Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 27, 1990 TAG: 9006270275
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-2 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: By Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
Wilder's bill for the use of state-owned airplanes was $30,018 for January through June, with $2,018, or about 7 percent, for in-state trips, according to Department of Aviation records.
Former Gov. Gerald Baliles' bill for state planes from January to June of last year was $20,001 with almost half, $9,773, for in-state trips.
Laura Dillard, Wilder's press secretary, said some of Wilder's in-state trips have been charged to other state agencies for which he is traveling. She also said the governor frequently uses a Virginia State Police helicopter for in-state trips because it is less expensive.
Baliles and Wilder used up the $52,290 allocated for the use of state planes by the governor's office in the fiscal year that ends Saturday. The same amount is budgeted for the next fiscal year.
Dillard said the state will be reimbursed for Wilder's political trips to New Orleans for a Democratic Leadership Council meeting, to Atlanta for a speech to the National Rainbow Coalition, to Chicago for an Illinois Democratic Party dinner and to New Haven, Conn., to speak to the Yale University Political Union.
The only amount paid to the state so far is $1,908 for the Chicago trip.
"Checks are on the way," she said. "It's not unusual that it takes some time."
She also said Wilder has reimbursed the state $6,361 for using state planes for personal trips to Long Island, N.Y., on March 5 and Nantucket, Mass., on June 7-11.
His recent political trips to Iowa and New Hampshire were funded by private donors, Dillard said.
by CNB