were taken by Easley's wife...of course we the North Carolina state taxpayers paid for her first class restaurants and her high quality hotel accomodations...by the way, these trips she took had absolutely zero to do with recruiting businesses and promoting tourism...but how convenient...they're listed as "cultural exchanges"

7/1/2008 9:55:39 AM

Quote :

"he's a democrat, what did you expect? "

Him to actually care about poor people and spend the money on putting food in the mouths of the hungry.

Or to buy carbon credits to offset the damage he's done to the environment.

Oh wait, he doesn't give a fuck about putting his money where his mouth is.

7/1/2008 10:35:56 AM

^ Actually he does. If you read the article, a lot of the expenses were from fancy restaurants.

7/1/2008 10:47:56 AM

^lol

this is outrageous. and nothing will be done about it most likely. that's the sad thing.

7/1/2008 10:55:46 AM

the easleys have really shown their true colors in the past year or so

7/1/2008 11:26:36 AM

Quote :

"- spending money on nascar hall of fame, light rail etc instead of finishing off I-485 beltline"

I was kinda like WTF when i heard they were building a fucking NASCAR hall of fame in charlotte. the last thing that town needs is to further the perception of it as a southern red-neck nascar town.

I don't have a problem w/ the light rail though. Supposedly it has been much greater of a success than anyone ever thought. Really helping out on congestion too. If you look at a map of charlotte though; the beltline is 'done' from a certain perspective. If you count I85 as part of the "loop" charlotte does have a complete beltline. Much like how I40 makes up the south part of the Raleigh's 440 beltline

7/1/2008 11:34:52 AM

i think the NASCAR hall will definitely bring net profits to the city but I also didn't think it should've been high up on the priority list

the light rail like I've said has been a pleasant surprise...I think ridership would be a lot lower if gas prices were still lower...now they're discussing a 2nd line...a north line that would essentially run north from downtown towards the UNCC area...could be good

7/1/2008 11:43:19 AM

Again, the danger of voting in people like Easley and then not watching them like a hawk. A friendly press did not help matters either.

And what irks me is when we meekly ask for some cuts in spending, Easley and his bunch go right for the most vital services. Never once did he start off by suggesting they first cut out his wife's vacations to Europe.

And God forbid we allow libertarian Mike Munger into the debates who will bring up questions which will make the other two candidates too uncomfortable.

7/1/2008 11:51:49 AM

Quote :

"Again, the danger of voting in people like Easley and then not watching them like a hawk. A friendly press did not help matters either."

This sounds very familar.

7/1/2008 2:21:23 PM

Even the staunchest of liberals can't defend the rampant waste of tax payer money on this crap. It's one thing for the Governor to claim he was going on cultural exchanges to try and drum up business for NC, but his wife? Bullshit. They should have to pay it all back out of their own pockets. I know they can afford it.

7/1/2008 2:40:48 PM

^totally agree. However, it wont happen.

7/1/2008 3:04:48 PM

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"They should have to pay it all back out of their own pockets. I know they can afford it. "

I bet they can. Lots of the people who paid those taxes that went in their pockets can't though.

7/2/2008 12:20:44 AM

me and my mom talked about this today....i'm so glad she wasnt a dumbass about it

7/2/2008 12:25:53 AM

Honestly this just sounds like business as usual. I disagree with the rampant waste of tax payer money but really this is a mere political move by republicans to help support their candidate and discredit the democrats (although i intend to vote pat mcrory). Either way republican or democrat in office i have no doubt their will be frivolous spending for the governor to travel, buy his wife a dildo, nice cars.

Different party same bullshit

7/2/2008 12:39:30 AM

He has shafted state employees year after year (2% is a fucking joke) and he has the nerve to pull shit like this.

7/2/2008 12:53:26 AM

i was always pissed that easley kept raising the fucking gas taxes

7/2/2008 1:39:32 AM

Hi Gang, Bev Perdue here!

You know everyone is jumping on poor gov. Easley for trying to bring jobs here for hard-working North Carolinians.

Well I'm telling ya right now. When I take office, I'm taking all kinds of trips on your dime. I've worked hard- shaking hands, hugging black people and smiling. When I get my governorship- I'M GOING TO DISNEYWORLD!

It just gets my goat when a bunch of cheapskate citizens get all upset when we spend some money. Good grief the tax money belongs to us, not you!
If I wanna fly the state helicoptor to my front lawn every day- that's my privilage!
If I wanna fly to Paris for dinner and shopping- that's my privilage!
If I wanna get my college-professor spouse a 88% raise before I leave office- that's my right!

Now you all just need to hush up and elect more of us democrats into state office.

And I'm here to tell ya right now, there's no way on Gods green earth we're letting that libertarian fellow into any debate I'm part of.

But kiss kiss..and remember my slogan....

Just Per-Due IT!

7/2/2008 9:51:33 AM

i don't like bev perdue. but really, what does she have to do with this?

