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Dyster, Owens Take Taxpayer-Funded Trip to Washington to Glimpse Obama

Can you pick out Dyster and Owens in the crowd?

Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster and City Administrator Donna Owens went to Washington to attend the inauguration of President Barack Hussein Obama – at what may well be taxpayer expense.

As of press time we are unable to learn if they made it or how close they came to the president.

We are also unable to determine who will pay for this trip, realizing that the two are also attending an annual Conference of Mayors, and some of the expenses may meld with this transaction.

The oft-traveling Owens’ travel allowance, by the way, has been cut by the frugal city council to $1,000 this year, along with a cut in her pay from $110,000 to $70,000.

It is uncertain if the travel money will come out of the mayor’s allowance, or Owens’, or both.

Will the two pay for their own travel and accommodations?

This information will not be known until after they return and make a report to the controller and a request for reimbursements.
The mayor has a $13,000 travel allowance for 2013.

At the second inauguration of President Obama, officials estimate that between 600,000 and 800,000 devotees will be in attendance. As a reward for their efforts, many will see a tiny figure in the remote distance. A few might see him closer and perhaps be seen by Obama himself.

Since Dyster is pretty tall, as he gawks adoringly from the distance, standing out in the goose-bump provoking cold, maybe Obama will see the top of his head.

We hope so.

But for our part, we only want to know who pays for the trip.

 

 

Niagara Falls Reporter - Publisher Frank Parlato Jr. www.niagarafallsreporter.com

Jan 22 , 2013