Part 3/12:
Avalos defended the expense as a discretionary expenditure within her office’s budget, emphasizing the importance of firsthand experience over remote learning platforms such as Zoom, which she dismissed due to a 9-hour time difference and the need for real-world engagement. She explained that the trip included hotel costs, transportation, and program fees, totaling nearly $20,000, or approximately $6,600 per person. Official estimates suggested that actual costs might have been slightly lower, but critics argue that such expenditures are irresponsible during a fiscal crisis.