Posted on 08/12/2006 10:01:16 AM PDT by Theodore R.
Governor's spending lavish
By Kevin Wingert rep3@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle
CHEYENNE - The chairman of the Wyoming Republican Party leveled a charge Friday that Democratic Gov. Dave Freudenthal is living a "high-rolling lifestyle" at the expense of the residents of Wyoming.
"We knew from his budget proposals that the governor was a big spender, but what we found he spends on VIP treatment of himself is unconscionable to Wyoming citizens," Drake Hill said in a release about the Democratic governor, who currently is running for re-election.
"Who else do you know that has a $50,000 lawn ornament?"
Hill produced documents that he says show the governor and first lady Nancy Freudenthal's largesse.
The documents were gained as part of a wide-ranging public records request of state government that Hill made on June 9.
He gave the following examples:
• $95,836 to pay for art, furnishings and computer equipment in the Governor's Residence.
• $50,000 to buy outdoor artwork at the Governor's Residence (included in the $95,836).
• $10,000 to replace chipped china and crystal at the Governor's Residence.
• $157,350 to remodel one of the planes in the state's fleet, including a bathroom facility costing $13,500.
Responded Freudenthal, "First of all, Drake's a little confused in that the (governor's) residence actually belongs to the citizens of the state."
He said the monies requested all went to work on the public portion of the Governor's Residence, not the private section that he and his wife reside in.
"All of this is stuff that is properly appropriated for and approved by the Legislature," Freudenthal said. "I might point out at least two-thirds of those legislators are Republican."
He said the changes to the residence are part of an ongoing process to improve and upkeep the mansion, which has not had substantial work done on it since the residence opened in 1976.
The Governor's Residence is used to host dignitaries and visitors as well as public functions and legislative dinners.
"The argument really is: What kind of statement do you want to make on both the public and private side of what is a public building?" Freudenthal said.
Past president of the Senate April Brimmer Kunz said the state must maintain and upkeep the Governor's Residence.
"It is important to keep the Governor's Residence updated within reason," Brimmer Kunz said. "The entertaining that goes on there on behalf of the state of Wyoming is important."
She said she couldn't speak to how much money had been appropriated for maintenance in the past couple years but added, "There was remodeling that was authorized when I was in the Legislature."
Nancy Freudenthal said the $50,000 request for outdoor artwork was a collaborative effort with the Wyoming Arts Council to put on a juried art competition and celebrate Wyoming arts.
That request had been approved lawmakers, she added.
"I've been a supporter of Wyoming art and artists since I became the first lady of Wyoming," Nancy Freudenthal said.
She said there is nothing that directs visitors to the public entrance to the residence.
"A sculpture would not only be nice to showcase Wyoming artists," she said. "It would be a good piece to mark the public entrance."
She said the remainder of the $95,836 was appropriated for work on two guest bedrooms in the public portion of the residence.
Currently, in one bedroom there is no chair or place to sit.
"The rooms are very small, and the bathrooms are quite outdated," the first lady said.
She added that several items in the rooms are scheduled to be returned to the Historic Governor's Mansion.
Neither room has the amenities that visiting dignitaries might expect, she added, such as Internet service, chairs or even a television. She said the residence has visitors most often around Cheyenne Frontier Days.
No one in the governor's family ever used the rooms, she said.
"We have our own part of the state's residence," Nancy Freudenthal added. "These are all for the benefit of guests, whether they're guests for dinner or overnight."
As for the china, the first lady said, that was an initiative from the wives of legislators.
The Governor's Residence regularly hosts dinners for all the legislators. There was not enough state china to serve all the guests.
"I actually heard about (the push to replace the china) the first time when I was in my car listening to National Public Radio," Nancy Freudenthal said. "(Rep.) Colin Simpson was talking about how the Governor's Residence needed new china and crystal."
Rather than buy a brand new set, an effort was made to acquire china that resembled the existing state china, she added.
"To buy an all-new set would have been extraordinarily expensive," she said. "The (state) china is very special. I didn't want to retire it."
As to the renovations to the state plane, the governor said he was not intimately involved in the decisions regarding it.
"With all due respect, they're just not decisions that reach me," he added.
Hill sent a letter addressing his concerns on the plane and other state flight issues to the Wyoming Aeronautics Commission.
But the plane in question is used by the Wyoming Department of Transportation for photographing the state's highway system to help with maintenance issues, said John Cox, the director of WYDOT.
The department has been conducting such flights for more than 30 years, he said.
He added that there was a reason the plane required $157,350 in interior work.
"When that plane was purchased by WYDOT, it didn't have anything in the interior," Cox said.
The process to have it furbished by a second company substantially was cheaper than having it outfitted by the originating factory, he added.
Cox said the plane never would be used by the governor or first lady as it is a single-engine plane. The department is planning to use it for the next 20 years before having to replace it, he added.
"There are a number of inaccuracies in the letter; there are factual errors," said Cox, adding that WYDOT would be responding to those early next week.
"I would stand by (my) stewardship any time," he said.
Hill said the people of Wyoming are being taken advantage of by the governor and his people.
"Wyoming citizens deserve to know they are being taken for a ride by Gov. Dave Freudenthal and his administration," Hill said in the release. "Wyoming citizens work hard for their money, and they don't have the luxury of spending those dollars they have paid in taxes.
"The governor does though, and he's flying high on the backs of taxpayers."
Freudenthal said this latest salvo is more of Hill's "venom toward me and my wife."
"I think people see this for what it is," he said. "This is an angry man with a letter probably written by his hired guns from out of state."
Hill, though, promised in his release that these are just the preliminary findings resulting from the Republican Party's audit of the governor's administration.
I thought Wyoming was strong Republican except for the ever growing enclave of millionaires in Jackson.
Once these folks are in office they come to believe they are some kind of gods. It's unbelievable what goes on.
Isn't the SW corner about Rock Springs also Democrat, or was that so in past decades? WY has often elected Democrat governors since the 1970s.
I guess the governor won't mind if a bunch of Steeler fans drop by to watch the game today on the "Peoples" big screen then.
Haven't these people ever heard of Corelle dinner ware? Service for four is 20 bucks at Wal-Mart. Get plain white and there won't be a problem replacing it if the housemaids break it.
Does pate' and fillet mignon taste different on china?
Unfortunately, I seem to recall demoncrazies criticizing Nancy Reagan when she became First Lady because of the lack of a coordinated china set. Apparently, many pieces were chipped. She ordered new china and MSM and demoncrazies gripped publicly.
New china (dishes)- Pic N Save $100.00 max
New TV's - Walmart (plasmas) $1500.00 max
New chair - Furniture Outlet $500.00 max
Dang I could save these people a ton of money!
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