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Mike Ivey: State trade junket doesn't come cheap

Mike Ivey  —  7/09/2008 6:48 am

Huge tabs for luxury hotels at taxpayer expense isn't exactly the kind of excitement government trade trips are expected to produce.

Unfortunately, that's the biggest news coming out of Gov. Doyle's beleaguered Department of Commerce and its latest overseas foray.

For those too busy grilling and chilling this past weekend, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Commerce Secretary Jack Fischer -- the governor's latest point man on economic development -- ran up some hefty bills on three recent international trips.

The MJS found that Fischer and staff in three months billed the state for nearly $22,000 for trips to Ireland, the Czech Republic and Canada. That included $2,200 for a one-night stay at the Conrad Dublin, a five-story hotel in Ireland's capital city.

State employees enjoying nice trips at taxpayer expense is nothing new. It's one of the few job perks left for many government workers.

But given that Doyle recently imposed limits on travel because of budget problems, the whole deal doesn't look good. It's also the latest scuff for the Department of Commerce, which is supposed to be using its resources to help grow the state economy -- no easy task in the face of the GM plant closing and all the rest.

Fischer, 54, joined the state in November after heading his family's real estate firm in Appleton and does bring some international business experience to the job. He's the third secretary to lead the department in the past four years, following Corey Nettles, an attorney from Milwaukee, and Mary Burke, daughter of Trek Bicycle company founder Dick Burke.

State officials have defended the Fischer expenses, arguing that trade junkets have helped boost state imports to $19.2 billion, up 67 percent since 2003. They also said the weaker U.S. dollar has made foreign travel more expensive these days, with one euro now worth $1.56.

What they didn't mention is that the weaker dollar, which makes American goods cheaper, has more to do with boosting state exports than any visit from a Wisconsin politician. That's especially true of Canada, Wisconsin's No. 1 trading partner, which has seen the value of its dollar climb to nearly equal the greenback.

Ironically, Doyle himself was to have led the so-called "Governor's Trade Mission" to Ireland and the UK last March that has generated so much negative fallout. The governor backed out at the last second, however, saying he wanted to guide the state budget through its final stages -- a move that surprised many business people who had already signed up. It also forced cancellation of meetings with foreign government officials.

But those who missed out on the last junket with the governor will get another chance in November when Doyle will travel to India.

Namaste.

Drive-through follow-up

It's been two weeks since Madison Plan Commission member Eric Sundquist enjoyed his moment in the national spotlight after urging the city to consider limiting drive-throughs due to global climate change and carbon emission concerns.

My column quoting Sundquist (Business Beat, June 25) ended up being sent to the Drudge Report Web site via WIBA's own Vicki McKenna, where it caught the attention of radio commentator Rush Limbaugh.

Limbaugh used the column to warn his listeners that liberals and Barack Obama are prepared to revoke American's right to burn as much fossil fuel as they wish.

"These people want to take away your freedoms!" he blared.

But Sundquist told his commission colleagues this week that he plans to push the issue forward. He said it was unfortunate a serious question turned into a right-wing media circus.

"When we discussed this in suburban Atlanta, nobody batted an eye but here in supposedly hippie-run Madison, it's a huge issue," said Sundquist, a former reporter with the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Other Plan Commission members came to Sundquist's defense, albeit with a chuckle.

"I had to tell one of my neighbors that, no, Eric does not hate America," quipped commissioner Michael Basford.

Personally, I think the drive-through story was caught in a media "perfect storm." It came as gasoline prices climbed past $4 and Republicans realized they are likely to lose the White House in November. It's also one of those LCD issues -- lowest common denominator.

Readers e-mailed me with such comments as "Drive thru=Liberty, No Drive thru=Communism" and "If Eric Sundquist and Mayor Dave take away the drives, THEN the terrorists have truly and finally won."

But of the hundreds of e-mails and responses that flooded into the paper, my favorite came from a guy named Karl Koehler.

"I live in Colorado and we're driving to near-Madison for our annual family visit," he wrote. "In protest of this lunacy, I hope to eat every meal at a drive-in while idling with the kiddies watching DVDs in the SUV."

Geez, Karl, you really know how to live it up. Have a nice trip and don't drip ketchup on the seats.

Mike Ivey  —  7/09/2008 6:48 am