Illinois judges refuse to spend less on meals after audit

The AP reports:

Illinois' auditor general is again rapping the state Supreme Court for costly food tabs on taxpayers' dimes - with some meals hitting nearly $50 rather than the recommended $8 per person.

The court far overspent for breakfasts and meals at five conferences for judges, with a combined tab of more than $200,000, according to Auditor General William Holland's report released Thursday. That includes $78,000 for 1,700 meals at a February 2006 conference in Chicago.

Lunch at one conference ran $48 per person for 958 attendees, with breakfast at the same event costing $40 apiece for more than 800 people.

Travel guidelines limit judges' reimbursement to $8 for breakfast or lunch when traveling to Chicago, and $7 per meal downstate, Holland said. He recommends judges either follow the smaller meal limits or increase the guideline limits.

But the court insists it isn't doing anything wrong.

Supreme Court spokesman Joe Tybor said the conflict with Holland over the meals dates back five years, and his office doesn't plan to change how it plans conferences.

"Comparing the cost of conference meals with the reimbursement allowed for individuals is really comparing two different things, like apples and oranges," he said.

Meals are merely one component that organizers consider when choose a weeklong conference site for 900 judges, Tybor said. The cost of renting hotel rooms, meeting spaces and audio and video equipment also have to be considered, and the court can't be expected to dissect conference contracts to negotiate lower meal prices, he said.

Tybor maintains the meals are not extravagant. Judges would typically have a continental breakfast in the morning and grilled chicken breast and steamed carrots for lunch, he said.

Holland's audit applauds the courts for competitively bidding contracts to ensure conferences expenses are held down. But it insists the meal costs are excessive, and points to auditing standards that require them to "be alert to situations or transactions that could be indicative of abuse."

Holland's office plans a follow up report next year to see if the court follows the recommendations.

For more on the Illinois Supreme Court click here.