Nice.... You know, I just read an article about the Education Chief who spent over 10K on vehicle upgrades....and didn't really give a rat's patootie that it was inappropriate and that it would look bad, etc. and so on. I also read comments on that article, several of which referred to state workers and their fat, lazy a$$es, how those state workers are always stealing taxes and other such drivel. And now I read this. In case you can't tell by the tone, I am a state worker. I don't expect, and certainly don't get, any kind of kickbacks, nor do I run around with a sense of entitlement. For those of you who don't work in state government, the benefits aren't as great as everyone thinks they are, and the pay is much less than one could get in the private sector. Neary everyone I know who works for the state does so becuase they feel a need to help others, whether it is environmental work, social work, or other aspects of the needed state infrastructure. The other portion works for state government soley becuase of the flexibilty of hours, because they have families and/or are single parents. I also know that the majority, myself included, have second jobs. We're struggling in this economy just as much as anyone else, and sometimes more so, because comparable outside-industry jobs are better paying and usually do have better benefits, when it comes to health and dental insurance. SO, if this is a reaction to the fivolous nature of the higher ups in ky government, let me remind you that most of them are in the good-ol-boy network and politicians; not your regular, average joe making less than they can afford in this economy of rising food costs and cripling fuel prices. If you want to go after corruption and misuse of state funds within state goverment, start looking to the people who actually have the power and ability to BE corrupt and abusive...those on a higher level than us folks who have to tool around in broken down, high-mileage clunkers w/ a little state seal attached to the door. Call for a finaincial audit of appointed offices. An independent audit. You'd get more out of than than some watchdog group with a bunch of uninformed vigialantes taking pictures with their cell phones.

Mark, why are you warning these people? The same ones who use state cars for personal use are the ones who surf the net at work all day. I thought state vehicles had a seal on them that says for official use only? If you were a journalist, you would see the many abuses that are going on in this area. Take a look around Frankfort . You will see state cars in school drop-off and pick up lines, in the parking lots of wal-mart, lowe's, kroger and other stores (during the day, at night and on weekends) and then sitting in people's driveways at night. Why don't you investigate that! How much $4 dollar a gallon gas am I paying for so someone can run errands and go shopping? Check fleet management records. Check with the individual agencies and cabinets regarding assigned vehicles and their policies. Check with the governor's office on their policy and who in his office gets a car. Compare the numbers to the previous administration. I think you will finally find a promise beshear is keeping-- to take care of our own--his own cronies and certain career employees who are once again sucking money out of the system. All of this probably doesn't matter to you. As a taxpayer, it matters to me.

Mark,
Do you still have the video of the story you did on state vehicles last year?

As a state worker who used to travel the state, I need to speak up. Yes, there are abuses where travel is concerned, but just because a state car is parked at Wal-mart doesn't mean they are abusing tax dollars. Need I remind the public that state workers do get a lunch break and if someone is in another town with a state vehicle, then they have no choice but to drive that state car during their lunch hour. Same thing after hours. If I was in Paducah overnight, it was a little hard not to drive the state car after hours to go to dinner, shop, whatever. Now if a state car is parked at a bar at night, then that is a problem. The public must remember not all state employees and state vehicles are from Frankfort.