7/2/2008 10:53:34 AM

are they just milkin this shit now?

http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/mary_easleys_salary_jumps_by_79_000

Quote :

"Mary Easley's salary jumps by $79,000 Submitted by bniolet on July 2, 2008 - 10:32am. Tags: Carolina Journal | higher education | Mary Easley | Mike Easley | N.C. State | Under the Dome Mary Easley got a $79,700 raise this week. Easley, wife of Gov. Mike Easley, is an executive in residence and senior lecturer in the provost's office at N.C. State University. Her job duties have expanded and she will get more money for it. Effective July 1, her salary went from $90,000 to $170,000, according to personnel records from N.C. State. Mary Easley, 58, has been in the news this week because of the expense of trips she took to France in May 2007 and Russia and Estonia this May. News of the raise appeared in a story in the Carolina Journal on Wednesday. Mary Easley's job entails development and direction of the Millennium Seminars, the university's principal speakers program. She runs a spring semester course called Public Law for Public Administrators. She is a faculty member in the Administrative Officers Management Program teaching legal aspects of police supervision. Her new responsibilities include directing the development of the Public Safety Leadership Initiative, expanding the existing program to include first responders and security professionals, co-directing pre-law services at N.C. State, and acting as the University’s liaison for partnerships with the legal profession and area law schools, including the development of dual-degree programs."

7/2/2008 11:04:08 AM

Damn liberal media and their incessant attacks on liberals. bastards.

7/2/2008 11:08:22 AM

what the fuck does that have to do with anything?

7/2/2008 11:08:39 AM

wow it seems like they're saying "oh you found out about a couple of our vacations that you paid for? fuck you, i'll take even more money now"

7/2/2008 11:12:09 AM

Were you referring to the N&O milking the story or the Easley's milking.

Pretty hard to tell.

Regardless, it's a relevant comment to point out how the liberal media is attacking liberals, though maybe more relevant to the liberal media thread.

7/2/2008 11:12:41 AM

pretty obvious he is talking about the Easley's milking

7/2/2008 11:15:39 AM

No dumbass, why don't you read the whole thread first.

I am clearly referencing the POINT of this whole thread. The Easley's are also clearly milking the NC budget for their own personal benefit.


I wish we had an ATTN: Users with < 100 posts: Don't post.


That would solve a lot of problems on this board.

[Edited on July 2, 2008 at 11:17 AM. Reason : .]

7/2/2008 11:16:30 AM

Who sets her salary, NCSU, UNC system, or the legislature? If its the latter, then yeah, I can see what you mean by milking. But my assumption is that NCSU sets her salary, so you can't really claim they are milking it in that case, which is why I wasn't sure what you were talking about Brian.

7/2/2008 11:23:02 AM

It was ambiguous only to you.

7/2/2008 11:27:00 AM

Answer the question. Who sets her pay?

7/2/2008 11:27:56 AM

BREAKING NEWS REPORT POLITICIANS WASTE TAX PAYERS MONEY ON THINGS TO BENEFIT THEMSELVES!!!!!

I mean seriously guys shit like this has been going on since gov't first even starting collecting taxes from the its peasants.

7/2/2008 1:23:13 PM

k, will ignore all acts of this in the future. thanks for your response.

7/2/2008 1:24:49 PM

Quote :

"The UNC General Administration has determined that NC State’s interpretation of the processes for approving fixed-term contracts (those contracts negotiated with faculty and EPA professionals for a fixed number of years) with salary increases greater than 15 percent and $10,000 for faculty and staff is incorrect. Further, General Administration has decided that we need to present such contracts executed from 2002-2008 for approval at the next Board of Governors meeting in September. In addition to taking these contracts to the Board for review, I will convene a task force to take a look at our contract processes, including examining how and when contracts should be issued and the processes for approving them. Their work will be completed prior to the September BOG meeting. I am sure that those of you who have signed fixed-term contracts over the period 2002-2008 are wondering how this will affect you. We have not yet determined how many contracts will need to be reviewed by the Board of Governors. It will take a fair amount of labor-intensive analysis, including reviewing each contract individually to determine the nature of the salary increase. We should know in about two weeks how many contracts will need to go before the Board. We believed we were using the right approach in the way we were handling fixed-term contracts. As an institution that prides itself on doing the right things in the right way, we are embarrassed by this difference of interpretation and will take immediate steps to ensure that our contract approval processes are consistent with Board guidelines. We will work closely with President Bowles and the Board of Governors to resolve this issue and appreciate the Board’s willingness to work with us."

http://ncsu.edu/about-nc-state/chancellor/chancellor-statement.php

7/11/2008 8:56:33 AM

Mrs. Easley is a nice lady and a highly educated woman. If she wasn't a friend of my family, I might have something more meaningful to say in regards to the spending.

7/11/2008 11:15:40 AM

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"explain how they overpaid unless you really do think he should've driven himself in an airport rental"

they could have all ridden in the mercedes van and been done with it. easley is not special.

Quote :

"and a state trooper – who was along for security "

he wasn't allowed to carry a firearm and wasn't trained in personal protection. why was he there?

[Edited on July 12, 2008 at 5:54 PM. Reason : eh]

7/12/2008 5:46:56 PM

Hahaha. I'm just sitting here imagining Easley tooling around Rome trying to get people to visit NC. It would be like trying to convince a fly to move off the honey pile to start munching on a fresh steamer.

If he could just convince like three Italians to come over to NC for a week we'd probably make that $170K back in gas and sales tax alone.

Quote :

"they could have all ridden in the mercedes van and been done with it. easley is not special."

Or just bought a car outright and tossed it in the ocean before they left.

[Edited on July 12, 2008 at 7:13 PM. Reason : -]

7/12/2008 7:09:55 PM