Ak. gov and Fl. Lt gov use similar travel expense account rules

[Obamanaut]

So, while the education budget in Florida is suffering, there seems to be enough cash on hand for our elected officials to fly around the state - with family in tow - on the taxpayer dime.

"They" say the state will be reimbursed, but I don't think I'll hold my breath on that one.

<snip> Florida's little-known lieutenant governor, Jeff Kottkamp, billed taxpayers $425,000 for 365 flights on state planes during his first two years in office, the Sun Sentinel found.

Two-thirds of the flights involved getting Kottkamp to and from Fort Myers, where he and his wife own a $1.4 million house. State planes flew empty one-way 70 times to pick him up or drop him off in his hometown, flight records show.

Kottkamp's wife and toddler son flew for free on some two dozen trips, despite rules requiring them to pay. Those flights cost taxpayers $12,974.

In response to questions from the Sun Sentinel, the governor's office said Friday that Kottkamp would reimburse the state for his family's flights

<more at link> www.tcpalm.com/news/2009/feb/09/lt-gov-kottkamps-trips-home-are-costly-taxpayers/

[Tommy_Carcetti]

1. Ahh, Jeff Kottkamp.

The reason I'm praying Charlie Crist doesn't end up running for U.S. Senate.