NEW Report Uncovers More Questionable Spending By NTTA

Report Uncovers More Questionable Spending By NTTA

Reporting
Bennett Cunningham

Vienna, Austria (CBS 11 News) ― They went, they spent and they partied with your money.

Two weeks after an exclusive CBS 11 hidden camera investigation showed North Texas Tollway Authority officials spending tens of thousands of dollars on a first class trip to Europe, more financial records reveal more perks.

According to records obtained by CBS11, North Texas Tollway Deputy Executive Director Rick Herrington arrived to the International Bridge, Tunnel, and Turnpike Association Tollway conference in Vienna, Austria 3 days before it started.

According to those documents, Herrington billed the NTTA for meals on those non-conference days, sometimes at the maximum daily rate of $149. Herrington did not provide any receipts in the documents obtained by CBS11.

When CBS11 attempted to ask Herrington about it, a NTTA public relations assistant quickly escorted him away before answering any questions. Later, a representative said Herrington acted in accordance with NTTA policy.

CBS11 also examined more of Herington's expense reports and found he billed the NTTA $154 for Internet access while in Vienna before the conference began. He also charged a $25 airline fee for his extra heavy luggage and $50 for 2 phone adapters to the NTTA.

Herington also put in for food reimbursement on the same day he flew on an American Airlines plane, where he received lunch and dinner. He submitted meal reimbursement for $149.

CBS11 first reported how five NTTA representatives traveled to Vienna for an international conference on tollways, costing tollway users more than $42,000.

CBS11 cameras watched as some NTTA representatives enjoyed the high life, partying every night and eating catered dinners in castles with open bars. The cameras were also rolling as some went souvenir shopping and sightseeing instead of attending the conference.

Three NTTA representatives chose to fly business class at a cost of $7,000 per ticket. All this happened days after the tollway raised your rates to drive on the tollway.

This type of behavior outraged State Senator John Carona, a Dallas Republican, who was surprised that the state government currently has no power to audit the NTTA. He said that he would fight to give the Auditors Office the power to audit the NTTA.

Carona called it "a glaring mistake and something we need to do something about... We also need to make sure the travel policy mirrors the state. The state is very frugal with its money and the same policy should apply to the NTTA."

Many of the receipts from the Vienna trip are still not available for public review. The ones CBS11 did get have been blacked out like a top-secret government document.

Carona points out, "The real thing the public expects is disclosure and open records, and that's what has been lacking in this."

Read (or see the video) for the rest of the story HERE.