Tue, Jul 11, 2006
Ah, Politics...
Is this an economic
move... or a slap at a political opponent?
Missouri is getting ready to sell off two of its older airplanes
and a hangar at the airport in Jefferson City, as the state's top
administrator says they're just not used enough to justify the
expense. After all... if Republican Governor Matt Blunt wants to go
anywhere, he generally flies himself, and pays for it out of his
own campaign funds.
So who IS flying on the state-owned aircraft? Well, the
Associated Press has looked at the logs from January of 2005
through the end of last month... and it turns out the most frequent
flyer is Democratic Attorney General Jay Nixon.
Oh, did we mention Nixon is seen as the opposition's
front-running candidate for governor in 2008? And that the
Republican party has already gone on the offensive, accusing Nixon
of using the planes to campaign on the taxpayer's nickel?
Despite the strong whiff of partisanship, Mike Keathley,
commissioner of the Missouri State Office of Administration, says
selling off aviation assets has nothing to do with sticking pins in
a Jay Nixon doll.
Despite the sale of the planes, Keathley says any state leader
who needs a hop will be able to get one, on the newer King Air the
government is holding onto... even after Missouri's high-flying
governor leaves office.
By selling the two aircraft and the hangar, Keathley says the
state hopes to put about $650,000 in the kitty, and save about
$175,000 a year in operating expenses.
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