Autogate: State Officials Drive 'Company' Cars, but Are They Paying the Taxes?
Governor Mike Beebe
Vehicles in office: 0
Does he use a state vehicle? NO, BUT HE HAS BEFORE
Paid taxes: YES
As governor, Beebe no longer drives himself around -- state troopers do. But w
hen he was attorney general, Beebe did have a state-issued vehicle, and he paid taxes on it. Simple enough -- except that when the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported the huge number of state vehicles, people began asking Beebe for answers on why. In a surprising political mistake, Beebe originally said he didn’t see a problem with Arkansas’ bloated vehicle supply, and that most of the vehicles were outside his authority anyway. This explanation satisfied no one, and after getting raked over the coals by columnists and Republicans for a few days, Beebe finally called for the Department of Finance and Administration to investigate and justify the number of state vehicles.
Lieutenan
t Governor Bill Halter
Vehicles in office: 1
Does he use a state vehicle? YES
Paid taxes: YES
When this story broke, Halter was the only state elected official who was currently driving a state-issued vehicle for personal use and paying taxes for it. He traded barbs with Attorney General McDaniel over their differing views of what the law required (more on that below).
Vehicles in office: 0
Does he use a state vehicle? NO, BUT HE HAS BEFORE
Paid taxes: YES
As governor, Beebe no longer drives himself around -- state troopers do. But w
hen he was attorney general, Beebe did have a state-issued vehicle, and he paid taxes on it. Simple enough -- except that when the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported the huge number of state vehicles, people began asking Beebe for answers on why. In a surprising political mistake, Beebe originally said he didn’t see a problem with Arkansas’ bloated vehicle supply, and that most of the vehicles were outside his authority anyway. This explanation satisfied no one, and after getting raked over the coals by columnists and Republicans for a few days, Beebe finally called for the Department of Finance and Administration to investigate and justify the number of state vehicles.Lieutenan
t Governor Bill HalterVehicles in office: 1
Does he use a state vehicle? YES
Paid taxes: YES
When this story broke, Halter was the only state elected official who was currently driving a state-issued vehicle for personal use and paying taxes for it. He traded barbs with Attorney General McDaniel over their differing views of what the law required (more on that below).
Attorney General Dustin McDaniel
Vehicles in office: 16
Does he use a state vehicle? NOT SINCE THIS STORY BROKE
Paid taxes: NO
McDaniel is perhaps the biggest political loser in this story, and he has only himself to blame for it. When he was first asked about his state vehicle, McDaniel said the law was clear that he didn’t have to pay taxes for personal use. When told that Halter paid taxes on it, McDaniel insinuated that Halter was an opportunist who paid unnecessary taxes to make himself look good politically. That couldn’t have had anything to do with the fact that both men are considered potential Democratic gubernatorial candidates in 2014, could it? Maybe McDaniel should have checked with the current governor before taking potshots at a possible future opponent. Governor Beebe, who paid the taxes when he was serving in the position McDaniel is currently in, could have told him to shut up and pay. At any rate, McDaniel soon had to apologize and reverse course. He now will pay taxes for his personal use of state vehicles, after all. And he’s going to give up his state-issued ‘09 Tahoe, to show that he really means business.
Secretary of State Charlie Daniels
Vehicles i
n office: 29Does he use a state vehicle? YES
Paid taxes: NO
Eight of Daniels’ employees paid taxes for personal use of their state-issued cars, but not Daniels. His spokesperson had three curious excuses for why Daniels wasn’t paying taxes: (1) He thought he was exempt; (2) State Auditor Jim Wood was supposed to withhold those taxes from Daniels’ paychecks, and didn’t do it; and (3) No one had ever examined this issue before the Democrat-Gazette did. None of those explanations are likely to create any sympathy for the term-limited secretary of state. He says that now he will pay his vehicle-use taxes, along with any back taxes that he owes.
Treasurer Martha Shoffner
Vehicles in office: 3
Does she use a state vehicle? YES
Paid taxes: NO
The generally well-thought-of Shoffner made a major political mistake when she told the press that people in her position were entitled to personal use of state vehicles. Even worse, she called state troopers “manservants” -- prompting Beebe to issue a rare demand for an apology. Shoffner backed down, apologizing for her comments and announcing that she would, after all, pay those irritating taxes.
Auditor Jim Wood
Vehicles in office: 4
Does he use a state vehicle? YES
Paid taxes: NO
Wood didn’t pay taxes or keep track of miles for personal use of his state-owned vehicle, but promises to do better. He also says he’ll back-pay the taxes he owes the IRS for past personal use of the vehicle.
Land Commissioner Mark Wilcox
Vehicles in office: 9
Does he use a state vehicle? TWO OF THEM
Paid taxes: NO
Wilcox is the most blatant offender on this list because he somehow ma
nages to use not one, but two state vehicles. He drives a 2008 Toyota Sequoia between his Wooster home and the capital; meanwhile a 2006 Chevy Silverado stays on his farm in Greenbrier. You know, in case he has to do any official state business out there. Two years ago, his wife was using the Silverado to move some furniture and was responsible for a hit-and-run accident. The other driver’s car repairs cost nearly $1,000, and Wilcox used taxpayer money to pay that cost. He has since said he will start paying taxes on at least one of his state vehicles, and he will reimburse the state for the auto repairs.Speaker o
f the House Robbie WillsVehicles in office: 1
Does he use a state vehicle? YES
Paid taxes: NO
Wills says he’s not going to pay taxes for personal use of his state-owned vehicle, because he is Speaker of the House 24/7. Meredith Oakley of the Democrat-Gazette responded to Wills better than we ever could: “In other words, if you see him cruising around Conway around midnight in search of a mini-mart at which to grab a scoop of Pralines ‘n Cream or a lottery ticket, please note that he’s doing so in his official capacity of speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives.”
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