Governor's, Crew's Air Fare To Pike County Over $7,000

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Posted: 6:45 AM Jul 19, 2008
Last Updated: 6:47 AM Jul 19, 2008

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FRANKFORT, KY -- Gov. Steve Beshear took three planeloads of officials with him to Pike County on Thursday at a cost of more than $7,000 for the first stop in his six-week statewide tour of town-hall meetings, reports the Lexington Herald-Leader in its Saturday edition.

That came just days after Beshear suggested ways state workers could conserve on fuel when commuting.

The trip's cost immediately drew criticism from political opponents who pointed to the state's budget crunch that Beshear and lawmakers have bemoaned all year. The administration defended the flights, saying they saved officials' time, reports the Herald-Leader.

Beshear, joined by all but two of his Cabinet secretaries, presided over the meeting in the Eastern Kentucky town of Virgie to talk with constituents about issues and goals.

Three planes departed Frankfort's Capitol Airport between 4:09 p.m. and 4:44 p.m. Thursday bound for Pike County-Hatcher Field, according to data on the airplane tracking Web site FlightAware.com., reports the newspaper.

The governor and several aides traveled in Kentucky State Police's 11-seat Beechcraft King Air. More than a dozen others were split between another 11-seat King Air chartered from Air Lexington and an eight-seat Piper Navajo owned by the state's Transportation Cabinet.

The State Police King Air cost $1,320 for the 1.1 flight-hour round trip, said Lt. Phil Crumpton, state police spokesman. The agency just increased its rate July 10 from $925 per flight hour to $1,200 to keep pace with rising fuel costs, the newspaper reports.

Flying the state's Piper Navajo cost $1,294, while the bill for chartering the second King Air was $4,474, according to the governor's office.

That amounted to $7,088 for the three flights, not counting the cost of aides and state police shuttling the governor and Cabinet members to and from the airports and several other carloads of aides who drove three hours each way.

A 350-mile round trip between Frankfort and Virgie in a sport utility vehicle would cost about $100 worth of gasoline, reports the newspaper.

But Beshear's administration argued that flying to Pikeville ”saved 100 hours of work time, if not more“ for the governor and the 15 other officials who flew, reports the Lexington Herald-Leader.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: anne Location: harlan ky on Jul 23, 2008 at 04:22 AM
Why did it take 3 planes for the governor to meet with the people ? one plane would have sufficient..Come on quit wasting tax payers money...

Posted by: j Location: Corbin on Jul 22, 2008 at 12:28 PM
He can forget his reputation,this is a crazy man cutting us every way he can then spend money like this.I will not vote for this a--whole.He needs to cut his salary and those 3 plane loads of people by 8% to get more loose money in the state.Everyone of those people most likely make over 100,000 a year,the people he's hurting the most doesn't make 30-50,000a year.we have worked for a living so we don't get nothing but higher prices for everything.

Posted by: Debra Location: Pike County on Jul 22, 2008 at 10:36 AM
$7,000???????? Thats more than twice the yearly Pike County tax revenue. You know, we're all on welfare and don't pay taxes :)

Posted by: RIDIN' Location: DaTrail on Jul 22, 2008 at 09:12 AM
There should be an ATV trail that stretches from Frankfort to Pikeville. Then when the GOV. comes to town he will have something to talk about (ADVENTURE TOURSIM). He could tell us all about his adventures on the trail from Frankfort to Pikeville and all places in between.

Posted by: DEB Location: KY on Jul 22, 2008 at 06:47 AM
at least the GOV cared enough to acknowledge that we are here! Why dont you people start at thr top with the PREZ! How many trillions have we the people of the US paid, and how much are we still paying for a war that should never started or at the least (be over)! sO LETS NOT PICK ON THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVNT FORGOTTEN THAT WE ARE STILL LIVING IN THEESE UNITED STATES!

Posted by: upset Location: hazard on Jul 21, 2008 at 09:14 PM
Beshear is really putting our tax dollars to work for himself.

Posted by: Mom Location: KY on Jul 21, 2008 at 03:00 PM
Well, if they're SERIOUS about the concerns of KY, why do they have to start wasting money? There is no excuse for that $7,000 trip. We have other people who can tell him what we need, without him making trips to see. Well, ok, say he really is concerned and wants to meet people, let him go in a car, or even pay for the trip out of his pocket-he would stay in Frankfort!

