As someone who lived in the UK for 18 years, I was shocked to discover that Philadelphia’s mayor is named Nutter. Michael Nutter. I’m sorry, but the chances of anyone of that name being elected to public office in The Land of Hope and Glory are less than the chances that GM and Chrysler will pay back their federal loans early. OK, ever. So, anyway, WHYY reports on Mayor Nutter’s attempts to curb a good chunk of the the city’s taxpayer-funded fleet. Literally.
Mayor Michael Nutter announced today that he will shrink the city’s car fleet which has nearly 6000 vehicles by 243 in an effort to reduce spending. While the number may not sound like a lot, Nutter says this would save the city $1.5 million a year in maintenance and fuel costs. If you’re trying to do the math, using these numbers the city spends $6,200 per car, per year.
Nutter is not alone. The proliferation of “take home” taxpayer-funded cars (and car allowances) is facing an almighty backlash, as politicians try to find ways to cut expenses without pissing off their pork-scarfing pals.
In January, Connecticut Governor Rell moved to trim Connecticut’s vehicular fleet by 20 percent. Pennsylvania Governor Rendell pledged to “centralize” the state’s motor pool, which cost $72.5m and includes 16,637 vehicles. Let us know the deal (or no deal) in your state, but I bet it’s the same story in your neck of the woods.
Drill down, and the story’s the same at the local level. Taxpayer wheels are under attack at the Snohomish (WA) County Council, where “leaders have been raking in more than $6,800 a year in extra cash on top of their salaries as compensation for using their own vehicles on county business.” Again, I’d appreciate a heads-up on your municipality’s attempts at fleet/police car budget trimming.
[For comparison, the Telegraph reports China is cutting back on their 3.5 million “perk cars.”]
Unfortunately, as I reported previously, Uncle Sam’s economic stimulus package contains plenty of cash for new government cars. Two steps forward, one step back.
My friend is a Miami Dade cop and he has a take home marked police car. The logic, according to him is:
1. More cars out there is a deterrent because of the increased appearance of police presence.
2. Being “your” car means that you are much more likely to take good care of it. My friend probably has one of 10 police cars with shiny tires and rims free of brake dust. Cared for cars usually need less repair.
3. Municipalities don’t have to deal with problems that arise from shared cars, like somebody stinking out a car with disgusting cigarettes, slobs, etc.
Is this a good use of tax money? Probably not. Funny thing is, he is a Cato quoting, hard core Libertarian. I guess its easy to by a hypocrite.
Ha! A libertarian cop. Ironic, but par for the course.
The most conservative people I know have government jobs. I love the conservative public school teachers, with tenure, defined benefits pensions, and golden health care, who haven’t faced a real work environment since they lucked into the job.
I think it is a mix of them never facing job insecurity, and them seeing the even bigger screw ups that they work with, that gives them delusions of rugged individualism.
I’m completely with them, as long as it starts with breaking up and outlawing the public sector cartels unions first.
That said, he’s right on the police car issue. Police need dedicated cars, so they might as well drive them home (although the IRS should look into that untaxed benefit). It’s asshat mayors that think they need a public car, or aldermen that think they should be paid to drive to work, where real efficiency gains can be made.
On the other hand, police unions put the UAW to shame in terms of covering up sup-par performance, laziness and corruption. Not that those things are issue with your friend, or all UAW workers, but unions keep the bad grouped in with the good.
What no_slushbox said about the police cars. I don’t have a problem with it at all.
I see no problem with government employees of a certain rank having take home vehicles. Government salaries on average are less than the same person would make in the private sector, and seeing as many corporations offer company cars to their mid-level management and above, it makes sense that goverment officials should have the same perks if for no other reason than to try to retain some decent talent.
On another note, car dealer demo vehicle plans for salespeople have gotten much worse in recent years. It used to be that if you were a salesperson hitting reasonable decent numbers you could count on a gratis new vehicle, regularly cycled out as your demo was sold. These days many dealerships are charging for the demos, making them used cars, or cutting programs entirely. I guess in a slow economy everyone cuts back.
@ RF
In the UK, they NEARLY elected Lord Screaming Such (RIP) of the Monster Raving Loony Party.
They know how to have more fun at election time.
As someone who lived in the UK for 18 years, I was shocked to discover that Philadelphia’s mayor is named Nutter. Michael Nutter. I’m sorry, but the chances of anyone of that name being elected to public office in The Land of Hope and Glory are less than the chances that GM and Chrysler will pay back their federal loans early…
We (UK) have a Nazi uniform wearing, New Labour arse licker called Balls who looks after Children and Education, but yes – Nutter would be a hard sell.
A Connecticut state employee is tagging a neighbor of mine. I assuming he’s a state cop because he drives a gray Crown Vic with black bull bars on the front and the multiple antennas on the trunk.
I live 10 miles north of Connecticut border.
BTW
I see no problem with government employees of a certain rank having take home vehicles. Government salaries on average are less than the same person would make in the private sector, and seeing as many corporations offer company cars to their mid-level management and above, it makes sense that goverment officials should have the same perks if for no other reason than to try to retain some decent talent
Government employees usually retire with very good benefits at a much earlier age than the people paying their salaries. Many of them often get a new job after their “retirement”.
I don’t mind cops taking home cars for one of the reasons golden2husky mentioned; visibility. Our neighborhood used to have issues with punk kids vandalizing the area, and it seems like ever since the Ft. Worth cop on our street has started bringing his cruiser home it’s stopped. We also have a cop from another city in the next neighborhood over, and I really think it helps deter criminals from doing their deeds in our area. I know it makes my wife feel better to look down the street and see that cop car in the driveway, that’s got to be worth something.
As a Pennsylvanian quite familiar with Philadelphia and its politics, I’ll be shocked if this is really implemented, and, even if it is implemented, it lasts beyond the first month of economic recovery.
Incidentally, anyone who thinks any Philadelphia politicians and bureaucrats are conservative or libertarian has obviously never been there.
In Philadelphia, President Bill Cliton is virtually an arch-conservative. And the municipal unions make the UAW look like a bunch of capitalist-loving pussycats…
Mayor Nutter is the best that Philly could hope for from the pool of potential mayors. He replaced the absolutely corrupt John Street who was millimeters away from being indicted. He is at least a realist when it comes to budgets and taxes, although the legacy costs he inherited will still be here.
As for government vehicles, it’s a fine line between necessary and unnecessary. Vehicles with special radios, cages, or even 4 wheel drive are needed for some official tasks. Something to commute to the office and back is not. No one is going to deny a cop needs a government vehicle. Politicians can drive their own car at their expense or better yet take the buses they keep pushing our way.
When Mayor John Street was in office, the first thing he bought was a fleet of Lincoln Navigators. Maybe they might be selling some of those. Or maybe they could force the council members who live outside the city to commute using their personal vehicles, instead of the city’s.
“A Connecticut state employee is tagging a neighbor of mine. I assuming he’s a state cop because he drives a gray Crown Vic with black bull bars on the front and the multiple antennas on the trunk.”
In Connecticut, all State Troopers are assigned their own car, and take them home. This is because they can be called in to duty in case of an emergency. They also use the cars on extra duty traffic /construction work assignments. However, they cannot (are not supposed to) use them for personal transportation.