The city spent $13,700 in lodging and airfare for Mayor John Hickenlooper last year, mostly for trips to meetings with groups such as the National Conference of Mayors and the National League of Cities.
The expenditures, detailed in financial disclosures due to the city Tuesday, show Hickenlooper took 13 trips last year, including one trade mission to Calgary, Alberta, that cost taxpayers $818.43.
Of his other trips, the most expensive was $2,650 the city spent for his participation in the Denver Metro Chamber’s 2005 Leadership Exchange to Dallas in October.
Shortly after that trip, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines announced it would begin flying in and out of Denver.
No council members reported city-paid travel or trips paid by outside interests last year, although reports were not available late Tuesday for Councilwoman Kathleen MacKenzie, Council President Michael Hancock or Councilwoman Jeanne Robb. Hancock’s office said his disclosure would be available today. MacKenzie and Robb could not be reached.
Most of the reports involved tickets to concerts and sporting events. Elected city officials and some members of the mayoral administration can accept four free tickets or meals per entity as long as they disclose them annually.
City Auditor Dennis Gallagher reported taking a free trip to Ireland last year to teach a class for his former employer, Regis University.
Gallagher’s spokesman, Denis Berckfeldt, said there was nothing improper about the Ireland trip because the university doesn’t do official business with the city.
“There would be no undue influence there,” said Berckfeldt, who further stressed that Gallagher is a former Regis professor with long-standing ties to the university.
Staff writer Christopher N. Osher can be reached at 303-820-1747 or cosher@denverpost.com.
