RICHMOND, Va. -- The City of Richmond is filled with old school buildings that need millions of dollars in emergency repairs, according to the Richmond School Board. Board members have said they are working to come up with the funds to fix the problems.
However, some of the money the school board spends is not going toward fixing buildings or hiring new teachers. After looking through receipts, CBS 6 anchor Lorenzo Hall had questions about the way some Richmond School Board members spent city tax dollars.
So far this year Richmond School Board member Tichi Pinkney-Eppes has attended conferences in cities like Miami, New Orleans and Portland. Once you add up the cost of food, airfare, registration fees and hotel stays -- including a stop at the Four Seasons in Miami -- the total is $8,556.
Richmond School Board Member Mamie Taylor joined Eppes on those trips to New Orleans, Portland and Miami.
Your bill for her trips add up to $8, 107.
Taylor's travel expenses are not limited to out-of-town trips. Richmond taxpayers also pay for Taylor's gas when she drives from her house to every school board function. Between December 2013 and March 2014 -- that cost $199.
For weeks, we attempted to question Taylor and Eppes about these costs, but the board members mostly avoided CBS 6 News cameras.
Monday on CBS 6 News at 11, see what happened when Hall finally caught up to the board members to ask about the spending. Also, hear what other board members think about how some on the board choose to spend city money.
