ORANGE COUNTY PERSPECTIVE : Have Conference, Will Travel

The question that must always be uppermost when it comes to government travel is: What would be the benefit to taxpayers?

That has not always been the criterion used by Orange County’s two transportation agencies, which have merged to form the Orange County Transportation Authority. Nor do two of Orange County’s newer cities, Laguna Niguel and Dana Point, seem to have that principle firmly in mind now. Both cities need to revise their travel policies.

The Orange County Transit District and the Orange County Transportation Commission--now combined as the OCTA--at times had viewed travel to conferences and meetings as a management tool to reward employees for job performance. The merger provides an opportunity to change the emphasis. Under rules to be presented to the OCTA board Thursday, the authority would allow no more than five employees to attend any single conference. In addition, employees would have to use a specified travel agent to coordinate the best rates and fares. New rules also would require all out-of-state travel to be approved by the OCTA board, and in-state travel by a division director.

These basic rules should have been in place long ago in the two previous transportation agencies. The OCTA, in adopting them, should go a step further and compel those who travel for the agency to report back on what they have learned.

That also should be a guiding principle for Laguna Niguel and Dana Point, both of which have plans to send 15 or so delegates to the four-day annual conference of the California League of Cities this weekend in San Francisco. The cost of that is estimated at about $22,500 for each city--a big expense, even for cities as well off as these.

While there certainly is benefit to be gained from such a conference, especially for inexperienced city officials and administrators, there is no reason a much smaller delegation could not be charged with bringing home valuable information for all to share.

Especially in a recession, municipalities and government entities should bear in mind that travel costs can be justified only if there is no other way to accomplish business.