Who knew Durham Mayor Bill Bell and Councilman Mike Woodard have such influence on world harmony. Taxpayers have footed the $13,000 bill for Bell to visit Tanzania and Woodard to visit Japan. Trips like these have been controversial for years. From the News & Observer:
In a poll conducted in 1998, many voters cited the trips as one reason they supported a ballot measure reducing the City Council’s size from 13 to seven.
Trisha Gensic, assistant director of Durham’s Office of Workforce and Economic Development, who helps coordinate the trips, said the value is often intangible.
“This is a way of trying to promote peace throughout the world,” she said. “And it brings the international into the community.”
Perhaps former Wake County Recyling Manager Craig Wittig should have floated that explanation. Don’t trips to the Magic Kingdom qualify as promoting world peace?
