Like so many other states, California is in the midst of a budget crisis. Tax revenues are down and expenses are out of control. The legislators in Sacramento are looking at just about everything in attempt to balance the books, even their state-owned cars.
According to the Los Angeles Times, one budget proposal seeks to cut the monthly allowance for car expenses which currently stands at $350. "California taxpayers have spent $3.2 million during the last three years buying the cars, covering gas expenses and paying to repair the vehicles when they break down or are damaged in accidents," the article says.
A breakdown of the 10 most expensive state-owned vehicles shows that most of them are hybrids. So in an attempt to appear "green", California's state legislators have stuck taxpayers with the bill for vehicles that cost between $45-$50K. Must be nice.
L.A. Times: 11th-hour votes on state budget fail
jeepsrt says:
09:46 AM, 07/ 1/09
WOW, I love visiting California but the government there is a joke, and I like how they are buying Lexus and Toyota, way to support the country and our automakers.
powell_jr says:
10:01 AM, 07/ 1/09
I could think of alot of way cooler cars for 45K than a highlander. That would probably be my last choice in the 45-55K range. Who cares if they are choosing un-American cars. They are enacting un-American policies so it all levels out.
stevefromatl says:
10:18 AM, 07/ 1/09
What is a Lexus LX 400 Hybrid?
subytrojan says:
10:24 AM, 07/ 1/09
^ LOL at Steve's comment!
Montebello is my neighboring city (I live in Monterey Park). It definitely is not what I would call an affluent city.
And Gil Cedillo signs are still posted throughout my city.
:|
:unamused:
ctpax says:
10:49 AM, 07/ 1/09
The constitution of California has been amended 511 times since the founding of the state. Compare that to the Constitution of the United States, which has only been amended 27 times while having been around for much longer. This should give you a picture of how incompetent our legislators are here in California. Friggin morons. But they surely always lobby their privilege to drive foreign built cars.
DISGUSTING.
clarkma5 says:
12:05 PM, 07/ 1/09
@jeepsrt: Actually the Toyota/GM joint venture (well, just Toyota now) NUMMI plant is the only car factory operating in California and it employs more than 5,000 people...granted, they only build Tacomas, Corollas, and, until August, Vibes there.
@ctpax: The fact that the California constitution is so easy to amend is almost certainly the biggest fundamental problem with our state. Also, these drag-out knock-down budget fights every year are the result of a 1978 vote (Prop 13) that requires 2/3rds legislature majority to vote through any budget, which is basically impossible.
throwback says:
01:25 PM, 07/ 1/09
Glad to see all those enviroment loving Dems in Cali are doing their part to save the planet.
estreka says:
03:55 PM, 07/ 1/09
^ Keep in mind that it's a Republican that runs the state.
subytrojan says:
04:52 PM, 07/ 1/09
He's not a "typical" Republican, however. He's the Governator. Hasta la vista, baby!
cwc1 says:
06:33 PM, 07/ 1/09
This is why an ever powerful and growing government is a bad idea - it always leads to more and more abuses by people who have no regard for the efforts of the people whose money they're squandering.
Although the U.S. Constitution was purposely made hard to amend, most of today's legislators don't even bother. They just pass laws that they want, whether or not they're constitutional, and "we, the people", don't challenge them. Instead, we reward them by sending them back so they can take even more from us.
Schwarzenegger is a liberal Republican, or a Republican In Name Only (RINO). He's not representative of the core, and fiscally conservative principles of the party.
DLu says:
08:42 AM, 07/ 2/09
LX 400 Hybrid? Same price as the RX 400h ... They seem as numerous as the Camry. How did they arrive at those prices? Highlander Hybrid for $46k - $48k?
Did they actually option out the stupid thing and calculate the price that way?