California gives its lawmakers unlimited gas cards
What's up with California's lawmakers? First, they pass legislation that makes it illegal to use cell phones while driving, yet texting while behind the wheel is still legal (thankfully rectified earlier this week). Now they get caught with unchecked, taxpayer-reimbursed, unlimited-use gas cards...while driving state-issued vehicles! The "gas cards" are supposed to be used for fuel, but they can also be used for incidental purchases such as snacks or drinks. The lawmakers never see the bills as they are sent directly to the Senate and Assembly rules committees for payment. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, the golden state of California is unique with this program -- in most other states (not facing $15 billion budget deficits) lawmakers must submit expense forms for gas. Yeah, just like the rest of us do...
[Source: AOL Autos]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Michael 12:24PM (9/27/2008)
Um, wow.
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Flashpoint 11:26AM (9/28/2008)
In Socialist AmeriKa...
bail outs you !
ABUinAlba 12:31PM (9/27/2008)
People's Republik
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Virginia Wolf 1:59PM (9/27/2008)
I suppose by peoples you mean Communist?
Taking money from Government does not make Michigan based car makers communist.
notYou 1:00PM (9/27/2008)
Come on, it's Kalifornia - who is really surprised?
Lawmakers in Cali have no notion of value for the taxpayer's dollars. It's amazing that they are at the forefront of "protecting" or restricting access to every possible natural resource: trees/brush (tinder!), ocean (oil!), "endangered" [cough!] species, etc. but yet tax dollars are virtually disposable.
If only they thought of tax dollars (read: other people's money taken by force under the threat of jail) as the same limited, precious natural resource that it is, and treated it with the same respect and measured access that they do the rest.
(psst: methinks most of those "protections" are actually just leveraged defenses for the real other issues that they don't like - much as "we're for women!", but "we hate Palin!" )
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Parkerman 1:20PM (9/27/2008)
Im so glad I don't live in California.
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Rick 3:58PM (9/27/2008)
We're glad you don't live here either.
Patrick 5:04PM (9/27/2008)
You can keep your oppressive humidity and extreme temperatures. CA don't want it.
Gary Blomquist 1:34PM (9/27/2008)
I and the other citizens of the Republik of Kalifornistan, are royally screwed at the pump by CARB.
We are robbed of clean diesels while the other states will most likely be getting them......and
Our fearless leaders, who are mostly Democrates who have run the state legislature for umpteen zillion years treat themselves to free gasoline/diesel.
Of course they deserve this perk, as they are working so very hard for the common man........Hail to our fearless leaders! :(
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bornfromjets03 1:38PM (9/27/2008)
first CARB now this?!
Cali's gov't is messed up
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MallardRider 1:47PM (9/27/2008)
I live in California and this is absolutely outrageous. Too bad not everyone reads Autoblog or has AOL.
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Brandon 9:15PM (9/27/2008)
but many people do read news and this article was one of the headline news article in several news website (don't know about papers cuz I don't read them).
I guess several million Californians already know about this by now.
Let's vote!!!
BoxerFanatic 2:14PM (9/27/2008)
As if we needed another reason not to trust elected officials.
Do people still think that government is a beneficial overlord, with your best interests at heart?
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Ian 2:27PM (9/27/2008)
ridiculous... especially considering how much grief they give auto enthusiasts in that state...
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JD 2:33PM (9/27/2008)
This strikes me as a bit of a misinterpretation/misrepresentation on autoblog's part.
The key term is "State Issued Vehicles." You know, the ones you see driving around that say "FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY" like dept. of education, utilities, and other cars of the sort. State employees almost certainly get reimbursed for any gas they need to put in them anyways (or at least they should), so how is this any different, except it cuts out that step of the process? It's not like CA gave the governator his Hummer. I think you guys are over reacting without thinking about it first.
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Parkerman 3:11PM (9/27/2008)
easier to be abused now though.
Lad 3:05PM (9/27/2008)
WWWL (when will we learn) you also have to set limits on politicians just like you do children...even more so!
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Amien 3:26PM (9/27/2008)
Finally a way around the gas prices, become a cop!
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Patrick 5:07PM (9/27/2008)
Why can't politicians write good bills that have built-in checks and are 'inflation-proof' by making things as a % rather than a fixed $ amount? (Rhetorical question, since we already know the answer: they're slimy hypocritical scuzbags)
For example, as a CA homeowner, I get a whopping $7000 credit off of my taxable property amount. That may have been a lot back in 1950 when houses were $45k, but that ain't $hit now.
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JD 4:25AM (9/28/2008)
Oh you poor baby, you're sitting on property that is worth so much that $7k "ain't $hit?" Am I supposed to feel sorry for you?