State of Arkansas Unable to Track State Owned Vehicles With Accuracy

We can’t track items costing $20,000.00 to $40,000.00 each very well, the State of Arkansas's top fiscal officer confesses.

            The State of Arkansas, unlike about 46 of its sister states, is so flush with funds that it doesn't even track the where-a-bouts of its approximately 8,500 State owned vehicles. Most of which appear to be driven to/from home by various political appointees, elected officials, and department’s heads.

It was reported in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette that the Head of the Game and Fish Commission actually had two State owned vehicles for his personal use. Since he was only able to drive one to and from work, he just left the other on his farm to be used there, as he deemed necessary, for State business we assume. He didn't admit to the inconvenience of having to make a special trip to the gas pump to refill this second vehicle at State expense, but we can well appreciate his exasperation with that inconvenience.

The above mentioned paper reported that on January 27, 2011 Mr. Richard Weiss, the Director of Arkansas’s Finance and Administration Department, told top lawmakers “that any total his agency lists as the number of state vehicles may not mean much”. He admitted, “the total could vary by a few hundred day to day.”

            Mr. Weiss further stated “he’s asked agencies to get his department more information (on State vehicles) by Monday and it will probably take his staff at least a month of work after that.”

            It will take his department a month of work to tally the where-a-bouts of about 8,500 vehicles? What are they doing, “detailing” each one for future use by the elected and appointed potentates?

            It blows one’s mind to learn that the Arkansas State government treats such expensive assets so cavalierly. Most of us taxpayers can tell you within about twenty feet where our vehicle is at almost any moment. But Arkansas's Department of Finance and Administration will need a month to compile a list that it has already confessed to be of little accuracy. Do you think that Mr. Weiss also drives a State supplied vehicle to/from home and work?

            I suggest a solution for the State of Arkansas, so flush with tax payer funds during this time of financial stress on so many of her taxpayers. Eliminate ALL State owned vehicles from being driven to and from work. The exceptions are vehicles assigned to police, game wardens, and public safety officers. Pay mileage reimbursement for use of private vehicles used on State business, and that doesn’t include to/from home.

            8,500 vehicles at an average cost of $30,000.00 (potentates don’t drive cheap cars) totals about $255 million. That’s tax payer money, not theirs. Quit spending it on “perks”!