From Austin to Hawaii, El Paso County commissioners’ travel tab nears a quarter-million dollars

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- This summer, El Paso County commissioners postponed two Commissioners Court meetings to attend educational sessions and policy meetings at a Louisiana conference -- part of a travel pattern that has cost taxpayers nearly a quarter-million dollars in recent years. 

An ABC-7 analysis found county commissioners and the county judge spent nearly $234,000 on travel since fiscal year 2022. Of that amount, Commissioner David Stout accounted for more than $126,000, exceeding the combined travel spending of the county judge and all other commissioners. 

ABC-7 obtained nearly five years of travel and expense records through an open records request under the Texas Public Information Act. The records span from fiscal year 2022 through May 2026. El Paso County's fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30. 

The records show commissioners frequently traveled to Washington, D.C.; Denver; Las Vegas; and, most often, Austin.

Some trips went much farther. In May, Stout traveled to Hawaii for a conference, and last year, County Judge Ricardo Samaniego traveled to Taiwan as part of a six-day economic development trip.

Stout's travel spending

Expense records from the County Auditor's Office analyzed by ABC-7 show that from fiscal year 2022 through May 2026, David Stout spent more than $126,000 on travel, more than four times the amount spent by the next-highest spender on the court. 

Commissioner Iliana Holguin spent nearly $30,000 during the same period. Judge Ricardo Samaniego spent about $28,000. Commissioner Sergio Coronado spent almost $23,000.   

The newest member of the court, Commissioner Jackie Butler, has spent more than $16,412 since taking office 20 months ago. Her predecessor, Carlos Leon, spent about $10,381 during his final 39 months in office. 

Stout's annual travel spending peaked in fiscal year 2024 at $37,725, up from $29,701 in fiscal year 2023 and $13,425 in fiscal year 2022. 

Records show he made nine trips to Austin that year, including testifying during a special legislative session, attending a Border Network for Human Rights rally and participating in Texas Conference of Urban Counties policy committee meetings. 

In an interview with ABC-7, Stout defended the spending, arguing that such travel helps county officials advocate for El Paso and bring back ideas from other jurisdictions. 

"I think it's very important to make sure that we have a seat at the table as often as possible," Stout said. "Again, we are in far West Texas. Austin forgets about us often. We are far away from Washington, D.C. If we are not there talking about what we need, there's really nobody talking about what counties need if we aren't in the space, if we're not sitting at the table." 

Some of Stout's most expensive trips occurred during fiscal year 2024. The costliest was a May 2024 trip to Yosemite for the National Association of Counties' Western Interstate Region Conference. Records show Stout departed two days before the start of the conference on May 5 and returned May 10. The trip cost taxpayers about $3,559. 

"So for example, I learned about doing energy audits at a conference that I went to. Brought that back home, talked to the commissioner's court. We had an energy audit done and are now working with Schneider Electric to basically invest in energy-saving infrastructure within our buildings that will save county taxpayers $40 million over the next 20 years."

- Stout

The following month, taxpayers funded a trip to Las Vegas for Stout to attend the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials conference at the Bellagio Hotel. Expense records show the trip cost more than $3,250.

Through May of this year, records show Stout spent more than $18,000 on travel. That includes a four-day National Association of Counties Western Interstate Region conference in Maui, Hawaii, in May. 

A county travel expense form shows the trip cost taxpayers about $4,800.  

Records show David Stout left El Paso on May 1, four days before the conference began, and returned May 10, two days after it ended.  

Travel forms show taxpayers paid for his stay at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa from May 3 through May 8. Conference records show preconference events began May 3, while the conference officially opened May 5 with an optional mobile tour of Haleakalā National Park.  

"To save the county on costs, the only hotel nights paid for by the county were those of the WIR conference," Stout wrote in response to ABC-7's questions about the Hawaii trip.

Records also show Stout earned 7,024 Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards points from the taxpayer-funded round-trip flight between El Paso and Maui.  

"The travel being scrutinized represents a small fraction, approximately 0.02% of a nearly $500 million County budget."

- Stout

Records indicate Stout was accompanied by at least one county staff member on the Hawaii trip.

Stout said he often brings staff on larger conferences and advocacy trips, particularly when simultaneous sessions require additional coverage or when staff can help coordinate meetings with agency officials and congressional offices. 

