See the receipts: Florida PACE Funding Agency reimbursement for meals and travel

Sarasota County Commissioner Mike Moran 's spending at the Florida PACE Funding Agency has recently come under scrutiny after it was revealed the agency spent money on expensive dinners that included alcohol while he and other staff members traveled widely, costing the government special district more than $30,000 over 18 months.

Moran, the executive director of FPFA , defended the expenses as he viewed the dinners, travel and hotel stays as part of the agency's public purpose to attract private money to Florida to finance energy efficient home improvement projects.

Here are several receipts first obtained by The Florida Trident, the investigative arm of the Florida Center for Governmental Accountability. The Herald-Tribune independently confirmed the receipts match spending reported by the Florida PACE Funding Agency through its own public records request.

What was the single largest expense Mike Moran reported for reimbursement?

The Florida PACE Funding Agency covered half of a expensive dinner in New York at Smith and Wollensky, located at 49th Street and Third Avenue in New York City. The total cost of a dinner for 30 people hosted in a private room came in at $8,220. The cost of the meal was split between the FPFA and the agency's consulting partner.

What did $424.94 buy in California?

The Florida PACE Funding Agency spent $491.94 at a restaurant in Paso Robles, California, called Fish Gaucho. The dinner appeared to be for six people.

Craft beer and burgers at Firestone Walker Brewing Co. taproom

This is another receipt from a California trip reimbursed by the FPFA. Details about the expenditure at the Firestone Walker Brewing Co. taproom were not included in the public records request, although the government special district paid for a 10-ounce and 20-ounce 805, described on the brewery's website as a Blonde Ale.

Mr. Chow's restaurant at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas

The FPFA attended a conference in Las Vegas. A detailed receipt of the dinner was not included in public records, although the ledger described it as an DTA event. DTA is a private company that provided consulting to the FPFA.

Seafire Grill in New York City

This receipt shows a meal paid for by the Florida PACE Funding Agency the day before it covered half of the tab of a $8,220 event for $30 people.

Carver's Steakhouse in Las Vegas

The $1,281 dinner occurred in Las Vegas while FPFA staff attended a National Association of Home Builder's conference.

Sarasota area restaurants included in Florida PACE Funding Agency reimbursements

The Florida PACE Funding Agency did not only pay for meals outside the Sarasota area. Many of the meals included local restaurants like as shown in a receipt from a dinner with Jon and Teresa Mast. Jon Mast is the executive director of the Suncoast Builder's Association while his wife is running to replace Mike Moran on the Sarasota County Commission.

A ledger for the FPFA includes several local restaurants: First Watch, Robbins, Coopers Hawk, Peaches, Miller's Ale House, Another Broken Egg, Geckos Grill, Der Dutchman, Duval's Fresh Local Seafood, Bricktop, Osteria 500, Valentino's and Laurel Oak Country Club.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: See the receipts: Florida PACE Funding Agency reimbursement for meals and travel