Mississippi’s elected officials will have one fewer taxpayer-funded aircraft to use if a bill calling for the state’s Cessna Citation jet to be sold by competitive bids, public auction or on e-Bay survives the 2009 regular session.
House Appropriations Committee Chairman Johnny Stringer said his committee will consider the measure today.
Supporters of House Bill 1065 say selling the jet could provide the state much-needed revenue as lawmakers try to balance the budget.
Stringer, D-Montrose, said the plane is valued at $3.7 million and costs $1,900 per hour to use. He said the state owes $500,000 on the jet, obtained through a lease-purchase agreement.
State plane logs, obtained by The Clarion-Ledger through public records requests, show that mostly statewide elected officials use the aircraft to travel around Mississippi and the rest of the country.
Magnolia Tribune
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