Where Have All The Young Cars Gone, Long Time Missing?

We can’t track Items Costing $20,000.00 to $40,000.00 very well, State of Arkansas Confesses.

On 1/27/11 Richard Weiss, the Director of Arkansas’s Finance and Administration Department told 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 that “he’s asked agencies to get his department more information (on State vehicles) by Monday (the 24th) 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 whereabouts of 8,000+ vehicles? What are they doing, “detailing” each one?

            It blows one’s mind to learn that a 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 the State of Arkansas will need a month to compile a list that is already confessed to be of little accuracy upon its compilation. One wonders what educational and mathematical qualifications are demanded of high-level State Directors and their Staff.

Carry that one step further. Want to make a wager about the ability of Director Weiss and the State of Arkansas to exercises control over and accounting for such minor cost items as Personal Computers, Cell Phones, not to mention State issued Credit Cards.

            Well, the “at least a month” is about up for the counting of vehicles.

            So, Mr. Weiss how many vehicles, that have been paid for by the abused Arkansas Taxpayer, can you locate? How many are being used solely to ferry elected State officials, departments heads and employees to and from their home to work? For what else are they being used that necessitates their purchase? How many can be eliminated without any impact on State business? How will you control their purchase and use in the future?

            HOW MUCH MONEY CAN YOU SAVE THE STATE BY ELIMINATING THIS ABUSED PERK? Oh, wait, that would require some real tough leadership by the elected officials, like say Governor Beebe for starters. Sorry folks, won’t happen.