Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Transit Authority is defending the use of taxpayer dollars it used to send top officials around the world.
Over the past 18 months, UTA has spent approximately $610,000 to send some of their top officials to examine other commuter rail systems around the world, but not everyone is happy with the money spent.
Activist Claire Geddes said UTA should know what it is doing after 15 years of expansion.
"They have TRAX in, they have busses, they pretty well know where they are going. What they need to do is find a way to coordinate with them and take people out of cars," Geddes said. "This is just one of many, many problems with this organization. I think this is the straw that broke the camel's back."
Former Chief John Inglish and current Chief Michael Allegra have traveled to Europe, Asia and 17 American cities to examine factories and other rail systems in action. UTA spokesman Gerry Carpenter says other leaders have even visited Cuba.
This is just one of many, many problems with this organization. I think this is the straw that broke the camel's back.
–Claire Geddes
However, Carpenter said the money spent is actually saving taxpayer dollars in the end. Seeing how other states and countries utilize their transit systems helps the development of FrontRunner, TRAX and the busing system. The money, he says, represents less than a quarter of a percent of UTA's overall budget.
#poll
"The benefits far outweigh the cost of traveling to these out of state and even out of country locations," Carpenter said.
Carpenter said UTA officials have gone to the various locations to "see how they've managed to keep it functioning under very extreme circumstances."
