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**Don't Look a Gift Truck in the Grill**:

A committee of Delaware police chiefs found themselves in a tough
situation last August when they were told that they had only one day to
spend \$400,000 leftover from Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
grants or the money would be given to another state's anti-terrorism
efforts. Undaunted by the challenge, and apparently undeterred by the
fact that the state had already spent \$10 million in federal grants for
emergency vehicles in the past five years, the committee quickly decided
to spend the money on brand new SUVs. Although a spokeswoman for DHS
stated that "our grant programs do not permit purchases of vehicles for
daily routine patrol," there seemed to be some confusion among the
officers as to the purpose of the new trucks. One sergeant, whose
department was given a new Ford Expedition, gave his theory on what the
vehicle would be used for, saying, "I know it\'s going to be used in the
patrol function and as a command center." ("[Rather than let grants
expire, police chiefs buy
vehicles](http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070507/DW01/70507022/1002/NEWS01),"
The Salisbury Daily Times, May 7, 2007)\
\
**You Wouldn't Believe What They Charge for Stenographers**:\
The U.S. Department of Transportation is dolling out \$2.1 million per
year to a consulting firm that charges \$102,000 annually to provide a
typist-clerk for the Rhode Island DOT. The firm, which was charged with
staffing the Rhode Island DOT offices that monitor the state's 85
automated traffic cameras and provide radio updates, paid the typist
38,000 annually and took the additional \$65,000 to cover "overhead."
The state agreed to a little publicized four year, \$8.4 million deal
with the firm to staff 36 positions in 2004. Since then, the federal
government has been picking up 80% of the \$2.6 million annual cost of
the arrangement. ("[\$102,858 for a typist with
DOT](http://www.projo.com/news/stategovernment/content/DOT_Employees_05-09-07_BN5IM6Q.35f046d.html)?,"
The Providence Journal, May 9, 2007)

**Reading, Writing, and Eurhythmics**:\
Three Michigan lawmakers recently pushed a plan to give an iPod to every
student in the state. The \$36 million proposal was launched after the
representatives took an all expense paid trip to Apple headquarters in
California. Despite the fact that Michigan is facing a \$1 billion
budget deficit and has the second worst economy in the country (only
post-Katrina Louisiana is worse), many politicians felt that the state
needed to spend more on technology in the classroom. As Democratic House
Speaker Andy Dillon put it, "it would be irresponsible to separate
technology from our K-12 system." ("[Lawmakers pushing iPods flew on
Apple\'s
dime](http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070411/NEWS06/704110305/0/COL04),"
Detroit Free Press, April 11, 2005)

**Paying Taxes -- A Bummer Even if You Live Off of Them**:\
According to a Washington Post report, more 450,000 of the nation's 9
million federal employees and retirees owe the IRS \$3 billion in unpaid
taxes. Even though the IRS told the Post that they have never formed an
estimate of what percentage of the general public is delinquent in tax
payments, the agency released a prepared statement saying, "federal
employees and retirees traditionally have a higher rate of tax
compliance than the general public." In related news, FedSmith.com, an
online news and resource hub for current and former federal employees,
conducted an unscientific poll on their website asking readers if
Americans get a good return on their tax dollars. The results -- only
15% of those who answered said "yes." 79% disagreed. Perhaps that's why
federal employees don't like paying taxes? ("[Federal Workers Owe
Billions in Back
Taxes](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/25/AR2007042502820.html),"
The Washington Post, April 26, 2007. "[From Inside Government: Do
Taxpayers Get a Good Return on Their Tax
Dollars?](http://www.fedsmith.com/articles/articles.showarticle.db.php?intArticleID=1233)"
FedSmith.com, April 27, 2007.)

[RSC Staff Contact]{.underline}: Andy Koenig;
[**andy.koenig@mail.house.gov**](mailto:andy.koenig@mail.house.gov);
202-226-9717