When asked whether family members, friends or other non-county personnel had accompanied him on taxpayer-funded trips, Stout said they had, but added he personally covered their expenses. 

Stout also said traveling with a significant other is "not uncommon" among commissioners. When asked about taxpayers paying for a hotel room that could also accommodate a guest, Stout said the cost would be the same regardless of whether someone accompanied him.  

"The hotel room is going to cost the same whether you have one or two people staying in the room," he said.

Samaniego's Taiwan trip and reimbursement 

In fiscal year 2025, the largest single trip expense belonged to Samaniego. 

Records show his March 2025 trip to Taiwan to attend the Smart City Summit & Expo initially cost taxpayers about $9,200, including roughly $7,855 in business-class airfare. 

According to the Smart City Summit & Expo website, the annual conference in Taiwan brings together government officials, business leaders and technology companies to discuss smart-city development, infrastructure, sustainability and economic growth.

Before the trip, commissioners debated whether outside donations could help cover some of the costs. During a March 10, 2025, meeting, Commissioners Court voted unanimously to allow Samaniego to accept donations to help cover the cost of the six-day trip. 

A week later, on March 17, while Samaniego was in Taiwan, Commissioners Court revisited the issue at his urging and reversed its earlier decision in a 4-0 vote, according to records reviewed by ABC-7.

During that meeting, County Chief Administrator Betsy Keller said Samaniego "ended up paying himself and did not accept donations for his travel," referring to any expenses above the normal tab covered by the county. 

To determine how much taxpayers spent on the Taiwan trip, ABC-7 filed an open records request with the county on Aug. 24 seeking records detailing the travel expenses. 

A receipt shows Samaniego reimbursed the county $4,024 on Sept. 2, 2026, one week after ABC-7 submitted a public records request for the travel records and more than a year after he filed a disclosure reporting $2,000 in outside funding for the trip.

Samaniego said the county initially reimbursed the full airfare for the Taiwan trip. However, as the auditor’s office prepared records for release to ABC-7, staff identified what they described as an error because county policy covers only economy-class travel. As a result, he said he reimbursed the county $4,200, representing the difference between the economy fare and the higher-priced business-class ticket he used.

Samaniego said the $2,000 donation was from the Taiwanese Council. ABC-7 found no record of the County Court voting again to allow donations to offset travel.  

When asked about the use of business-class tickets, Samaniego said, "You don't want an elected official spending 19 hours sitting up and not being able to relax, not being able to read your material properly and getting ready for the trip, for the business experience." 

County Judge Ricardo Samaniego said the trip helped pave the way for Wiwynn's expansion in Socorro. The company said it has invested more than $1.6 billion in its El Paso-area operations and expects to create nearly 1,000 jobs through 2027, with employment ultimately reaching 4,000 workers when the facility reaches full capacity. 

"It cost, let's say, the $10,000. We now have 2,000 jobs," Samaniego said. 

After receiving the records, ABC-7 followed up with Samaniego regarding the $2,000 donation, asking whether the money was paid directly to him and whether the donation had been approved by the court.

Mariana Barraza-Mitchell, senior policy advisory in the judge's office, said his office is reviewing the matter.  

So far, we have not heard back.

ABC-7 has also reached out to contacts listed online for the Smart City Summit & Expo for comment.

County officials said the Taiwan trip's net cost to taxpayers was about $5,200 after the reimbursement. 

Policy changes: Blanket travel approval for defeated commissioners 

In El Paso County, travel for official business and training is permitted under county policy. County records show about $6.3 million has been budgeted for travel and professional education since fiscal year 2022.

"We have a travel policy, and it applies to everyone in the county from a regular employee who's traveling to an elected official to a commissioner, and of course, the judge also," County Auditor Barbara Parker said. 

Under Texas law, Commissioners Court has the authority to set travel expenses and other allowances for county officials and employees. State law also requires county commissioners to complete at least 16 hours of certified continuing education each year. First-year commissioners must complete the training in person. Afterward, commissioners may take courses online with court approval and carry over up to eight excess hours. 

Parker said all county-funded travel must be reviewed by her office and approved by Commissioners Court before travel funds are issued. Travelers then have 10 days after returning to submit an expense voucher documenting what they spent. 

