During the good times prior to 2008, few taxpayers questioned the widespread practice of providing free rides for public servants in addition to lavish salaries, cushy expense accounts and generous health and pension benefits. Tooling around in a taxpayer-funded SUV was taken for granted as one of the “perks” of office by top state and local politicians. But those days are supposed to be over. As The Examiner’s Freeman Klopott reported last week, even a $322 million budget deficit has not kept D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray from riding around in a “fully loaded” $60,000 Lincoln Navigator, courtesy of city taxpayers. Gray’s ride is even more expensive than Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell’s Chevrolet Suburban and Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley’s Chevrolet Tahoe. While there’s no argument that all three chief executives need extra security as they conduct public business, they already have police forces with fleets of beefed-up SUVs at their disposal. Purchasing or leasing more vehicles is wasteful, and encourages an unseemly elitist attitude in public officials who are supposed to be frugal stewards of public funds.
The award for conspicuous consumption goes to District Council Chairman Kwame Brown, who turned up his nose at the first Lincoln Navigator the city leased for him because he didn’t like the upholstery color. A second Navigator was hurriedly procured, and, were it not for the resulting public outcry over the $3,800 per month lease costs that eventually forced the attorney general’s office to return both vehicles, Brown would still be riding in style on the taxpayer’s dime.
This entitlement mentality is exemplified by Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett, who has not one, but two county vehicles: a Suburban and a Jeep Cherokee. A county spokesman explained that Leggett takes the Jeep when he decides to drive himself. With the county trying to close a $300 million budget shortfall, that should be every day — and in his own private vehicle. Same goes for Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker, whose Suburban is an unnecessary expenditure in a county where the public school system must cut another $155 million. Virginia state law does not allow top public officials besides the governor to use taxpayer funds to buy or lease pricey vehicles for their personal use, and they manage to get around just fine. Every public servant in the Washington region should do likewise. After all, there’s no such thing as a free ride.
