Five years after Texas leaders tried to disband the state's airplane fleet, officials still call on the service to fly them to meetings, award ceremonies, funerals and even a neighboring GOP governor's inauguration.
Office-holders and bureaucrats, including Gov. Rick Perry, say they look at cost and efficiency before deciding whether to use the aircraft, which range from $258.75 to $977.50 per flight-hour.
But some question the fleet, since bills are often footed by taxpayers and commercial airfare may be cheaper.
"It sure does raise the eyebrows and make the nose crinkle a bit," said Michael Quinn Sullivan of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility. "Between two really good Texas-based airlines, there's any number of options to get from anywhere to anywhere by air pretty quickly."Three state senators flew state planes during the six-month period examined: Sens. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio, Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock, and Kip Averitt, R-Waco. Uresti racked up the largest bill of the three at $13,009 for trips to Marfa, Del Rio, Eagle Pass and Laredo.
"I have the largest senatorial district, geographically, not only in Texas but in the United States — 55,000 square miles," Uresti said. He said he is "very selective" in using state aircraft, but sometimes must make several stops in hard-to-reach places.
"There's no easy way to get to Marfa," he said. "My constituents in Alpine, in Del Rio, in Fort Stockton, they want their state senator at their town hall meetings. It's there for that use. I don't abuse it."
Okay. But Kip Averitt's district is the WACO area!
