BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A Monroe pastor who heads a national interfaith organization says Gov. Bobby Jindal should pay his own way, rather than use taxpayer dollars when he travels to church services around the state.
A recent review by The Advocate newspaper in Baton Rouge showed Jindal’s use of state helicopters for church trips cost taxpayers at least $45,000 over five months this year.
The Rev. Welton Gaddy, president of the liberal Interfaith Alliance, sent a letter to the governor this week, saying Jindal should reimburse the state for the trips.
Jindal has said he visits a church when he receives an invitation by the church leader or a member of the congregation. He says the visits help him meet Louisianians around the state, and he says he schedules meetings with local officials when he flies to church services.
 
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