For Immediate Release
January 28, 2009
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Senator Folmer Sends Letters to Inspector General, General Services Secretary,
 Requesting Further Investigation into Auditor General Vehicle Report

HARRISBURG – Days after Auditor General Jack Wagner released a special report on the Department of General Services' (DGS) management of the state's 16,637 fleet vehicles, Senator Mike Folmer (48), today released letters sent to state Inspector General Donald Patterson and DGS Secretary James Creedon requesting further investigation and insight of the report and how the Department can be held more accountable to Pennsylvania taxpayers. The fleet costs taxpayers approximately $72 million a year.

"This is a scathing report that reveals an appalling disregard for the taxpayers. There is a desperate need for reform and transparency in the management of state vehicles. Clearly, the time is right to enact Senate Bill 104, which would put common-sense restrictions on the use of state vehicles and establish a much more transparent reporting system," said Folmer, prime sponsor of Senate Bill 104.

In the letter sent to Patterson, Folmer refers to the Auditor General's findings that "DGS did not have mileage totals for all employees, much less a breakdown in miles driven for official use versus personal use."

Folmer asks the Inspector General to "investigate whether executive branch employees granted the use of a state car for any period beginning January 1, 2005 through January 5, 2009 have remitted all owed taxes."

Folmer understands the Senate Chief Clerk handles the personal use of a DGS assigned vehicle in accordance with IRS rules, but does not believe this is the case for many executive branch departments.  Folmer writes he believes Patterson's is "in the best position to determine whether the executive employees have in fact rendered all owed taxes" and suggests Patterson begin his examination with those employees named in the report attachments "List 3 and 5."

To Creedon, Folmer asks "other than the new computer system installed late last year, what is DGS doing to address the oversight weaknesses cited in the report" and what action DGS is taking to implement the Auditor General's eight specific recommendations for improvement. He also solicited Creedon's recommendations to strengthening Senate Bill 104 and inquired about reforms in other states.

Auditor General vehicle report
Letters to state Inspector General Donald Patterson and DGS Secretary James Creedon