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Bonner, Romaine Call For End To Free Car Perk For Town Employees

Proposed legislation would save an estimated $325,000;
reduce taxpayer-funded fleet by 10%

04/12/2008

BROOKHAVEN, NY - Brookhaven Town Board members Jane Bonner and Keith Romaine have introduced legislation to eliminate take-home car perks for town employees, resulting in an estimated savings of nearly $325,000. The reform measure, introduced by the board members at Tuesday’s Town Board work session, would immediately eliminate 45 taxpayer-funded vehicles, approximately 10 percent of the town fleet.

“We’re leading by example, doing more with less, to make sure that every taxpayer dollar is well spent,” said Councilwoman Bonner. “This reform legislation creates an immediate savings without incurring tens of thousands of dollars in costs for software, computer hardware, consultants and studies.”

“Town vehicles should only be used for town business, period. No town management or administrative employee should be given a free car or SUV to use how they want and when they want,” said Councilman Romaine. “No one – whether a commissioner, a deputy commissioner, division head or staff aide – should be given a vehicle unless it is an absolute necessary requirement of an individual’s daily duties.

“Currently, the town doles out tax-payer financed cars to numerous management employees at town hall – most of whom do not require a vehicle to perform their duties. They get the cars simply as a fringe benefit on the tax-payer’s dollar,” Councilman Romaine explained. “Along with these cars, taxpayers are also footing the bill for unlimited amounts of gasoline, maintenance, repairs and the required insurance. Brookhaven taxpayers should not have to bare the burden of these costs any longer.”

“There is no way to justify the perk of a free vehicle for public employees use to commute to and from work, when so many of our taxpayers are struggling to pay their mortgages and provide for their families,” said Councilwoman Bonner. “This is common sense legislation that can be put into effect immediately, saving our taxpayers money from day one.”

Romaine and Bonner, who were both elected to office in November of 2007, have refused to accept town vehicles for themselves, and have used their personal cars for their official business. Under their proposed legislation, all commissioners, deputy commissioners, division heads and administrative staff would follow suit, giving up their take-home cars. Brookhaven would maintain a fleet of vehicles for town business use during working hours for authorized employees.

The Bonner-Romaine initiative allows the town to better allocate vehicle resources to the departments that need them most to serve the taxpayers, and initiate a phase-out of older, more expensive cars in Brookhaven’s inventory. These excess vehicles will be sold at auction, further benefiting taxpayers.

Over the past two years, more than a half-million miles were traveled in town vehicles by employees for personal reasons, according to the former Finance Department estimates. Councilmember’s Bonner and Romaine emphasized that reforms like this are long overdue, and need to be put in place immediately. We don’t need more studies, or new policies and procedures, or to spend thousands more on untried systems. We need common-sense action now, and enforcement of existing policies and procedures. We need results, not more rhetoric.

According to the Department of Finance, the Town currently spends $3,250,000 per year in total vehicle maintenance and insurance on Brookhaven’s 450 vehicles.

This resolution does not include vehicles within the Brookhaven Town Highway Department, which operate under the supervision of Superintendent of Highway John Rouse.