HOUSTON – A new week is already producing a new chapter of proposed questionable spending being passed onto Houstonians in the final weeks of Mayor Sylvester Turner’s Administration.
The travel being discussed is forcing KPRC 2 Investigates to ask questions of Priya Zachariah, a chief resilience and sustainability officer in Mayor Turner’s Administration.
But she is not the only one.
We also have questions for Council Member David Robinson.
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The planned trip is for an 8-day journey to Dubai for the United Nations Climate Conference – COP 28.
Mayor Turner, after all, is the chair emeritus of the Climate Mayors, which makes sense as to why Zachariah might attend, but what has KPRC 2 Investigates asking questions is the business class travel being proposed.
Director Zachariah is looking to fly business class at over $7,500, with total trip costs being over $11,000.
However, a 30-second search on the travel site KAYAK by KPRC 2 Investigates Monday morning offered a trip involving the same airline, hotel and dates for only $4,054 and that cost covers full travel and lodging for two.
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It’s important to note what Mayor Turner has been touting of late.
“The next mayor, whoever the next mayor is will inherit a fund balance of about $420 million dollars, so yeah, we’re good management,” said Turner at a recent news conference.
But is business class good management?
KPRC 2 Investigates asked the mayor’s office and was told, “The City of Houston has not confirmed an itinerary or travel,” said the Mayor’s spokesperson, Mary Benton. “As such, I cannot answer your additional questions.”
However, we continued to push for specific answers from Zachariah, asking multiple questions, including:
- Did you propose business or first class travel to Dubai for a conference - yes or no?
- Was the City of Houston invited to attend this conference – yes or no?
Zachariah never answered “yes or no” to our simple questions.
As for Council Member Robinson? He texted KPRC 2 Investigates stating, “We haven’t bought a ticket yet, but normally we fly economy.”
When we texted Robinson back asking, “Who purchases your ticket normally? And will you fly economy to Dubai?”
Robinson never responded.
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