Posted by: jason Location: jackson on Jul 21, 2008 at 11:17 AM
The governor is used to working at his lawyer firm. How many people does it take to cover-up for the man? Save a horse ride a plane. Help us all.

Posted by: grumpy on Jul 21, 2008 at 10:04 AM
why not bring them in a bus 700 hundred instead of a 7000 dollar plane

Posted by: Bill Location: Southeast Ky on Jul 21, 2008 at 08:56 AM
Why is the Governor even taking these trips. The campaign is over and we elect our State Reps. to go to Frankfort to discuss our needs. We don't need the governor wasting tax money to make these little public apperances.

Posted by: Morris Location: Lex on Jul 21, 2008 at 07:28 AM
Well I'll be darned, SPIKE finally learned how to get the caps lock off his computer. Hey Spike, if you supported Fletcher as much as you support this crook, people might take you seriously. You're as liberal as they get Spike; admit it.

Posted by: SPIKE LEE OF KY.BB Location: LEX,KY. on Jul 21, 2008 at 06:11 AM
I so look forward to the day that we seriously get behind this governor and stop whinning about this and that.I commend this administration for going out and meeting the people who hired him.I would love to see political opponents just shut it down and let this governor go on doing the state's business.As for his entourage and the cost,it just says to me that they are serious about the concerns of KY.and want to move this state forward.Unfortunately to do that it's gonna cost.No one had a problem with Fletcher taking a meaningless trip to another country when he was on his way out of office.Seriously,we need to be salivating over the things Beshear is trying to accomplish for this jewel state.Futher,I am impressed that Beshear is getting the entire administration involved,instead of them sitting behind their desks like the previous administration.Change your thoughts and you will change your world.

Posted by: pappy Location: hazard on Jul 21, 2008 at 04:40 AM
Well with me, I struggle with gas to get to work with gas prices so high, I'm glad the governor can spend in one day what takes me a year to scrap up? I don't understand this governor, 100 miles, he could have drove and seen the towns, not fly, another waste of tax payer money, mr. williams, why don't you investigate this incident?

Posted by: steve on Jul 20, 2008 at 05:03 PM
Yea all of you are forgetting its ok for the democrats to do this gees make me gag.

Posted by: Graduate Student Location: University of Kentucky on Jul 20, 2008 at 02:46 PM
Jan of Pikeville, I'm glad you got to see the Governor but how glad were you to see all of his staff? I'm questioning the need to fly at all the all so crucial town meetings, but for the 30 people or so with him? I along with other people from Kentucky are footing our own gas bill, let alone thousands that the Governor is throwing away. I won't even touch the budget issue as Joy from E. Ky did...I am seeing yet another hike in tuition (I've already given the state 6 years of college tuition with about 4 or 5 more to go). Way to waste yet some more money that we do not have.

Posted by: S S Minnow Location: Richmond on Jul 20, 2008 at 02:37 PM
Hear ye! Hear ye! His royal highness comes from afar to grant his awesome presence to the minions, the pee-ons and the lowly! What a joke! Like one plane load of malarkey wasn't enough, beady-eyed Beshear has to unload three planes of hooey on Eastern KY? While the tax paying citizens of KY are struggling to cover the cost of gas and food each week, Beshear and his cronies travel in style and live it up on our hard-earned nickel (my bad) our $7,000 . All for PR! What he is really trying to do is find a way to sell his casino gambling plan! We are not fooled, nor are we fools! Be on the watch, Kentucky citizens, Beshear has an agenda! Every hard-working, tax-paying citizen should rise up and let your voices be heard--we do not appreciate Beshear wasting tax dollars when the roads in KY are going to h*** in a hand basket. Wait! Maybe that is why he did not want to travel by car?

Posted by: Brian Location: Ashland on Jul 20, 2008 at 09:54 AM
Well, first things first, I did not vote for Gov. Idiot, BUT...the only real cash outlay was for the King Air chartered from Air Lexington. The cost for the state aircraft were "paper" in nature, as simply money extracted from the already set budget for the flight department. We really won't know how much was overspent if any until the end of the budget year. I will say it will be interesting to see what the figures will be when they become available. There is a certain amount air travel that is is inevitable by any head of state. I AM NOT condoning what this clown does, but I'm just saying that the end of the budget year will tell the story. Character, trust and integrity?? PLEASE!!!

