Gov. Rick Scott is shooting down official frequent fliers with his decision to sell the state's airplanes, though it's unclear how much money taxpayers will save.
Delivering on a campaign promise, Scott announced he intended to sell the two state-owned aircraft, a 2000 King Air 350 and a 2003 Cessna Citation Bravo.
"The privilege of using a state-owned aircraft is an unnecessary burden to taxpayers, especially when lower-cost travel options exist," Scott said in a press release. "As elected officials it is our responsibility to utilize the most affordable options for official business, and I do not believe state-owned airplanes are the best option."
The state currently spends around $2.4 million annually to service and staff the planes. And amid rising concerns over official use -- or misuse -- of the aircraft, Scott grounded them.
In the past year, ethics complaints were filed against Attorney General Bill McCollum and Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, alleging their improper use of the state's planes.
Kenneth Quinnell, head of the Florida Progressive Coalition, charged that McCollum "misused his public position in violation of the law'' by repeatedly divertingflights from Tallahassee to an airport near his Longwood home.
Quinnell's complaint followed a claim by Republican activist Jose Blas Lorenzo Jr., who leveled similar allegations against Democrat Sink, who lives in the Tampa area. Both complaints were dismissed.
Scott -- who defeated McCollum in the GOP gubernatorial primary and beat Sink in the general election -- has his own seven-passenger jet, which he intends to use for state business.
A 2009 audit by the Legislature estimated the state could save between $700,000 and $1.8 million a year by selling the Cessna Citation jet favored by Gov. Charlie Crist.
Instead the state auctioned off its third and oldest aircraft, a 1985 turboprop Beechcraft King Air 300, for $1.35 million.
New Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater frequently rode on the state's planes prior to serving as Senate president, but he says he supports Scott's decision.
Saying he believes that selling the planes would require a vote of the governor and Cabinet, Atwater said, "If he wants to recommend selling, I'd second the motion."
During the election campaign, Sink advocated greater transparency in reporting state air travel. She called on the Department of Management Services to post details about each state plane flight online.
One of the heaviest users of the state's aircraft was former Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp. He averaged a flight nearly every other day on a state plane during his first two years in office.
State records show several instances in which an empty plane was dispatched for the 400-mile flight to Fort Myers, where Crist's lieutenant lived.
But those expenses were just the tip of Kottkamp's itinerary, and show that selling the state's planes won't automatically drive down official travel costs.
In his four years in office, the peripatetic lieutenant governor racked up $1.1 million in travel expenses -- excluding his use of state aircraft between Tallahassee and Fort Myers.
Among his biggest expenditures, according to state records: $856,000 in salaries for Florida Highway Patrol troopers who are required to protect the lieutenant governor; $72,000 for the troopers' air travel when Kottkamp was flying; $52,000 for gasoline for his state-owned SUVs; $44,000 for hotel rooms; $11,000 for three in-state charter flights when no state aircraft was available; and $5,000 for rental cars.
The Scott administration says that selling off the state's two planes is only the first cost-saving measure.
"Thisis the first of many steps Gov. Scott is taking to reduce government spending,"the governor's office said in a news release.
Quinnell said selling the planes is, for the most part, a good idea.
"It's symbolic and it won't save much money in terms of the budget, but it's nice to know that when 12 percent of Floridians are unemployed, state officials won't be jet-setting around on the state's dollar... if they fly commercial, that is.
"If they still end up chartering private planes to fly officials around, this will be a pointless gesture," he said.
Bids for the two planes will be opened at 2 p.m.on Feb. 9, the governor'soffice said.Comparable craft are currently selling for $2.8 million to $3 million.
--
Contact Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 801-5341.
