Mississippi to sell Governor's Jet

Mike H

Mike H

Well-Known Member
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2010...s-barbour-apos-s-jet-mississippi_7327766.html

JACKSON, Miss. -- The Mississippi House voted 66-54 Wednesday to sell the state jet that Gov. Haley Barbour uses, but the effort is expected to be grounded by the governor's allies in the Senate, as it was last year.
House Appropriations Chairman Johnny Stringer, D-Montrose, said the Cessna Citation is worth $2.7 million, down from about $3.5 million a year ago. The state still owes about $400,000 on the aircraft it acquired used through a lease-purchase agreement in 2004, so Stringer said a sale could bring the cash-strapped state about $2.3 million.
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At least our governor gets to keep his* King Air... for now




* the State Patrol's
 
Got to love that article. They reference the Highway Patrol's King Air and then refer to it as a jet.

Stringer said the Mississippi Highway Patrol has a Beechcraft King Air, which would not have to be sold.

The state Department of Finance and Administration oversees the two jets.
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Also, we've had airplanes for the executive branch for a long time. The Democrats in the House didn't seem to complain when the Democrat governor was using the plane...
 
Bad idea...

The only reason they want to get rid of it is to help fund the car tag registration cost reduction. If paying a few more dollars each year on my tag (already pay a special plate fee) is what it takes to keep that airplane for the Governor, then I am perfectly okay with it.

Seems people forgot all the trips that he made in it post Katrina trying to secure hurricane relief from Washington when it seemed New Orleans was getting all of the attention.

Hate to turn this into a political argument, but Barbour isn't exactly liked by the Democrats in the state. Democrats control the House and this is where this measure has started the last couple of years. Wonder if they would be pushing for this as much if Mississippi had a Democrat in the Governors Mansion?
 
Interestingly, I know Stringer's son because he's my former classmate and is now a captain at Expressjet. He secured a budget for new training aircraft for the university some years back. It won't be a big deal to get rid of the citation. Barbour can use DSU's king air if he needs to get around which is owned by the state anyways. I'm sure that MSU has state owned aircraft also. :dunno:

Misssissippi could consolidate the use of things like that. The state wouldn't be in as bad as shape as it is if he would have taken some more of that stimulus money. He tried to play tough and the people of Mississippi are paying for it.
 
There is also the MSHP King Air as well...


If I recall correctly, the aircraft at MSU are not owned by the state.
 
You're probably right. I know that DSU's plane is owned by the state. I've also seen Senators being flown around in the ANG's blackhawks before. I was pretty envious of that Senator actually.:D
 
Why not sell it and get a more fuel efficient aircraft for short hops? It's not like Mississippi is the size of Texas or anything?

As for pointing the finger at the Dems and saying they were fine with it when there was a Democratic governor.....the economy was a bit different 6 years ago. I don't wanna see ANY more fees on car tags. Sorry, but they're already insanely out of control. I won't buy anything newer than about 04 in this state because I'll get raped on the car tag fees.

Kelvin, I don't think Barbour took the stimulus money because he's likely positioning for a presidential run here in a bit. He's one of the RNC's golden boys and a former chair. I could see it happening, but based on his stances on issues and how he's run Mississippi, I won't be voting for him.
 
kellwolf said:
Why not sell it and get a more fuel efficient aircraft for short hops? It's not like Mississippi is the size of Texas or anything?

As for pointing the finger at the Dems and saying they were fine with it when there was a Democratic governor.....the economy was a bit different 6 years ago. I don't wanna see ANY more fees on car tags. Sorry, but they're already insanely out of control. I won't buy anything newer than about 04 in this state because I'll get raped on the car tag fees.

Kelvin, I don't think Barbour took the stimulus money because he's likely positioning for a presidential run here in a bit. He's one of the RNC's golden boys and a former chair. I could see it happening, but based on his stances on issues and how he's run Mississippi, I won't be voting for him.
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I won't blame Barbour for the misfortunes of Mississippi. It's been dead last in a lot of things for many years, but he has certainly not done much to improve the state. He promised to raise teacher's pay during his election but he actually cut teacher's pay when he got into office. So Mississippi already is right at the bottom as far as education is concerned and is doing nothing to attract the best a brightest out of Mississippi to the education profession. Teachers in Mississippi only make slightly above first year regional airline pay and put up with tons more than a regional fo could ever imagine.

I always tease my friends by telling them I jumped ship before the whole thing went down, but there is a small bit of truth in it.:)
 
KLB said:
This was a while back, but what I recall.

http://current.com/items/89965344_w...-benefits-for-thousands-of-mississippians.htm
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Yes, but even that is hardly turning down all the stimulus money. The unemployment money was only 1.9% of the total money available to Mississippi and with current state law, only $4 million of the $54 million was available anyway.

Also, it hamstrung the state in two years when the stimulus money ran out. We would have had to keep funding it but without the feds chipping in.

I don't think Barbour is a wonderful god-like governor, but the handling of the stimulus WAS what was best for the state long term.
 
KLB said:
I won't blame Barbour for the misfortunes of Mississippi. It's been dead last in a lot of things for many years, but he has certainly not done much to improve the state. He promised to raise teacher's pay during his election but he actually cut teacher's pay when he got into office. So Mississippi already is right at the bottom as far as education is concerned and is doing nothing to attract the best a brightest out of Mississippi to the education profession. Teachers in Mississippi only make slightly above first year regional airline pay and put up with tons more than a regional fo could ever imagine.

I always tease my friends by telling them I jumped ship before the whole thing went down, but there is a small bit of truth in it.:)
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Yeah, don't get me wrong. I don't blame him for Mississippi's woes. But, like you said, I don't think he's done the best he could to improve things for the state. He also plays party politics a little too much for my taste. I'd like to have someone (Dem, Rep, Whig, doesn't matter) that doesn't care what team they play for or who the other people play for.
 
A state that can't properly pave it's roads probably should just rent a jet when the need arises.
 
"The state Department of Finance and Administration oversees the two jets. A manual posted on the DFA Web site says any state agency that is not part of the executive branch is billed $1,600 per flight hour for using either of the planes."

A deal on the Citation, but a rip off on the KA.

Doesn't MSU have 3 or 4 Beechjets?
 
esa17 said:
A state that can't properly pave it's roads probably should just rent a jet when the need arises.
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Don't know what you're referring to, but I've driven most of the country, and Mississippi has GREAT roads compared to most states.
 
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