Posted by: troy Location: estern ky on Jul 20, 2008 at 09:05 AM
who has the highest ranking's now Steve or Congress? let him buy the gas with his own money!! so he also can feel the pain!!anyone that can raise gas tax at a time like we have, nothing surprise's me!!!!

Posted by: Watcher Location: Everywhere on Jul 20, 2008 at 07:45 AM
He better enjoy while he can, because there is no way this man will be re-elected. Just like several others on here have said, he is making Ernie Fletcher look better and better every day. Just like the old saying goes, "Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it".

Posted by: Henry Location: Lexington on Jul 20, 2008 at 05:48 AM
This guy is starting to make Fletcher look like an alter boy

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 19, 2008 at 09:54 PM
you pay it then jan i do not want him spending my money!.

Posted by: Fred Location: Lexington on Jul 19, 2008 at 08:16 PM
I'm just glad the Democrats are in power now, so we can cut all of the government waste! Good job, Kentucky!

Posted by: grumpy on Jul 19, 2008 at 07:45 PM
thats ok the new gas tax paid for the trip

Posted by: kevin on Jul 19, 2008 at 06:53 PM
Gov. Beshears is full of hypocrisy. He certainly has proven that in his short tenure.

Posted by: d Location: pike on Jul 19, 2008 at 06:33 PM
Well dont do as I do, do as I say. Would anyone expect anything else. So a six week tour, at 7,000 a trip, that would pay some of the workers for a year. But I guess they were not late to get home before dinner, gotta keep that in mind.

Posted by: Jan Location: Pikeville on Jul 19, 2008 at 05:03 PM
It was great to see Governor Beshear in Pikeville on Thursday. This man has a lot of character, trust and integrity. I believe he will turn this state around and get it back on it's feet. So what if it cost 7,000 dollars to fly his staff in. I think it's well worth the taxpayers money. Everyone deserves a chance Let's stick together and give me a try....

Posted by: surprise surprise on Jul 19, 2008 at 04:08 PM
"Do as I say, not as I do."

Posted by: Mom Location: KY on Jul 19, 2008 at 10:21 AM
It seems strange to me that we need all the budget cuts, but yet there is money to waste like this. Is this what we can expect when they take all the other trips around the state? I don't see how they are saving 100 hours work time either. They must think we are stupid. They all should be ashamed for wasting taxpayer's money like this, when this state is in bad shape financially. They make our schools cut their budgets, and then have the nerve to try to make us think that such a waste of money by flying to Pike County is necessary. If it was so "necessary" then it should have come out of their own pockets-I bet they would have taken a car, now wouldn't they?

Posted by: Jerry Location: Lex on Jul 19, 2008 at 09:36 AM
The more I see from Beshear, the better Fletcher is starting to look.

Posted by: Joy Location: Eastern KY on Jul 19, 2008 at 09:16 AM
OUr education system is taking a beating and the Beshear spends $7ooo to take a short trip. That is just plain stupid and a waste of taxpayers money. If he wants to spend money like that, let him take it out of his salary. A lot of people put Fletcher down but this is just crazy when the state is suppose to be in financial trouble. Maybe we should have someone else running the state.

Posted by: Wondering...... Location: Wellington on Jul 19, 2008 at 09:02 AM
I'm wondering why there has to be three plane loads of people on these "town hall meeting" excursions? Why should this be allowed to go on when fuel prices are high and, by the way, it's us tax-payers who are footing the bill for all of this. If these "town hall meetings" are going to cost us this much.....scrap this idea. Thought there was a lack of money in Frankfort. Please, do us all a favor and stay home. That's what a lot of us are doing more often these days. It's cheaper!!

Posted by: jeff Location: salyersville on Jul 19, 2008 at 07:10 AM
what a crock!! let them drive to pike county so that they can see how bad the mountain parkway really is !! beshear talks out of both sides of his mouth. he and dr. charles hardin are no good for our county, rampant voter fraud, good ol' boy politics, corruption, it's no wonder that this state is in the hole $900 million dollars. i think we should bring the feds into frankfort and clean out the corruption that has stagnated our state for far too long. we'd be better off if they just dissolved the whole place and let some of the surrounding states take over, like west virginia or ohio.

Posted by: wasteful Location: neverland on Jul 19, 2008 at 07:06 AM
This should not happen on my dine. It's fine for him and his wife to fly into Pikeville, but not everybody and their grandmother. Shame on you!!!!

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