The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

January 27, 2009

Sen. Robbins pays for trip to conference in Caribbean

By Matt Snyder

MERCER COUNTY — After a trip to a legislators� conference held on the Caribbean island of St. Thomas, state Sen. Robert �Bob� Robbins, Salem Township, R-50th District told a Philadelphia newspaper he paid for the trip himself because of possible media scrutiny.

Robbins, who was one of only two Pennsylvania lawmakers to attend the Council of State Governments Eastern Regional conference in the Virgin Islands, said he made the trip to see off the conference�s executive director who was retiring after 47 years, and to discuss with lawmakers from other states how they handle common issues.

He lamented the lack of networking being done by lawmakers, and laid part of the blame on the media when he told a Philadelphia Inquirer reporter he paid for the expenses himself �because of calls like this.�

He told The Herald Monday that stories critical of lawmakers charging taxpayers for such conferences keep legislators from attending them.

�If you want to find out what�s going on and get different ideas, networking is extremely important for all professions,� Robbins said.

He said when a conference for government officials in the eastern United States and parts of Canada was held in Philadelphia a few years ago, no Pennsylvania legislators attended.

Robbins said he didn�t go because he didn�t have a specific reason to attend.

Robbins said he is working on legislation that would standardize the transfers that children of military personnel go through when they move from school to school or state to state and wanted to talk with other lawmakers about it.

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