Taxes fund planners' lavish galas

Enjoy a high-end party?

Then consider spending an evening with local planning commissioners.

Each year, the Hillsborough Planning Commission throws its annual Community Design Awards gala. And most of the time, taxpayers get the bill.

A News Channel 8 investigation found that from 2006 to 2010, the planning commission spent nearly $130,000 of taxpayer money on its community design awards banquets.

According to the commission website, the annual party "is a well-respected program honoring the very best planning and community design in Hillsborough County."

The Tampa Port Authority received an award in 2011 for its Tampa Bay Longshore Bar project.  The cities of Tampa and Temple Terrace, member governments on the commission, also received awards.

"They were very, very fancy affairs," former planning commission Chairman Ed Giunta said.

In 2007, the commission held its awards gala at what was then the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center in downtown Tampa. A beef, chicken or seafood dinner followed cocktails on the waterfront and hors d'oeuvres served by performers.

Mimes entertained the crowd.

The bash cost taxpayers about $27,000.

The agency's financial summary gives conflicting information about costs.

One column shows that ticket sales, award entry fees and corporate sponsorships left a $988 surplus to be carried over to the 2008 awards. Another column showed taxpayers picked up the tab for another $27,015 to pay for staff time put into the party, an accounting service, a part-time employee hired to plan the event, as well as invitations, calls for entries, reminder cards, save-the-date postcards, sponsorship pamphlets and winners' cards.

"There's no money left over. We spent far in excess of the money that was taken in," Giunta said. "It's not like any accounting I've ever seen."

In 2006, the public picked up a nearly $31,000 tab, and in 2008 nearly $20,000. In 2009, the shindig cost taxpayers $28,000, and another $23,000 in 2010.

"It was very clear that we were spending too much money on what some people certainly perceived as a mutual admiration society kind of thing," finance committee Chairman Brian Hollands said.

The board since has voted to cap public spending on the parties, Hollands said.

In 2011, it set a limit of $5,000 in public money. It will cap taxpayer funds at $2,500 for 2012, and by 2013 the awards are expected to be self-funded.

According to commission records, the 2011 event had a $4,293 surplus.

Robert Hunter, executive director of the commission, originally agreed to answer questions about the parties, but he ended the interview before questions about the design awards were asked. "I think we've covered all the points you were trying to cover," Hunter said.

When reminded there were more, Hunter added, "There always are."