The State of California is nearly broke, overwhelmed by expenses and shrinking tax revenues, yet they're paying eight lawmakers to drive around in $400,000 worth of fancy-pants, expensive luxury hybrids.
According to a report by the LA Times, the cash-strapped state pays a monthly allowance to California state legislators for car expenses. This comes to about $3.2 million over the last three years. To top it off, a whopping eight of the ten most expensive legislator cars are hybrids. And not just any hybrids. Half are Lexus or Chevy SUV hybrids that cost upwards of $45,000 each.
The state did vote to cut the allowance by 18%. But wouldn't that money be better spent on rail within the state rather than token environmentalist plays by politicians? Some of Amtrak's busiest and highest revenue-generating train lines are within California and four of them pass through Sacramento. Maybe the legislators should be taking Amtrak rather than driving on the taxpayer dime in this time of crisis?
[Los Angeles Times via Straightline]
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