hawaii trip

County Board member starts Hawaii trip early

Cook County commissioners were short one board member for their meeting Monday.

And again Tuesday.

Many county officials will leave today for a conference in Hawaii, but Commissioner Joan Murphy has been there for days.

The National Association of Counties' conference doesn't begin until Friday morning, but Murphy admitted she has been at the Hilton Hawaiian Village for days already.

Murphy skipped votes on hundreds of items in the two meetings -- one of which was moved up so it wouldn't conflict with convention travel plans. Though the votes were largely routine, critics say the $85,000 salary Murphy is paid should mean her south suburban constituents have a representative vote on the board.

"These officials want everyone to come out and vote at election time, saying 'every vote matters,' " said the Better Government Association's Jay Stewart. "Every vote matters, except, I guess, if you want to go to Hawaii."

Murphy defended her early departure, saying she paid for her own airfare and hotel bills.

"I did that for my staff, too, because I am running for re- election," she said. "If the media wants to turn this into a vacation, that's what everybody's going to believe, but I know different."

Murphy said her family is there, enjoying Hawaii, but that once the conference begins, she'll be attending seminars.

Other county officials say because their trip is all business, they'll bill taxpayers for it all.

Dozens of officials will attend, charging airfare, registration fees, hotel costs and daily meal allowances to taxpayers -- although with increased media scrutiny, some are paying for it themselves.

Murphy said she planned her travel thinking that this week's meetings would be moved to last week, though county officials said that was never a plan.

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