WASHINGTON — The mayor's office is defending a trip to Augusta, Georgia to attend the Masters golf tournament over the weekend. Mayor Muriel Bowser's public calendar showed her traveling to Georgia for a "sports and economic development visit." Some on social media raised the alarm about the trip, citing the mayor's recent budget presentation.
Bowser presented the budget to the D.C. Council earlier this month. The mayor's proposal prioritizes education, public safety, and downtown D.C. Officials say 70% of the 2025 budget is set aside for just 10 agencies.
WUSA9 asked the mayor's office whether taxpayer money was used to send the mayor to the Masters. A spokesperson told WUSA9 that city funds were used to send the mayor, senior advisor Beverly Perry and two members of the mayor's Chinatown task force to Augusta National Golf Club.
The mayor's office said the trip was to bring even more sports opportunities to the District, building on momentum from securing the deal to keep the Capitals and Wizards in D.C. The spokesperson also noted that the District has three golf courses, and the trip was partially to explore what's possible in the sport of golf.
Bowser recently spoke to WUSA9 about how sports plays a role in her legacy as mayor during a one-on-one interview.
"Of course I want my legacy to include really burnishing the sports capital as our reputation," she said.
The mayor's office echoed that sentiment on Monday.
“We have to bring business and opportunity to the city," a spokesperson said. "The mayor’s always looking for opportunities."
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