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Why Taxpayers Paid for Haley Barbour's Luxury Jet

Soumis
 
The potential presidential contender may have another problem: Mississippi taxpayers paid the tab for Barbour's first-class travel. (news.yahoo.com) Plus d'info...

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alwilson565
Alan Wilson 0
From the story on Politico..

Dan Turner, a spokesman for Barbour, defended the travels as vital to the state’s economy. "In other states, people don't necessarily appreciate the idea of a governor being so outgoing about promoting the state..."

Uh.. Yeah they do, but the governor flies coach.
http://articles.sfgate.com/2011-02-11/news/28350654_1_jerry-brown-anne-gust-brown-california-gov
HunterTS4
Toby Sharp 0
My Bologna has a first name it Meyer, not Barbour
MANBOI
MANBOI 0
...and President Obama just flew his wife, kids, mother in law and whoever else to a South American spring break. Almost every state has a jet or King Air for executive travel. It makes sense from an economic stand point and also a security perspective. Gov. Barbour was out promoting Mississippi.

Intrastate travel in California on Southwest Airlines is a lot easier than Intra or Interstate travel for the Governor of Mississippi. That's like comparing cherries to pumpkins.
MANBOI
MANBOI 0
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N20SM
airinc
airinc 0
I'm sorry but Hancy Pelosi (and the hippocritical Left) can budget 300K a year on in flight liquor and its OK witt the mainstream media.
jackson271
Steve Jackson 0
Add up the cost of 5 round trip plane tickets and 4 hotel rooms, since they probably would've had to stay overnight plus meals and they did the state a favor. General Aviation makes good financial sense when used sensibly.
alwilson565
Alan Wilson 0
I went to Southwests web site... Opted for a flight on Monday with 5 passengers in coach JAN to IAD = $3,484

Then went to hotels.com and priced a Howard Johnson at $64 a night X 4 rooms cause heaven forbid the security guards should have to bunk in the same room.. $256

Total cost to the tax payer $3,740.

hmmm sounds like they could have done a little better with the budget.
MANBOI
MANBOI 0
Now add up the salaries and benefits of all those state employees and figure out the cost of their time waiting around to fit the SWA schedules. Once reservations are made, those schedules wouldn't allow the party to leave and arrive when they need to and don't allow for any change of plans, such as a last minute business meeting with a federal agency or law maker. Then they have to show up early enough (3 hours) to turn in the rental car, check bags, clear security with a protected VIP, state police with their guns and other security measures. Do that for both sides of the trip.

The risk of having employees share a room out weighs the $64 per night cost. If one employee thinks another looked at them sideways in their underwear add on $5 Million for a lawsuit settlement and the lawyers. Did you add local, state and federal taxes and other fees to the airline and hotel quotes?
alwilson565
Alan Wilson 0
Since you stated the obvious they are paid salaries so the cost is the same if they are sitting in the terminal or sipping caviar from there gold ladden spoons.

The quote for the hotel room is for 4 rooms because like you I agree that the personnel will be a bunch of 4 year olds about sharing rooms.

Taxes were considered in the quote but you and I both know that on "official" business, those charges are discounted. So the end result is cheaper, thanks for bringing that up.

Why are you defending this moron? Do you feel it is your civic duty to foot the bill for their lavishness?
MANBOI
MANBOI 0
A 1996 Citation Ultra is not lavish. If you can't make your point without calling people names, maybe you don't have a point.
preacher1
preacher1 0
Like I said in a comment to a similar story, the plane cost is state budgeted for the year whether it flies or sits. If he flew commercial, that's just added cost and besides all that, he is the chief executive of the State, so he can fly it to Mobile to take a dump if he wants to. Most every State has a plane of some type and it is there to use. Besides, his trip didn't cost as much as 1 liquor bill for one of Pelosi's flights. Just sour grapes by somebody as far as I'm concerned.
TTail
TTail 0
what everyone is forgetting are the security issues. cant just put POTUS, or the govenor of any state on the next flight to d.c. you would fill up 1/2 a 737 w/staff members and the security detail. so what is more prudent?? chartering a 737, buying 75 tickets on SWA, OR the govenor on a state owned jet?? i think the biz jet is reasonable, considering who a govenor is the CEO OF THE STATE!!!
A4D2N
Mike Clarey 0
If this article is sour grapes, it must have come from an opposition candidate/party/etc. If it was an opposition candidate and they somehow won office they will be posed a question. Will I travel by commercial, charter, or state plane? Guess which one they will chose.
TTail
TTail 0
preacher 1 said it all, and he is 100% correct. the state IS paying for the jet whether it sits in the hangar, or is being used by state officials. and if he is out trying to get the state of MS. some jobs for its peoples, then who in the hell cares!!! now if he went on vacation to the bahamas, and used the plane, i would be PISSED.

preacher1
preacher1 0
You know, several years ago, I remember having to go to Atlanta for a meeting with a large paper company and got an invite to come down to their Arkansas plant and ride the company jet. I just remember how nice and relaxed that citation ride was and how nice it was to go in and out of Charley Brown rather than Harstfield, and having a little time to rest before the evening reception. Like I said before, sour grapes somewhere. Either they have partaken of this and liked it or they are jealous because they never have.
MANBOI
MANBOI 0
The real question is why aren't they writing stories about his job performance or response to Katrina? Oh yeah, because they can't find fault with the job he's done. He provided all the services a state govt could possibly offer to its citizens and re-built his state which was hit dead on by that storm. New Orleans? They're still arguing about their plans and blaming Bush.

Se connecter

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