O'Malley's trip to Asia costs $164K
The O'Malley administration spent $144,086 on the 10-day trade mission to Asia, according to figures released this afternoon.
Costs includes airfare, food, hotels and other expenses for six staffers.
State police spent an additional $19,868 on security, but a spokesman would not itemize expenses because he did not want to reveal how many members of the executive protection accompanied the governor.
The trip was intended to strengthen links between Maryland and Asian companies, and the governor traveled with a 68-member delegation of mostly business leaders. Gov. Martin O'Malley estimates that the trip netted $85 million in foreign investment to the state.
Costs includes airfare, food, hotels and other expenses for six staffers.
State police spent an additional $19,868 on security, but a spokesman would not itemize expenses because he did not want to reveal how many members of the executive protection accompanied the governor.
The trip was intended to strengthen links between Maryland and Asian companies, and the governor traveled with a 68-member delegation of mostly business leaders. Gov. Martin O'Malley estimates that the trip netted $85 million in foreign investment to the state.
China was the most expensive part of the trip and cost $63,000. It is also where the group spent most time (five days). Three days in Korea cost $22,000 and two days in Vietnam was $10K.
During O'Malley's first term, Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown went on a week long trade mission to China. It cost $96,000.
During O'Malley's first term, Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown went on a week long trade mission to China. It cost $96,000.
Comments
more waste and fraud by government "leaders" -- it never ends.
Posted by: money talks | June 18, 2011 12:26 AM
Are we beig realistic, our city is financially broke, right? We are: closing schools, evicting elderly and youth from homes, without positive job projections, illegal immigrants violating laws, and a leadership spending extreme amounts of money on a business trip. Did the business people promote their personal interests on the taxpayer's budget (once again?) If our fearless leaders ran their offices the way people with low-incomes ran their homes maybe, just maybe, we will one day pull America out of the pockets of the foreign investors. Furthermore, it behooves me to read that 85 million dollars in investments was the "takehome." If that amount of money was over there, why did we spend our little chump change traveling? We could have ask "Daddy War Bucks" to visit us. Let this be a warning to America- our market will not accept Asia saying, "Let them eat dung!" The slippery slope of deception continues.
Posted by: RTM | June 18, 2011 12:44 PM
$164,000 /68 people = $2246 per person(avg)
$2246 /10 days = $225 per person per day
Was someone complaining about this?
Posted by: MrRational | June 18, 2011 1:53 PM
$164,000 investment for trade deals valuing $85 million? Deals that directly benefit Maryland businesses? Clearly worth it. This is a globalized world and a globalized economy. To succeed in the 21st century, effective public officials must be willing to do what it takes to help private industries forge international business development agreements. A job well done by Governor O'Malley and team.
Posted by: Bill Ferguson | June 18, 2011 3:01 PM
$164K for 10 days in Asia, discussing foreign investment in the state? First off, that's not that bad for 10 days with a retinue of 68 people - that shakes out to about $240 per person per day. Second, if there's even a fraction of the expected return, the trip will have been paid for many times over.
Posted by: Chris | June 18, 2011 8:52 PM
If it is true that the $164k cost of the trip "netted the state $85 million in foreign investment" as O'Malley stated, then this is the best investment the state has ever made. When is the next investment trip?
Posted by: Samuel caldwell, Jr. | June 18, 2011 10:15 PM
@money talks - The trip "netted $85 million in foreign investment to the state"
So $85000000-$164000=$84.8 million for the state in new business. Hardly a waste.
Posted by: Daniel Ewald | June 20, 2011 9:46 AM
Riddle me how China costs the most? That's $12,600 a day. South Korea was $11,000 a day. Vietnam was $10,000 a day. Ironically, those who have traveled to Asia (sans Hong Kong) recognize China is the cheapest of those three to visit.
Either way, it's a sad state of affairs that our Governor netted less business than the Governor of Virginia did on a comparable trip (McDonnell went in May). Worse yet, it's sad reporters haven't picked up on this.
Posted by: Figures | June 20, 2011 10:35 AM