City money better spent on educating elected leaders

Should the city pay travel expenses for city elected officials to attend political events?
That is the subject of a lively discussion on social media after word got out that the city had paid for the mayor and three councilmembers to attend President Trump’s inauguration.
The total cost of the trip was a little over $7,000 for a two-night stay.
We understand that a number of people have strong feelings about Trump, and the endorsement of him by the mayor and by some on council. But in the grand scheme of things, that price tag seems pretty small.
And it’s true that, during these events, city officials get to network with others, and you never know how that could benefit the city down the road.
What we did find curious, however, was Mayor Amer Ghalib justifying the expense by downplaying the value of spending city money to attend various municipal seminars and conferences, calling them a “waste of time.”
He insists that he can learn much of what’s discussed and presented at these get-togethers on his own, which is something we find hard to believe.
Frankly, it’s been our experience that the seminars are educational, and also give local officials the tools they need to govern, as well as further opportunities to network.
Overall, the city would get a better bang for its buck by having our elected officials attend seminars rather than political ceremonies.
Posted Feb. 14, 2025