Former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius made a big show in 2003 of eliminating the state’s central motor pool and selling underused state vehicles. But reviews by state auditors have calculated that the state hasn’t saved much money, because it has had to spend more than it used to renting cars and reimbursing state employees for using their private cars. A new report also found that at least nine Kansas government employees last year rented vehicles for more than 300 days, the Topeka Capital-Journal reported. That doesn’t make sense to state Rep. John Grange, R-El Dorado, given that the average person is on the job only about 250 days annually. “That smacks of somebody doing something that was not right,” Grange said.
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15 Comments
Let’s just assume that 300-day-a-year bureaucrat is an over-achiever.
Ha!
There are cheaters and crooks and CONs in every enterprise. The difference with government is the policies are answerable to by ordinary people.
Depending on the metrics, the motor pool could keep a few hundred cars on the lot for three or four years instead of paying rental fees or reimbursing people for driving their own cars on government business.
In government as well as private enterprise. I can schedule an official appointment in Goodland on the last day before my Colorado vacation and legitimately take the kids and the wife and the skis with me and put it on the taxpayers’ tab.
No different in private enterprise. I used to have a client-contact who gamed his “business” flights just to get additional frequent flier points on his personal card. He used to say his favorite “hub” airport was Bangor, Maine because the snack bar sold lobster.
I don’t know if it’s human nature or the American “character” that compels us to game systems.
There’s some guy out there who dresses his 13-year-old daughter in Strawberry Shortcake shorts and straps down her budding breasts so he can save a couple of bucks on a “Children’s” ticket to the movies.
There’s some gal who sprays her hair gray so she can get the Senior Discount at the local buffet.
Kathleen Sebelius … used car salesman. Has an intereting sound to me.
Well duh.
Probably cheaper to rent a car by the week than by the day. Check with Avis. you need a car for Monday through Friday, cheaper to keep it for a week.
Still it’s cheaper to buy instead of renting.
But, never fear, this lady (after getting her taxes caught up) is the one that is going to run your health care now!
“Didn’t save much,” according to the story?
So taxpayers maybe saves a little?
Nothing wrong with that!
There are cheaters and crooks and CONs in every enterprise. – Monkey
————
And there is at least one idiot who begins the day with an unnecessary attack.
Usually Monkey, you wait until the end to ruin your posts.
Now the current or next Governor can make a big show of rebuilding the state’s motor pool thus “saving wasted money for the taxpayers.” It’s a little cyclical game they play in Topeka.
As if it is a surprise that Sebelius lied to the people?
We knew Bilious Sebelius was lying when she opened her mouth on this topic ; someone at the rental car agency must be paying a kickback; and now we have a lying used car saleswoman running our health care.
“outlander” –
Just what offended you?
A Governor makes a good faith effort to save taxpayer dollars. It is not as successful as hoped, so where is the false outrage coming from?
You may recall that the early indicators of this change were positive:
“The Associated Press February 07, 2006
The state is saving $5 million to $6 million a year with improved management of its vehicle fleet, and it captured $28 million in one-time savings from various policy changes, Budget Director Duane Goossen said Monday.”
I do not see any indication the program cost taxpayers more. So as Sen. Chris Steineger of Kansas City says, “It shows we have more room for improvement.”
No kickbacks or other illegal activity is evidenced. Just narrow, mindless attack politics as usual from the right wing do-nothings.
Anyone that has ever worked for the government knows that renting cars does not save money as opposed to having staff cars available in a motorpool.
What saves money is not allowing rental car purchases on trips where a taxi cab ride would suffice.
i.e., Fly into a city, take a cab to your destination – instead of getting a rental car. Planning a trip where the hotel serves at least breakfast an there are restaurants nearby enables cost savings.
It is hard to tell whether or not money was saved by the article linked. It appears the cost per mile has increased. some costsup, some costs down. No real number of total savings shown. But one thing is certain, it shows the unintended consequences of many programs. Reducing cost is an admirable position. THen, supposedly, flex fuelsis an admirable position (at least for some), but the costs are higher.
Anyway, it it saved “ONLY A LITTLE” that’s okay by me. Savings is savings.
Business travel is, or should be becoming a thing of the past. Has the state never heard of Webex or NetMeeting?
“outlander” –
What offended you?
Where was the “attack?”
C’mon.
You can come up with it.
Sebelius? Who is that?