Vista Councilman to Stand Trial : Neal Ordered to Court Over Billing for Airline Ticket

Vista City Councilman Ed Neal was ordered Thursday to stand trial on grand theft charges for using city funds to pay for his girlfriend’s airline ticket during a trip to Washington.

Municipal Judge Robert J. Cooney ordered Neal, 45, to return to Superior Court on Oct. 31 for a trial date. Cooney said that Deputy Dist. Atty. Allan J. Preckel presented enough evidence to show that Neal unlawfully billed the city $450 for Judy Anderson’s ticket.

Neal, a councilman since 1982, and Anderson flew to Washington on June 9 so Neal could attend a White House luncheon. Neal and other elected officials who recently had changed their party registration to Republican were honored by President Reagan at the luncheon.

An Oceanside travel agent testified Wednesday that she sold Neal the two tickets for a total of $900. Neal is charged with billing the city for the $900 and claiming that as the cost for his ticket alone.

A flap arose over whether Neal’s trip was official city business or political. Cooney said Thursday that “the City Council apparently approved his portion of the trip,” but Neal repaid the city when the controversy arose. But he was indicted anyway on Aug. 13 for grand theft and unlawful use of public funds.

After saying that the City Council decided that the trip constituted official city business, Cooney said the only relevant issue remaining was Anderson’s portion of the trip.

Earlier, Cooney had mistakenly said that the City Council had never authorized Neal’s trip.

“Where does a trip to Washington, D.C., to have your picture taken with the President fall under official duties?” Cooney asked Richard Muir, Neal’s attorney.

Anderson, who said she has lived with Neal for three years, testified Thursday that her decision to accompany him to Washington “hinged on the price of the ticket.” She testified that at first Neal told her a round-trip ticket would cost $1,000, but he later made arrangements for the two of them to take a late-night flight that cost $450 round trip per person.

“He asked me to help him pay for my ticket,” Anderson said. However, Preckel got her to admit that, to date, she has not repaid Neal.

Muir decided not to call any defense witnesses during the two-day preliminary hearing.