Scrutiny Follows Economic Director's Expenses, Including European Trip for Iowa State

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Seemingly luxurious travel arrangements by Iowa Economic Development Authority director, including a trip to Europe for an Iowa State University deal, are being scrutinized.

Debi Durham's $73,000 in expenses last budget year include "first-class plane tickets, five-star hotels, a private tour of an Italian convent, it sounds like a dream vacation," the WHO-TV reports. "However, for Iowa's Economic Development Director, it's just another day on the job."

Durham said her position is like that of a salesperson, and WHO cites Economic Development Authority figures that $35,000 was invested in Iowa for every one dollar spent on travel by Durham in fiscal 2012. However, the station reports they are still waiting to learn what equation was used to reach that number and if any deals were closed on the European trip.

One trip in particular that caught the station's attention was a "whirlwind tour of Italy, France and Spain," which included a visit to a company called HIPRA, which was investing in Iowa State, according to WHO.

She couldn't remember if she attended the conference in Hannover, but she did recall her whirlwind tour of Italy, France and Spain.

"When we were over there, we went to uh, to Barcelona.  We went over to call on a company called HIPRA, which made an investment at Iowa State.  I think Paris was just in and out, we didn't spend any time in Paris," Durham told us.

According to Durham's official itinerary, Durham spent two days in Florence, where she met with an architectural firm to discuss a potential partnership with Iowa State University.  She also toured the Santa Maria degli Angeli convent, viewed Etruscan and Picenian artifacts and visited several museums and churches being restored by architectural students.

The European trip cost tax payers nearly $13,000.  The biggest expense was the plane ticket.  It was more than $9,500, perhaps because Durham flew first class during portions of the trip.

Durham told the station she never first-class on taxpayer money, but WHO had a copy of her ticket. Durham later said, through a spokesperson, that she was upgraded.

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad stood up for Durham, the director he appointed in 2010, according to Iowa Radio.

“That is a bunch of baloney,” Branstad says. “…She has always flown by coach class if it’s within the United States or business class if it’s overseas.”

The governor says if any of the receipts show Durham was flying first class, it was because she got an upgrade, not because she booked a first class ticket.

“She’s a tireless advocate for Iowa and she’s had a tremendous success rate in attracting business and jobs from all over — from Japan and Korea and Egypt and everywhere else,” Branstad says. “…This woman works day and night for the taxpayers of Iowa and what she’s done is phenomenal.”