Airplane concerns stall Mo. cabinet nominee

Thursday, January 24, 2013

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Gov. Jay Nixon’s nominee for a top administration post is stalled in Missouri’s Senate over the purchase of a $5.6 million state plane.

Doug Nelson’s appointment as commissioner of administration was held up Thursday while senators look into the Highway Patrol’s purchase of a new King Air 250 plane.

Nelson, a longtime Nixon aide, approved the plane’s purchase in December as acting administration commissioner, a post he’s held since February 2012. He needs the Senate to confirm his nomination by Feb. 7 to stay in office.

Columbia Republican Sen. Kurt Schaefer sponsored Nelson’s appointment but held it up while he and other Republicans look into the plane’s purchase. He said lawmakers should have been consulted before buying the plane.

The commissioner of administration oversees state purchases and manages contracts.

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MO4LIFE 3 months, 3 weeks ago

If Highway patrol had money in the coffers to buy the plane what is the dang Problem.

asb 3 months, 3 weeks ago

That money could have been better used for equipment, trainiing, troopers, etc. The plane is a perk. Planes should either have direct functions unique to an agency, or be bought by the Office of Administration for all-agency use. I haven't, and the pols under the dome want to hear, the rationale and specific function(s) to be met by such a capable aircraft. Good reasons? Good on ya'!

JCLifer 3 months, 3 weeks ago

Paying employees a mere 26 cents a mile to drive their own cars for state business seems a little tacky when the governor has a brand new 6 million dollar plane at his disposal. You would think the state could at least pay its employees the 55 cents a mile that the federal government pays its employees.

Can you say Disproportionality?

gettingthere 3 months, 3 weeks ago

I am not blindly supporting this decision, but as a DPS employee, I know first hand that when the Governor travels, he does so in MSHP vehicles and aircraft. Just as the President travels in Secret Service vehicles or Air Force/Marine aircraft. The current King Air is not new. I have sat in it, I'm 6'4" and believe me it is not comfortable for people of a certain size.

I would think being budget mindful, certain people should have reviewed the used market, but that obviously is not OUR decision, it was approved by OA, and presumably the someone from the Governors office new about it.

If you really want to be critical of the new plane, be critical of the need for the numerous trips the Governor and his security detail take.

When was the last major purchase the Patrol made on Aircraft? How much was it? New or Used?

beetlejuice 3 months, 3 weeks ago

03-2012 According to census data, Missouri's state employees rank 50th in the nation for wages. According to the Office of Administration, as of the end of last year, Missouri had nearly 52,000 state employees.

BUT the Governor "WANTS" a "brand new" King Air, so HE gets it (call it the Highway Patrol's since they are paying for it, but we ALL know whose plane it really is, now don't we?) State peons get nothing and taxpayers get the shaft AGAIN.

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