INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana’s state agencies collectively allocated $5 million for travel during the 2024 fiscal year, with Holiday Inn emerging as the preferred hotel chain, according to the Indiana Transparency Portal.
A total of 16,325 travel-related transactions were reported across various state entities, some within the same agencies. This expenditure represents an increase of approximately $45,000 from the previous fiscal year. Indiana’s fiscal year extends from July 1 to June 30, with the majority of funds directed toward lodging and airfare.
Here is a breakdown of travel spending for state agencies over the past five fiscal years:
2020: $4.4 million
2021: $913,000
2022: $2.5 million
2023: $4.9 million
2024: $5 million
The top five spenders for travel were the Indiana Department of Health, Department of Child Services, Department of Revenue, Lieutenant Governor’s Office, and the Indiana Department of Correction.
There have been disputes regarding the reported expenses. Ron Green, spokesman for the Lieutenant Governor’s Office, indicated that inaccuracies in the office’s international travel card activity data might have led to inflated cost figures.
Green explained that staff from the office’s four subsidiaries had attended various trade missions and professional conferences, including trips to Brazil. The funding sources for these trips—whether state funds, federal grants, or private grants—vary depending on the trip’s nature.
Green provided clarification on two trips taken by officials from the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) to India in March. The reported expense of $198,240 was actually in Indian rupees, translating to approximately $2,424. He noted that the Indiana Capital Chronicle had displayed an incorrect total of $325,243 in travel expenses for the office, whereas the actual expenditure was $129,435.
Related topics:
What Food is New York Most Famous For