"The only thing that we don't ask for receipts on is the per diem because we don't need your receipt for meals when we're paying for the per diem," Parker said. 

When ABC-7 asked whether the county has a policy governing travel rewards earned on taxpayer-funded trips, Parker said El Paso County has no policy addressing travel rewards, airline miles or other loyalty benefits earned on county business. 

The county's travel policy also states that officials who lose a primary election or are not seeking re-election must receive additional court approval before traveling on county business.

"If there was an elected official that did not go before Commissioners Court and they're in that situation, we would not process the travel. We would kick it back and tell them they need to go to Commissioners Court first," Parker said. 

ABC-7 reviewed Commissioners Court agendas following the March 3 primary and found that on March 30, about four weeks after Commissioner David Stout lost his re-election, he sought authorization through the consent agenda for himself and his staff to continue county-funded travel through the end of his term. Commissioners approved the request, according to meeting records reviewed by ABC-7. 

"I continue to be a commissioner until the end of the year. And the duties that are assigned to me do not end until Dec. 31," Stout told ABC-7 when asked about his request. 

On June 29, Commissioner Sergio Coronado made a similar request and it was approved. 

Records show neither resolution specified how much additional travel was anticipated, and both listed the projected fiscal impact as unknown or not provided. 

Parker said she had not seen such broad approval for post-election travel until this year. 

"I personally, I haven't seen a blanket approval until this year, but there have been individual instances that have gone to Commissioners Court to get approved," Parker said. 

Former Commissioner Andrew Haggerty, who served on Commissioners Court from 2015-18, told ABC-7 he would have opposed the blanket travel approval granted to Stout and Coronado after they lost their primary races. 

"That was a mistake by the court," Haggerty said. "The basic duty of a county commissioner is managing the budget, and giving two lame-duck commissioners carte blanche for the rest of the year doesn't feel like being a fiduciary of that budget."

Shelved accountability measure 

Last March, while Ricardo Samaniego was in Taiwan, he proposed a policy that would have required members of Commissioners Court to submit a report within 30 days of returning from county-funded travel, according to county meeting records reviewed by ABC-7. 

Records show the proposal was initially postponed and later brought back after Samaniego returned. He completed a report following his Taiwan trip but ultimately moved to delete the item, saying the county attorney needed to review several issues before it could be reconsidered. 

Asked why the measure never returned to Commissioners Court, Samaniego told ABC-7 it was "such a great idea to make them accountable," but said it ultimately "fell through the cracks" amid staffing changes in his office. 

Samaniego said requiring elected officials to report on county-funded travel could reduce the amount of travel. 

"When I did it in Cementos de Chihuahua, we cut back about 30% of the travel because they knew it wasn't just going to go have fun and come back," Samaniego said. "It was going to be you go, but you come back and you report on what you're going to be doing." 

Samaniego said he still supports the proposal and intends to bring it back. 

"I'll make sure I get it back on the agenda," he said. 

The discussion comes as questions remain about how the county approves travel that exceeds its annual spending limit. 

The county's travel policy generally limits employees to $6,000 annually for county business travel; however, Chief Auditor Parker explained trips related to legislative priorities or when someone is on the board for a conference are exempt from the cap. 

When ABC-7 asked for the list of exemptions, we were told there isn’t one.  

ABC-7 asked County Judge Ricardo Samaniego whether the county should establish clearer criteria or limits for granting exemptions rather than leaving those decisions to the court's discretion. 

"Given the amount of taxpayer-funded travel approved under exemptions, should the county establish clear criteria or limits for when exemptions can be granted rather than leaving those decisions to the court's discretion?" ABC-7 asked. 

"Yeah, I do agree," Samaniego responded. 

He said the court’s discussion highlighted shortcomings in the current system and that the county should do a better job documenting the purpose and outcomes of travel so officials can explain what taxpayers received in return. 

Commissioner Jackie Butler also said she would support such a requirement.

"I think that that's perfectly reasonable. I certainly do my best to communicate what I've been bringing home from the travel that I've been part of," Butler said.

ABC-7 requested interviews with Commissioners Iliana Holguin and Sergio Coronado. Coronado's office said he would be unavailable for several weeks, while Holguin's office did not respond to requests for comment. 

Judge Samaniego is running for reelection against Republican candidate Minerva Torres Shelton in the November general election.