Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Erika Franzi, spokeswoman for the Asheville Tea Party, has issued a press release slamming the members of the Asheville Regional Airport’s board who flew to a Hawaiian resort for a conference, all at the cost about $17,000 in taxpayers’ money. The Aviation Issues Conference is being held Sunday through midday Thursday at the Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Ka’anapali, Franzi notes.
Board members David Gantt and Susan Fisher are attending with board chairman David Hillier. Gantt also serves as chairman of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, and Fisher is a member of the N.C. House of Representatives.
WLOS broke this story, and the Asheville Citizen-Times has been following it.
Here’s part of Franzi’s press release:
“In the current economy, it is unconscionable that the airport board would send one person, much less four persons, to Hawaii for a conference of questionable value on the public dime. Private businesses do not have the luxury of not participating in the recession. The last organizations that should be ignoring the effects of the down economy are those which exist at the expense of the taxpayer and contribute nothing to the economy. If area citizens needed any proof that our local elected officials are out of touch with reality, this episode certainly fits the bill.” said Erika Franzi, Asheville Tea Party director.
On behalf of local business owners who have canceled regular trips, eliminated all but non-essential expenses, and cut their payroll; on behalf of private citizens who have slashed their family budgets, skipped annual vacations, and gone without; on behalf of all area residents who are offended by this flagrant misuse of public funds and obscene violation of the public trust: the Asheville Tea Party calls upon all Asheville Regional Airport board members who participated in this taxpayer funded trip to Hawaii to publicly apologize for their incredibly poor judgment.
A public apology is not good enough. Only full reimbursement of funds for that trip will be enough.
Booooooo!
America was founded on individual liberty and local government no more than one day’s horseback ride from the governed. The 19th century Democrat was the staunch defender of state’s rights, which, under Federalists, Whigs and Republicans was assigned the role of slavery’s justifiers. The civil war cost us local government, the laws affecting behavior rising to the states and then the Federal government, way outside the one-day horseback distance rule that worked so well. The vigilante movements in the West and South were remnants of local home rule, where citizens concerned with the way they were governed took action to right the wrongs. The Tea Party Movement is another example of citizen participation against the governing elite centered far, far from the folks. It demonstrates the founding ideals of America are still the dominant tradition. The 20th century Democrats have declared war on Tea Parties as vigilantes and on America’s founding traditions, as cited in THE CHANGING FACE OF DEMOCRATS, Our Lost Libertarian Roots on claysamerica.com.
Art is right, this is outrageous, and when elected officials belly up to the publicly funded trough, it’s even worse. The city and county governments are whining about reduced revenues, yet they allow taxpayer funds to be used in this way. Of course, the Aloha trippers could have cut their expenses by flying out of Greenville or Charlotte.
Also to mention that Charlotte International is sending NO ONE.
Yes, finally you have posted something about this junket on Ashvegas. For once, the Citizen-Times was way ahead of you on this important story.
It is absolutely outrageous that the AVL Airport would send 4 Board members to Hawaii for what is clearly a junket. Susan Fisher and David Gantt should immediately reimburse for all expenses associated with this trip.
I can’t believe how totally stupid these people are….Don’t they have any idea how bad this looks.
AVL Airport is a TINY little airport and there is no way in the world to justify this. Interesting that Chicago O’Hare Airport only sent 1 person to this junket.
What a WASTE of our tax dollars!!! This is outrageous!!