Thoughts from the Curb: What Does Your Congressman Drive?
California Sens. Gil Cedillo and Ron Calderon, and the cars Californians pay for
California is broke and its government is too dysfunctional to do anything about it. Yet that apparently doesn't stop state senators from getting pricey luxury cars with tax dollars. This matter came to my attention last week when the Los Angeles Times reported that state legislators had agreed to a 18-percent reduction in car allowances while also publishing the 10 most expensive cars driven by state senators. The full list can be found after the jump, but it includes a slew of $50,000 luxury cars and hybrids.
My reaction is best expressed with profanity, but let me try a slightly more civilized approach.
California is one of two states (Texas is the other) that has a taxpayer-funded car program for legislators. In theory, it makes sense. Their states and districts are huge, and since they aren't paid a great deal, giving them a car to meet their constituents is acceptable. It's the same concept as giving salesmen a company car. Of course, the Michael Scotts of this world get Chrysler Sebrings, not a Cadillac STS or Lexus RX 400h (or a non-existent LX 400 Hybrid -- well done LA Time copy desk!).
The program is very hush-hush and its details are sketchy. Essentially, California purchases the car of the legislator's choice, although it must be American-made or a hybrid. The state then "leases" the car to the legislator for up to a maximum of $500 or 90-percent of the estimated monthly cost, whichever is less. The total comes out of each Assembly member's annual $292,000 staff expense budget (although it will go down by 18 percent). After they're done with it or are voted out of office, the car reverts to government ownership and if not sold, diverted to another area of government. Former assemblyman Kevin Murray's Lexus RX 400h is now apparently used by the sergeant-at-arms as an airport shuttle. Unfortunately, many times these sales aren't well-documented and simply fall off the grid, so to speak. (More details here at the Sacramento News & Review)
The state also pays for gasoline and maintenance, but the records are apparently not well kept and not thoroughly scrutinized. One Assemblyman's $29,000 Mustang Mach 1 racked up a $25,000 repair bill. Former Assemblyman and current Los Angeles Major Antonio Villaraigosa burned 5,500 gallons of gasoline in 1999, which would be 15.06 gallons per day. I'm not saying he abused the company gas card during a year in which he unsuccessfully ran for mayor, but that's a lot of driving and four times greater than his previous high. The state has also flipped the bill for legislators' 18-inch wheels, body kits, Bluetooth systems and in one case, a chrome Bentley grille for a Chrysler 300. There's that urge for profanity again.
But California is not alone, the U.S. Congress has a similar program -- in fact, it's even more lax. According to this New York Times article
, there are few restrictions on what type of car a congressman can choose and no price limit. Indeed, New York congressman Gregory W. Meeks spends $998 per month on a Lexus LS 460. And since congressmen serve two year terms, they must go with much more costly two-year leases or else pay the remaining years if they get booted from office, say, for misusing state funds. (Full details and of the program here
)
Last year and before the most recent election, 125 of 435 congressmen participated in the program, which also covers gas, insurance, mileage overages, wear and tear, maintenance and registration. No word on whether they can get Bentley grilles. There are some, like New York Congressman Anthony D. Weiner who drives a humble Chevy Impala, but there are plenty others who take full advantage of the program.
The U.S. Senate has no such program, so when you read that news story of John McCain buying a Ford Fusion Hybrid, he actually was buying it. A friend of mine who used to work for Evan Bayh said the Indiana senator drove a 2003 Ford Focus.
If this all doesn't make you angry, you're clearly one of the state legislators or congressmen getting one of these cars. I see the logic in providing them vehicles to visit constituents, since having enough money and a car shouldn't be a requisite for elected public service. But a Ford Fusion or Chevy Malibu should be the limit of their vehicle hand-outs, perhaps a GMC Acadia if they ferry people about or a Fusion Hybrid if a green alternative is needed. There is absolutely no need for $50,000 luxury cars, especially those hybrid models that are little more than fashion accessories. I'm sure we'll see Escalade Hybrids popping up next year.
The government car system should work no different than the company car system once operated by my father's company, where employees got to choose from a list of vehicles that don't come anywhere close to $50,000. Even executives were subject to this system.
Next time your congressmen or Assemblyman comes up for re-election, feel free to drop them a line and ask them what they drive. More importantly, ask who paid for it.
James Riswick, Automotive Editor
"Thoughts from the Curb" is my weekly editorial column that appears every Wednesday morning at 6 a.m. Eastern. It delves deeper into whatever automotive topic pops into my bizarre mind. I'm mad as hell and not going to take it anymore!
Additional research by Sam Rowe
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- James Riswick July 8, 2009, 3:05 AM
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JRiz, I'm going to generally agree with you. :)
I wrote a little rampage, but it's not that different than yours, so I decided not to post it.
What bugs me the most is that the people whom we rely on are playing games. They find holes in the guidelines and take advantage of them to drive hoopties. It shows they're looking out for themselves and not the people they're supposed to serve.
Reelect the guy/gal driving the 2002 Taurus.
why not have a state fleet vehicle issued to the seat the representative holds? that would be both economical and logical because the state wouldn't be forced to hand over the keys to a $50k vehicle to someone to be used to ferry lobbyists to and from the airport when a rep is not re-elected because his replacement would drive that vehicle. They could then lease the vehicles for a reasonable term and save money by mandating less expensive vehicles. it would also be a chance to boost fleet sales for the domestics. finally, they could eliminate the gas card and force the reps to either fill up at a state facility (DOT perhaps) or go through the hassle of filling it up on their own and generating an expense report at the end of the month.
Profanity is also the only thing that comes to mind. Give them all a Cobalt, since we now own GM.
They should drive their own cars. period.
I agree with kingkhalas.
Few companies had out company cars as perks anymore. Why should the government do it?
I'd cancel the whole program and just let them lease their own cars.
The reason for using fleet vehicles or leases is that it often costs quite a bit less than paying mileage.
One company I worked for would encourage us to rent a car, rather than submit mileage expenses, for any trips over 200 miles. It cost them less that way.
A company that I currently do some part time work for, leases their executives vehicles because it costs less than reimbursing them mileage.
I'm all for the lease/fleet solution, but it needs to be reasonable.
I guess it comes down to why they are getting a car. If like brn mentioned, it's cheaper then paying mileage and they do a lot of driving for their position then it might be justified.
If it's just a status perk of the job then it should be cancelled.
Our sales and service guys can still get cars (or vans) but our execs do not.
Drive their own cars.
They can deduct for job related mileage when they prepare their tax returns just like the rest of us.
"If it's just a status perk of the job then it should be cancelled."
That's a concern. I suspect for some of them it's legitimate and that others do it just because they can. For the latter, I'm with FW. Take the perk away.
Come on, did you actually think these guys became politicians for YOUR best interests?
Didn't Mike Dukakis have a seven-year-old Dodge Aries when he was running for President? A few years later Fred Thompson parked his Mercedes and leased a red Chevy Silverado for his campaign vehicle.
Props, that's what they were. Stage props.
It's really unfortunate that there's a typo in the sentence that jabs the LA Times copy desk.
How do you get annoyed at something that is just standard news anymore? Our system and those that we actually ELECT is corrupt as hell! Just look at what our gems in D.C. are doing right now!!!
talm21 -- I'm glad somebody caught my little ironic jab.