VICKSBURG - Given a $3.7 billion budget, it may seem like nibbling around the edges, but Sen. Billy Thames, D-Mize, says he will ask his fellow legislators to get fired up about use - and abuse - of state vehicle policies.
"We're still gathering information," Thames said last week. "but I am definitely in favor of adding accountability there."
Thames, a 25-year lawmaker, chairs the Fees, Salaries and Administration Committee. It's in that role he's been receiving information from State Auditor Phil Bryant and from the state Department of Finance and Administration.
In sum, the information shows Mississippi taxpayers have bought and support the operation of 9,335 cars, trucks, SUVs, buses, motorcycles and motor homes valued at about $200 million. That calculates to one vehicle per five employees, including community college and university faculty and staff. It's also up by 700 vehicles in the past three years while the total number of state employees has dropped.
Information from other states, Thames said, shows one vehicle per 10 employees as the norm.
Another number that irks the senator is $62,000 spent in one year on higher-octane fuels when, he said, virtually all models now made operate just as efficiently on regular.
"I know $60,000 or so is not a lot of money (if viewed from the perspective of total state spending), but it's a lot of money to you or me, so it should be of concern to the Legislature," he said.
While any changes are still in the drafting phase, Thames said he tends to believe two things should happen.
First would be fleet management under the control of one executive agency, probably the Department of Finance and Administration. There might be some exceptions, but the majority of state vehicles would be purchased, inventoried and assigned by the designated fleet manager.
"They would also be responsible for seeing that vehicles are serviced," he said, indicating proper maintenance is also an effective cost-cutter.
Second, he said, would be more oversight by the Legislature. As things stand, various entities of state government present funding requests in varying degrees of detail. As a rule, specific information about vehicle types, numbers and uses are not in appropriations requests.
"This is our fault," he said. Agency heads haven't been providing the information because they haven't been asked for it.
But Thames says there's a contradiction in the fact that the Legislature often doesn't hesitate to ax unfilled job slots in budget requests. He said the expense of a vehicle should at least get as much consideration as an employee position.
"What I'm saying is they need to start telling us in detail if a vehicle is needed, why it is needed and such," Thames said. "If they've got a job that can be done in a Ford Ranger, they shouldn't ask for a $30,000 SUV."
Analysis also needs to be done on existing use of vehicles, particularly when a state vehicle is provided to one person, he said.
Thames cited calculations showing it's more economical to the state to provide a car to an employee logging more than 15,000 miles a year and receiving reimbursement for using a private vehicle. "For those under 15,000 miles, you're almost better off to pay mileage," he said.
Fuel expenses for state vehicles - usually at fleet discount rates and without the 18-cent state tax - totaled $30 million in the last complete year recorded. Prices are up about a dollar a gallon since then. State employees were reimbursed $15 million for use of their own vehicles during the same period.
Money, if anything, is tighter. This year's Legislature started the session with a $700 million gap between expected funding and available money and wasn't able to approve a balanced spending plan - as required by the constitution - until a special session.
Still, Thames said he has absolutely no interest in any type of purge.
"A lot of times when something like this comes to light the Legislature will engage in overkill," he said. "We shouldn't do that. We should approach this cautiously. We need to provide the type vehicle needed to do the job. We need to equip state employees to do the jobs they were hired to do."
But he's just as adamant that waste and duplication be ended.
"One vehicle for every five employees - that's astronomical," he said. "That's way too many."
Oh, and legislators, by the way, are not provided state vehicles. They do receive mileage stipends based on their commuting distance to Jackson.
