Taxpayers cost

 Governor Rick Perry is once again in the hot seat. This time, it’s for what many consider reckless spending of taxpayer money.  According to the Associated Press, the cost of his recent 12 day trip to Asia was well over $129,000. Controversy surrounding this issue even made its way to the Texas Supreme court.  Lawyers from the state have fought vigorously to keep the details of this trip secret. The biggest tax payer expense for the security officers was air fare amounting to $34,399, hotel bills totaled $20,222, their base pay total was $24,222 and overtime totaled $22,769.  I believe they want to keep the details on the trip such as where they stayed secret because they all probably stayed at 5-star luxurious hotels and most defiantly took top flight private jets.  It’s ego stroking at the hands of hard-working taxpayers.  In a sense, Governor Rick Perry is a hypocrite, especially as an advocate for “smaller government.”  Politicians of his pedigree seem to value and showcase power by showing off how many people are needed to protect them.  There’s really no need for such a vast security entourage overseas, when no one overseas really knows who the governor of Texas is.  We taxpayers, as citizens of the State of Texas, should know where our hard-earned tax dollars are allocated and the justification behind why. It’s shocking how this occurred with the state being in a middle of a budget crisis. Governor Rick Perry stated that his trip led to greater exposure for Texas business opportunities in Asia. With no substantial business case our plans proposed, we shall see the outcome over time.  I strongly believe this could have saved some public employees from being laid off or went to or went to a better cause.