Wasting Taxpayer Dollars on Luxury Suites, Thousands on MealsSubmitted by tfr-admin on Tue, 04/01/2008 - 2:01pm.
Martha Tyroch, a candidate for State Representative in HD55, has a disturbing pattern of charging taxpayers for luxury accomodations and lavish dinners. In 2005, Tyroch booked a suite at the exclusive Mayflower Hotel in Washington D.C. for a cost of over $450 per night, even as the list of hotels recommended to attendees of the conference started at $145 per night. She even billed taxpayers for a meal at a posh D.C. restaurant that cost over $1000, including $300 in alcohol. All of these expenses were paid for by city of Temple tax funds and they are part of a greater pattern of lavish personal spending by Martha Tyroch as a member of the Temple City Council. (Download a PDF of some of her receipts.) “It appears that Martha Tyroch has no regard for protecting your taxpayers dollars,” said Michael Sullivan. “Martha appears to pay for travel, hotels and food for her friends and herself – including staying in luxury suites in Washington D.C. and hosting lavish dinners, costing thousands of dollars. It’s no wonder Martha voted to increase spending on government by 114%: she needed the extra money to support her spending habit.” Sullivan added, “Empower Texans looks for waste and fraud in government, but the amounts and frequency of Martha’s overspending are staggering. It’s one of the worst cases of taxpayer abuse I’ve seen. The people of Temple should be outraged at these charges.” “At the very least, Martha should reimburse the City of Temple for the thousands in liquor that she billed to taxpayers,” said Sullivan. “Taxpayers shouldn’t have to pay for a Tyroch Happy Hour.” “I have only reviewed three years of her spending, from 2005 to 2007, but the pattern is very troubling. Martha needs to come clean about her expenses. At a minimum she should reimburse the city for the costs of alcohol that she charged to taxpayers.” Martha’s spending didn’t just extend to lavish hotels and meals. She billed taxpayers $30 for a seven block cab ride in Washington D.C., even as Washington cab drivers must charge a flat rate and prohibited from charging so much for such a short ride. According to the official Washington D.C. Taxi Fare Calculator (http://citizenatlas.dc.gov/atlasapps/taxifare.aspx), the cost billed to taxpayers should have only been $7.50. “Are taxpayers supposed to believe Martha had taxpayers give a $22.50 tip?” asked Sullivan. On another trip to D.C., Martha, traveling with her husband Jerry, ordered room service and billed it to the taxpayers. Tyroch has a pattern of upgrading the hotel room for out-of-town travel, similar to the Mayflower example listed above.
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Martha should be ashamed
Ha. Great research. Looks like Martha is just another city official who spends our tax dollars like it is her personal bank account. pathetic.
Pathetic? YES!
Doesn't the City of Temple employ/empower a staff person to oversee the expense accounts of elected officials? And just what are the firm guidelines authorizing our city council men and women to submit certain expenses and to refrain from submitting certain other expenses? Perhaps we need to lobby the city for some fiscal policing!
Also Anonymous
Give Her Your Money
Come on guys, this isn't fair. It was hard work raising taxes all the time, so she deserved a little royal treatment. What's a few glasses of bubbly for Martha and her buddies? Gee, we should all just sign over blank checks to her. It should would be easier!
i'm sick of politicians
i'm sick of politicians using tax dollars to lobby us, to enrich themselves, and pamper their families. this stuffs got to stop.
So the Rumors ARE TRUE
Martha, Martha, Martha
"People in glass houses".......appartently you never heard that before. Caught with your hand in the public's cookie jar. The rumors about Martha's lavish spending have been around for years. I hear there are thousands of dollar's for meals and alcohol across the state with friends and her husband. I hear she took Mrs. Potts, her best friend, to lunch regularly so they could "discuss Belton ISD issues"; and Mrs. Potts is just a student guidance couselor! Then there's the many times she insisted on "cash" advances for travel and took the money from the water department cash drawer. I am sure you will find that to be true too! Someone needs to contact the Bell Co. DA for a criminal investigation. I am sure her buddy Sue at the Telegram will NOT cover this story!
So The rumers are true
I don't know who you are, but you have it figured out. I am like you, and when one of makes a statement, we are called radical and insensative to the facts. Just like the city of Temple's take over of private property in the recent annexation plot. I am afraid we will all have to learn the "Goose Step" and the "Sig Hiel" salute. that is where it is going if something does not change.
she is rude too
Finally someone has uncovered the true Martha Tyroch. She thinks her stuff doesn't stink! She will walk away from a converstaion if someone more important than you comes into the room. Now we find out she has been using public tax dollars to live like Drayton, Dr. Wilson and Sue...her local idols! Way to go Martha! Everyone knows she wants so badly to "be someone".
