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Spending by SRP leaders on travel, dinners spurs concern
Travel, dinner expenses at issue
73 commentsby Ryan Randazzo - Oct. 15, 2009 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic .
One of the highest-paid elected officials in the state is Salt River Project's president, who makes $180,000 a year to oversee the 14 board members who decide rates and policies for the non-profit electric utility.

John Williams Jr. was elected to the position by landowners in SRP territory, and his job involves running monthly meetings, communicating with other elected officials and attending conferences to keep up with water and power issues. He also oversees SRP's private water association, which manages the dams and watersheds of the Salt and Verde rivers.

Last year, Williams and board Vice President David Rousseau, who makes $150,000, spent nearly $81,000 on travel, dinner receptions and other expenses.

•$14,532: President John Williams Jr. hosted a prime rib and lobster reception at the Palm in Las Vegas for more than 80 people at a December water conference. Most attendees were SRP representatives, but the expense report also lists executives from the Central Arizona Project, U.S. Department of Interior, Nature Conservancy and various law firms in attendance. The event took place less than a month after a similar $14,200 event in California that included a nearly identical list of SRP representatives and some of the same outside guests.