Congressional Rules may force expensive auto leases

The GOP primary for the 6th District heated up yesterday. Former Marion County Coroner John McGoff, now a candidate in the primary against Congressman Dan Burton, held a press conference yesterday complaining about Burton's use of automobile leases. Burton's office has taxpayer-funded leases for a Cadillac DeVille and Dodge Grand Caravan, combined worth over a thousand dollars per month.

We usually appreciate news organizations checking up on congressional spending on such things (air travel is a personal pet peeve of ours. Thinking these lease prices were a bit high, we did some checking. The Dodge lease seems near market rate (Burton's lease is $406 per month; the advertised lease through Chrysler Financial for a 2008 model is $430.66 per month). The Cadillac lease is not however. Burton's lease is $702 a month, while the advertised lease for a 2008 Cadillac DTS (the DeVille was phased out in 2005) is $439 per month.

We talked to some friends who know how congressional offices run. Supposedly, Congressional rules prohibit down payments on these leases (cash due at signing). As a result, the monthly costs of the lease skyrocket.

We would agree that these leases may be excessive on the taxpayer. Perhaps removing this silly down payment rule could save taxpayers a bunch of money.

Comments

[Sir Hailstone]

How about Julia's Chrysler 300? Supposedly she's no longer driving - so who's Driving Miss Droolia now?

[I did some checking]

I also called the Congressional office about this as Mr. Burton is my Congressman and I have voted for him in the past. Apparently one of these vehicles, the minivan, is used as a "mobile office" and is driven by a staffer every day to various parts of the district to meet with constituents. The Indianapolis Star acted as if the Congressman had 2 vehicles.

[Scott]

Of course not; only Baron Hill had two cars.