Posted on 12/12/2002 7:12:05 PM PST by NormsRevenge
State Officials Order Expensive New Vehicles
Officials Order $47,000 SUV, $41,000 Cadillac
POSTED: 4:22 p.m. PST December 12, 2002 UPDATED: 6:03 p.m. PST December 12, 2002
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- With the state in the middle of a budget crisis of historic proportions, lawmakers are cutting costs, affecting thousands of jobs, salaries and programs. But KCRA 3 has learned that two newly-elected officials are ordering costly cars at taxpayers' expense.
Facing thousands of layoffs and a severe budget crisis, state employees are starting to catch wind that two top government officials hope to land in the driver's seat of luxury vehicles when they take office in three weeks.
The two officials are San Bernardino Republican Bill Leonard and San Francisco Democrat Carole Migden, who are former Assembly members that have recently been elected to the state Board of Equalization -- the agency that collects taxes in California.
According to a Board of Equalization spokesperson, Leonard has ordered a 2003 Ford Expedition, estimated at more than $47,000. Documents obtained by KCRA 3 show that Leonard is requesting the Eddie Bauer Edition, plus an in-dash navigation system costing nearly $2,000 extra.
Migden has chosen to drive around in a 2003 Cadillac CTS, valued at more than $41,000.
According to documents obtained by KCRA 3, Migden's vehicle has more than $8,000 in options, including a garage door opener, sunroof, heated seats and a Bose music system.
The fact that the newly-elected officials are buying these vehicles is not sitting well with some state employees.
"That might be a bit much. Why couldn't they buy a $22,000 car? I think they'd get everywhere they're going to go," said state employee Robert Jackson.
Board members don't have to settle for the basic set of wheels used by other California employees. According to a spokesperson for the Board of Equalization, the newly-elected members simply request a vehicle with all of the extras they might want. It's turned over to the General Services Administration, which then puts the vehicles out to bid.
Neither official returned calls from KCRA 3.
You are generous.
Might I suggest an unclaimed recovered bicycle, a pump, and a tire repair kit for each?
If it came out of their own paychecks, I have no problem.
I know what you mean, it gives me the creeps.
Who came up with that name?
Karl Marx.
This is rather outrageous.
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