Gov. Charlie Crist took a pricey 12-day trip to Europe this summer, hitting taxpayers with a large bill amid a sagging economy, according to a report Sunday by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Crist flew to London, Paris, St. Petersburg (the one in Russia) and Madrid to drum up business, but the tab came in much higher than planned. Here's a look at how his trip went, moneywise:
What Was Spent
$430,000
Cost of the trip to taxpayers, compared with the planned cost of $255,000
$148,000
Amount Crist's entourage (including a photographer and nine bodyguards) spent on meals, hotels, transportation and incidentals
$30,000
Estimated expenses paid for by business executives who went with Crist; those expenses included a $2,179-a-night London suite for Crist's meetings, $8,000 for Crist's first-class round-trip tickets, and room service and minibar tabs of more than $1,300
$5,135
Amount Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey billed taxpayers for less than 12 hours of official duties during the trip
What Was Gained
$6 billion
Amount that companies from the countries Crist visited have invested in Florida's economy, according to Crist's office
$5.5 million
Amount Florida corporations made in sales jobs during the trip, according to Enterprise Florida, the company that arranged the trip
$96 million
Value of deals Florida companies laid groundwork for during the trip
Attention
Some political experts speculate Crist used the trip to bolster his image in foreign affairs. At the time, he was widely speculated to be a potential running mate for Sen. John McCain.
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