Can you believe it? Another Kentucky agency squandering $600,000 on random crap. Fancy restaurants, gifts, $10,000 on unused hotel rooms, sports tickets and other forms of personal entertainment.
Ryan Alessi has the skinny:
When the Kentucky Association of Counties sent six people to Washington, D.C., in March 2008 to attend a conference and lobby officials, the $31,700 trip included two dinners totaling $4,277 and a $10,000 cancellation fee for hotel rooms that weren’t used.
That trip was one of the most expensive among dozens of jaunts taken by leaders of KACo, a non-profit group that lobbies for counties and provides them with insurance and financing services.
In all, the association’s top five executives racked up nearly $600,000 in travel, entertainment and other expenses over the last two years. More than half was charged on the credit card of Executive Director Bob Arnold.
Really, where does KACo get off paying for a BMW and a country club membership when someone already makes $178,080? Why does a blind man need his own vehicle?
And who stays at the Willard when they’re in Washington, D.C.? No one. Especially when they’re just visiting Capitol Hill. You could stay at a nicer, more luxurious hotel like a Kimpton joint for half the price. You only stay at the Willard or the Mayflower if you want to make people think your excrement doesn’t stink and that you’re somebody.
There you go, Kentucky. Your tax dollars. Flushed down the toilet by a few people who want to live the high life.
This really is why the Commonwealth can’t have nice things.
5 responses so far ↓
1 of note // Jun 29, 2009 at 12:06 pm
pour through the 4-5 articles in Sunday’s Herald…says this Arnold and Robinson guy went on $3000 shopping spree and had a $77 lunch at Beef O’Brady’s in Frankfort…2 people at lunch with a $77 tab? Arnold says the BMW SUV they provide him is ok because it’s the cheap BMW? former KACO president Spencer Co. Judge says he didn’t make the charges to an escort/strip club and that they were challenged just last Friday…why last Friday, because he got caught?
Did you know that lobbyist Ellen Williams is lobbyist for KACO? Did you know that they are also including her as an employee (she’s not)…and paying for her health insurance and contributing toward city/county retirement for her?
$500 per night hotel stays at the Willard in DC? Sure, Willard is nice but when you are working essentially for strapped Kentucky counties shouldn’t you stay at a more reasonable place…a $400 tip at TAvern on the Green in NYC…it goes on and on….county officials should step up to the plate and fire ARnold and several others at KACO…we have very poor counties paying dues to this organization to represent them…somehow don’t think this high living is representative of counties in Kentucky!!!
2 GOLDen // Jun 29, 2009 at 1:14 pm
something article didn’t mention…many of Frankfort’s lobbyist have multiple clients…no big deal. wonder how many county officials know that rumor that KACO staff have told…Ellen Williams, lobbyist for utilities, race tracks and others is also lobbyist for KACO. Aside from the normal pay (reportedly about $50000 per year)…sources say KACO has her as an employee and is paying for her health insurance as well as contributing toward city/county retirement which will of course add in to her state gov retirement when she worked for fletcher. oh what a tangled web we weave when we practice to deceive!
3 Steve Bittenbender // Jun 29, 2009 at 10:16 pm
If I’m in DC — like I am now — and I’m not staying at a Marriott, then I’m staying at the Liaison.
Currently, I’m staying at the Courtyard on Embassy Row. I can see Australia from my hotel room!
4 Bruce Maples // Jun 29, 2009 at 11:19 pm
If I were one of the county leaders responsible for paying those annual dues ($4,000 up to $11,000 if I remember correctly) I’d be asking for a discount for this year.
The story at the H-L is even more disturbing. Read it all.
5 Ed Springston // Jun 30, 2009 at 4:55 am
Wow Steve. Did you let Sarah Palin know you could see Australia. It could put you on the fast track to her VP nomination next election. lol
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