The mayor of Deltona has stirred discussion, simply by leaving town. Yes, it was temporary, but at least once again we get a free laugh just by saying “Deltona.”

There are people whose absence is worth funding. No one misses the felonious former city manager, for instance. The question is whether Mayor Santiago Avila is a person whose absence constitutes a public benefit.

The question arises because, under the state travel statute, travel is supposed to have a benefit that is reported to the public. Expected benefits should be stated up front and, then on return, a report is often expected.

By sneaking out of town without telling anyone, Mayor Avila dodged the need to explain how the city would benefit from him junketing in Washington, D.C. Maybe he just figured it was worth it for Deltona to be shed of him for a while. Neither did he report much benefit when he came back. I suppose we could say it is an

obvious negative benefit to have him present. Otherwise, questions.

It is good that we raise questions here, not in Mississippi. A Hinds County Judge Crystal Wise Martin recently beclowned herself by

giving the City of Clarksdale an injunction against a curious newspaper. She ordered the Clarksdale Press Register to take down an editorial questioning officials’ travel. There were so many things wrong with her order, it was hard to even reach the First Amendment issues.

The newspaper lawyered up. The City realized that they needed to backpedal and dismiss, and hoped that no one would find out. Yet, the travel had occurred, with no real benefit reported.

Well, people found out. Clarksdale was embarrassed. They were caught junketing, caught judge-shopping 100 miles away, and caught suppressing dissent.

Deltona has avoided the embarrassment of going to court over their mayor’s junket. They held their own hearing, where not enough commissioners saw anything wrong with toasting the public’s money.

I can only speculate and bang on the keyboard. Mayor Avila could have used the hearing to explain the public benefit of funding his junket.

I guess he forgot. So, yes, it was a humiliation. But it was cheaper than going to court, and Hinds County is a long trip. Still, it is not clear what they are thinking in Deltona — though rumor has it people are raising funds to send Mayor Avila away for a longer trip.

— Andrews is a DeLand-area attorney and a longtime government critic. For purposes of the column, he finds it convenient that there is so much government to criticize.