Reading the August 2015 copy of Governing magazine, Alan Greenblatt has a story detailing how the Louisana legislature decided with their new budget not to allow for payment for protection by state police for Governor Bobby Jindal out of state political trips. As Jindal is now a Republican Presidential aspirant. During the past budget cycle, the state reportedly had paid the state police more than $2.0 million for protection during the past budget cycle, presumably for similar out of state political trips.

Not related to Louisiana, the article goes on to say that it seems governments are using departments to fund ventures. Ray Scheppach, a former executive director of National Governors Association reported to say, “one state would pay NGA days with 12 checks from 12 different agencies.”

Would this type of clever financial shell games be limited to state governments, or could these shell games happen on a local government level?