Christie steps up...

[prospero63]

Under fire, Chris Christie will reimburse state for use of police helicopter - latimes.com

"Though the superintendent of the State Police noted yesterday the travel does not cost taxpayers additional dollars, the governor understands the sensitivity about this kind of thing and believes he owes it to the public to ensure that this is not a distraction," Drewniak said.

Good for him. I think the whole thing was making a mountain out of a mole hill, but the easiest way to end the discussion is to simply reimburse the state and move on.

[MrPeabody]

Originally Posted by prospero63

Under fire, Chris Christie will reimburse state for use of police helicopter - latimes.com



Good for him. I think the whole thing was making a mountain out of a mole hill, but the easiest way to end the discussion is to simply reimburse the state and move on.

But since it "didn't cost anything", what is he going to do, write the state a check for $0?

[Broken Wind]

Meanwhile, another 20 limos were leased by the idiot-in-chief.

[ChasC5]

Originally Posted by Broken Wind

Meanwhile, another 20 limos were leased by the idiot-in-chief.

:

Wished they were Vettes

[ChasC5]

Originally Posted by prospero63

Under fire, Chris Christie will reimburse state for use of police helicopter - latimes.com



Good for him. I think the whole thing was making a mountain out of a mole hill, but the easiest way to end the discussion is to simply reimburse the state and move on.

Don't you Love it when people "Step-Up" ... after they have been busted.

But if you-know-who did that, there would be your Mountain.

[ChasC5]

Call it “Sanctimonious One,” the taxpayer-funded helicopter, which Gov. Chris Christie didn’t hesitate to use at our expense for a joyride (or several).

While everyone else, by the governor’s decree, must tighten belts and do without things — like health care for women and tax rebates for seniors, for example — Christie thought it was okay for taxpayers to cough up a grand or two so he could take the flying limousine to a ballfield.

On Tuesday, New Jersey’s whirlybird-in-chief took a State Police helicopter to (and from) his son’s high school baseball game in Montvale. The kid plays for Delbarton, a mega-expensive prep school.

Maybe the governor is tapped out by the hefty tuition. Maybe the tax break he gave himself (by protecting it with his veto) isn’t enough, so he has to travel on our dime to personal events.

Sorry, but it’s inappropriate. (Even when he’s playing Dad.) He should reimburse the state. Every penny. For every time he has used a state helicopter for personal reasons.
And Christie must come clean and reveal the reasons for each of his 35 helicopter trips.

Maybe taxpayers should start their own lobbying group: Repay Jersey Now.

State Police Superintendent Rick Fuentes insists the flights don’t cost the taxpayers anything because the pilots are training. That doesn’t wash. Christie is still using taxpayer assets for personal use. (Two additional thoughts: There are untrained pilots flying the governor? What’s next, driver’s ed students in the governor’s SUV?)

The Montvale police and fire departments and St. Joseph High School were notified last Friday of the governor’s plans, according to the police chief. The town had to have fire personnel on hand (volunteers, officials said), and supplied police officers (a lieutenant, sergeant and patrolman). Whew, it’s a good thing a cut in state aid didn’t force police layoffs in Montvale.

Democrats have jumped on this. Betrayed conservatives, too. But state Republicans have been quiet. We called Sen. Joseph Kyrillos (R-Monmouth) — though he didn’t immediately respond — because Kyrillos once said this when another governor abused helicopter use:

“The governor has his hands caught in the cookie jar. These are trips that never should have been billed to the taxpayer.”

The governor was James E. McGreevey, a Democrat, who repaid the state. Christie should do the same.

Here’s the clincher: Christie used a state car to ferry him the 100 yards to and from the helicopter.

Now we know why he can’t imagine what it’s like to walk a mile in the shoes of regular New Jerseyans: He doesn’t even walk 100 yards in his own.

Christie should pay for chopper ride to ballgame | NJ.com

[Sea Six]

Originally Posted by Broken Wind

Meanwhile, another 20 limos were leased by the idiot-in-chief.

I wonder how much THAT cost??!

[ChasC5]

Originally Posted by Sea Six

I wonder how much THAT cost??!

I have a buddy who owns a Limo service and has done quite well even in this economic times.


A new Lincoln Federal Silverstone 120" limousine, which has a 4.6 liter V8 engine with automatic transmission will come in around $75,000. A new Hummer H2 limousine might run between $165,000 to $220,000. A 2007 BMW Stretch limousine, which is styled on the BMW 745i and includes a fax, not one but two phones, a laptop computer and a satellite receiver set for Internet access, will cost around $344,600 dollars. You will be happy to know that you get to select the color. At the outer limits, a 2007 Rolls-Royce Phantom Stretch limousine will take you for a whopping $1 million to $1.2 million.

This does not include the cost and management of drivers and maintenance of the cars. But he said, if you take care of the cars, and keep maintenance cost down, you can make-up the cost of the cars is a few years if you're in a large metropolitan area.

[Sea Six]

Originally Posted by MrPeabody

But since it "didn't cost anything", what is he going to do, write the state a check for $0?

I'm having a hard time coming to grips with this question myself.

[ChasC5]

Originally Posted by MrPeabody

But since it "didn't cost anything", what is he going to do, write the state a check for $0?

So whenever you start you Vehicle ... it's free?

[MrPeabody]

Originally Posted by Sea Six

I'm having a hard time coming to grips with this question myself.

Originally Posted by ChasC5

So whenever you start you Vehicle ... it's free?

Sorry, my bad. It was posted on that other PR&C, not here.

Col. Rick Fuentes, police superintendant of NJ issued a statement on 6/1 that there was no cost to the taxpayers for the flight because the pilots and the helicopter would have been flying anyway to log training time. RRVett posted it over there. He posted the whole statement, but not a link.

Guess that one didn't fly.

[Sea Six]

Originally Posted by MrPeabody

Sorry, my bad. It was posted on that other PR&C, not here.

Col. Rick Fuentes, police superintendant of NJ issued a statement on 6/1 that there was no cost to the taxpayers for the flight because the pilots and the helicopter would have been flying anyway to log training time. RRVett posted it over there. He posted the whole statement, but not a link.

Guess that one didn't fly.

Oh, ok. Well, still... the pilots were not able to divert to any LE calls for service / support with the NJ .Gov on board.

Besides, it's still a misuse of government assets. This was strictly for personal gain, nothing more.

Guilty as insinuated. Pay the clerk on the way out.

Next case.

[ChasC5]

Originally Posted by Sea Six

Oh, ok. Well, still... the pilots were not able to divert to any LE calls for service / support with the NJ .Gov on board.

Besides, it's still a misuse of government assets. This was strictly for personal gain, nothing more.

Guilty as insinuated. Pay the clerk on the way out.

Next case.

Naa let beat in the ground for a year or two.