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Santa Clara council approves looser travel policy after heated debate, 5–2
Summary
After hours of debate over ethics, budgets and frequent‑flyer rules, the Santa Clara City Council on Jan. 13 approved revisions to its council travel policy that remove numerical attendance limits and delegate approval to the city manager, prompting a 5–2 vote. Opponents said the change weakens accountability and asked for stricter guardrails.
The Santa Clara City Council voted 5–2 on Jan. 13 to adopt revisions to Council Policy 0‑43 that remove fixed attendance caps for official travel, update reimbursable expenses and delegate approval of travel to the city manager or designee.
Supporters said the changes modernize an outdated policy and make it easier for council members, commissioners and volunteers to attend conferences without repeatedly returning to the council for authorization. Assistant City Manager Araceli Azevedo presented the revisions, saying they clarify eligible expenses, add rideshare to…
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