Better description of Sheffield....
"stuff doesn't stink"...have you met Ralph Sheffield? Have you met his wife Debbie? Tell me what GOOD they've done for the community besides cater to events for profit, get drunk in public at events (event in Killeen 4 months ago) and donate a meal for 12 to a silent auction?
A businessman... making a
A businessman... making a profit?! Wow... And he managed to employee 52 people in the process. The same 52 people who Martha Tyroch wnts to pay for her wine and luxury suites. Give me the job-creating, profit-driven capitalist any day!
Mrs. Tyroch
Worked with Martha Tyroch for a decade, and found her to be honest, conscientious, and hard working. In short, none of the negative things I have seen on this web site.
Martha Tyroch is a GOOD person
If you only knew the truth about Martha Tyroch...Martha Tyroch is a good, hardworking, caring individual who has spent most of her life taking care of others. She has gone above and beyond the "call of duty" for our veterans, sick children, poor working individuals, as well as those who have money but need some guidance on how to get back into the workforce and become an active part of the community. She has devoted countless hours, not for her own personal gain but for the improvement and enrichment of the entire region, to the Bell County community. She has actually served on numerous community boards including the United Way of Central Texas, Central Texas Council of Governments,and the Central Texas Workforce Board (just to name a few) in order to assist those who those groups reach out to and assist.
Nice, But Not Responsible
She may be a nice person, and I assume she is -- she spent the taxpayers money buying boxes of chocolates for friends. She used other people's money to have regular lunches with friends. She was the only city councilmember to have taxpayers pay for her spouse's food. She spent more than seven times on junket-like spending than the other councilmembers combined. She charged the city $30 for a $7.50 cab ride. She may be a nice person, but she shows an appalling lack of good judgment.
SHOW ME THE MONEY
There are a lot of well meaning, good hearted, hard working people that have been caught in corruption. Her supporters on this blog sound like Bill Clinton's supports after Monica. "Oh, but President Clinton has done so much.... can't we all just overlook this one thing!"
As public servants Martha, like Bill, are held to a higher standard beyond reproach. If the receipts are real, Martha was out of line in her role on city council and should not be allowed any other tax dollars.
If the total dollar amounts that were discussed today are true it is stagering!
Show Me The Money - Show Me The Proof
So far, at least on this web site, I have seen no proof Mrs. Tyroch did anything criminal or corrupt. If she has committed a crime, then she should be indicted. Otherwise, all the "proof" here is meaningless. It smacks of smear tactics used in previous political campaigns of desperate candidates relying on attack ads to make up ground before the election.
She may in fact get indicted
Did you see that pile of receipts compared to other council members. With that many meals with friends there has got to be dirt below. Looks like only the surface has been scratched on this deal. I don't either candidate but I know I don't like my tax dollars waisted on alcohol!
She May Be Indicted?
Sorry, I don't see anything indictable here. This just seems like a lame attempt to smear her name and trick voters into believing there is something criminal, when there is not. It is the old mis-direction play, to take focus off of other issues.
I disagree with you 100%.
I disagree with you 100%. This is about her record as a public official, and about how she handles her official capacities.
If you want to talk about smears, you've got a better argument with her attack on Sheffield over his tax issues. While I wouldn't say that I expect things like that to never be touched -- its not on the same level as true personal/family issues -- it fits your description of dirty campaigning much more accurately than highlighting Ms. Tyroch's spending sprees.
Don't Change The Issue
No one has yet suggested that Ms. Tyroch did anything illegal. But to charge taxpayers for $260 in Godiva chocalate as gifts? To a dentist from San Marcus out to dinner after a football game with her husband and have the temerity to call it economic development? To spend more than seven times on food and beverages than the rest of the city council -- combined? Sorry, that goes to a grave lapse of judgment.
voting democrat
That settles it....I guess I am going to vote democrat in November......my first ever split ticket
Ditto on the split ticket
I have worked with Martha Tyroch and know her to be a caring and dedicated person. She has energy and enthusiasm and I THOUGHT she would make a great rep. That is until she and Ralph (whom I also like personally)went negatve. VERY dsappointed in both. Hello Sam.