It’s so easy for public servants to get carried away going to conferences

No matter how worthwhile the conference, the suspicious in our midst always view travel by legislators as a boondoggle. Maybe it’s travel envy, knowing the taxpayer pays for their good times in good places, usually in high-end hotels. And July and August are wonderful months for Las Vegans to get out of town.

Most legislators who just cut $275 million out of this year’s state budget at the special session had the common sense not to turn around and travel to any of three back-to-back conferences scheduled over the next few weeks in Alaska, New Orleans and Chicago.

Most, but not all.

Nine of the 63 legislators are attending conferences in July and August.

Only one — state Sen. Maggie Carlton — is attending more than one. She signed up for back-to-back conferences in Alaska and New Orleans. She and three other Las Vegas legislators attended the five-day meeting in Anchorage of the Council of State Governments-West. The others are state Sens. Barbara Cegavske and John Lee, and Assemblyman Jerry Claborn. It’s possible some are paying their own way. Eight legislators went last year and asked for reimbursement.

The Alaska conference ended Sunday, and Tuesday there’s another five-day conference in New Orleans, the National Conference of State Legislatures. Five Nevada legislators are going this year; 14 went last year. The five going to New Orleans are state Sens. Carlton and Bernice Matthews, and Assembly members Morse Arberry, Kathy McClain and Lynn Stewart.

NCSL is one of the biggest conferences for legislators and focuses on finding solutions to problems common to all states. If they attend the programs, it’s considered a valuable conference. In the past, some attended and some barely showed their faces.

In 1993, 31 legislators and 10 legislative staffers attended the NCSL meeting in San Diego at the Hotel Del Coronado and then-Review-Journal reporter Mary Hynes saw a few lawmakers just once or twice during the week.

In general, the Legislature has cut back on travel.

Lorne Malkiewich, director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau, pulled the numbers, but cautioned some lawmakers may not ask for reimbursement.

Carlton said Saturday the meeting in Alaska wasn’t that helpful, but she had committed to going in March and didn’t want to lose the airfare. She says she learns from NCSL. “Sometimes we step over a dollar to pick up a nickel,” she said when asked why she is attending two conferences.

Travel doesn’t save huge sums, but perception matters. When the state has cut $1.1 billion from the budget, it doesn’t look good to be living the high life in Anchorage and New Orleans.

On July 28, the American Legislative Exchange Council meets in Chicago. Only one Nevada lawmaker will be there this year, state Sen. Dennis Nolan. He’s the state chairman of ALEC and chairs a transportation subcommittee, so he needs to be there. Most of his trip is underwritten by sponsors.

Clark County and the city of Las Vegas decided not to send anyone to NCSL this year.

The city of Henderson is sending three people to New Orleans, and two are sharing a hotel room, said city spokeswoman Cindy Herman. They view the conference as a valuable one where you learn from others’ experience.

Herman said Henderson’s finances are in decent shape and there’s a $10 million rainy day fund.

Clark County sent two lobbyists to NCSL last year but none this year, said county spokesman Dan Kulin.

“We’re taking a harder look at those kinds of expenditures,” he said.

Last year, the city of Las Vegas sent one city lobbyist to NCSL and one to ALEC, said spokesman David Riggleman. This year, the city planned on sending both to NCSL.

When told only five legislators were going to NCSL, the city reconsidered … and decided to send no one.

Riggleman estimated the city would save $3,000, using $1,500 a person as a rough estimate for such trips. (I saved taxpayers $3,000. Not a bad day’s work.)

But using that same estimate, eight legislators may be spending roughly $13,500 for two conferences.

Rest assured, I’ll check on the final tally when all the bills are submitted. Because if you’re belt-tightening, our lawmakers should consider doing the same.

Just because legislators can travel for free, it doesn’t mean they should.

Jane Ann Morrison’s column appears Monday, Thursday and Saturday. E-mail her at Jane@reviewjournal.com or call (702) 383-0275.