This article was originally published by WECT and is being shared with permission.
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - Public records show Wilmington officials spent more than $30,000 on a trip to Washington, D.C. earlier this year, a cost Mayor Bill Saffo defended.
“There’s always gonna be concerns about how much money we spend, but I think for the $30,000 we spent, I think what we get in return – in the millions of dollars of federal funding, federal grants – I think it’s worth it," the mayor said.
In mid-March, an eight-person Wilmington delegation traveled to Washington for the National League of Cities Conference. Every council member attended except Kevin Spears. City Clerk Penny Spicer-Sidbury and Legislative & Intergovernmental Affairs Director Kara Spencer also made the trip.
“It adds more gravity to what we’re asking (federal officials) to do, as opposed to just the mayor showing up,” Saffo said when asked why eight people attended the trip.
Outside of the conference, Wilmington leaders met with Rep. David Rouzer and Sens. Thom Tillis and Ted Budd. Mayor Saffo said the delegation also met with officials from the EPA, FBI, DEA and the White House, discussing a variety of issues impacting Southeastern North Carolina.
Issues discussed included funding for FEMA, PFAS regulations and the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge replacement.
The city said working with federal representatives has helped with the Riverfront Bulkhead Replacement Project and the Wilmington Police Department’s drone program.
“These are not, what I would say, fun trips, but they’re trips where we can speak to our elected delegation as to how important these issues are,” Saffo said.
Expense reports show each member of the delegation spent between $3,000 and $6,000, roughly, on the trip. Stays lasted between three and six nights. Costs included conference registrations, flights, gas, meals and hotels. Records show hotel stays at four- and five-star properties, including The Watergate Hotel and the Marriott Marquis, which was the conference hotel.
The total cost came to $30,149, about $10,000 more than the cost of last year’s trip to Washington.
On March 18, a receipt shows a payment for a eight-hour private car service, costing $931.50. That day, Mayor Saffo said, city leaders met with various federal officials around Washington, D.C. The mayor said it was more efficient for city officials to travel together for the day of meetings.
Two weeks ago, city council passed a new budgetwith a nearly five-cent tax increase, a roughly 17% hike on city property tax owners. City leaders cited increased funding for police and fire, and higher pay for city employees as the main factors.
WECT asked Mayor Saffo about the optics of raising taxes after spending thousands on out-of-town travel.
“I don’t think the optics are ever going to be favorable to anybody going out of town,” he said. “I think anyone who’s watching this is gonna say, ‘they shouldn’t be going anywhere.’ But our job is to make sure we’re getting the amount of money from the federal government that we all feel we deserve.”
In an email, a city spokesperson said individual trips don’t directly result in more federal funding or policy changes, but said they ensure Wilmington is able to successfully compete for federal resources.
“Whenever the City applies for federal funding, it relies on the support of Rep. David Rouzer, Sen. Thom Tillis, and Sen. Ted Budd to help advance the applications in an increasingly competitive fiscal environment,” the spokesperson said. “Because the City maintains regular communication with them, including during annual meetings in Washington, D.C., they have a strong understanding of the City’s long-term goals and are well-positioned to provide letters of support, make recommendations, and advocate for the City’s priorities.”
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