Perry, High Living on Our Money

I stole this wholesale but I got permission first.

Editorial: Campaign Money Should Pay for Perry’s New Pad

by: Phillip Martin

You know it’s hard out here for a pimp (you ain’t knowin)
When he tryin to get this money for the rent (you ain’t knowin)…
–from the song “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” by Three 6 Mafia

The Governor of Texas is required to live in Austin. That’s the law.

The Governor’s Mansion is a large, well-secured building adjacent to the Texas Capitol in downtown Austin. That’s necessary — I want any Governor to be close to the center of government.

The Governor’s Mansion is undergoing $10 million worth of renovation this fall to fix the “frequent toilet overflows, asbestos and lead paint” in the mansion. That’s unfortunate — but one of the main reasons for the renovation is to reduce the 4,000 cubic feet of “leaking air.” Making the Governor’s mansion more energy efficient is something that is good for the long-term benefit of the state.

Governor Rick Perry is moving into a $1 million home while the mansion is underway, which will cost the taxpayers $9,900 a month — $118,800 a year. That’s obscene. The large new home, according to news reports, is necessary for security reasons and to allow for the Governor to welcome large groups.

Now, I’ll grant that Governor Perry needs a new place to live, and the high cost of the Austin real estate market doesn’t grant him a lot of options. I’ll even forget the fact that the house has a swimming pool, and that the $1,800 pet deposit for the Perrys’ dachshund, Lucy, is necessary. I’m no dog-hater. (For map to the Governor’s new pad, click here).

What I can’t stomach is that the taxpayer dollars are being used to pay for all of this. All of this. So I’ve thought long and hard, and come up with a solution: Governor Perry is always advocating for state agencies to cut their budgets by 10%. I think Governor Perry should cut his current cash-on-hand to pay for his new pad.

Governor Perry should follow his own advice and cut 10% from the $1,439,760.39 he has in his Texans for Rick Perry campaign account to pay for his new rental property.

That would give Governor Perry — who is the newest constituent of State Representative Valinda Bolton — $143,976 for rent. Since the year’s rent amounts to $118,800, he has more than enough money to follow his own advice and not burden the taxpayers of Texas with the new cost of the pad. He doesn’t have to, of course — but a good leader would.

And hey, he could use the extra $25,000 to follow Smitty’s advice and throw a big pool party.