NOB HILL--I know I'm cheap. But doesn't $29,700 seem a little high for a 7 year old truck? Patrick Lyons, a Republican running for re-election for State Land Commissioner, says that's what he paid this year for his 1999 Ford F-250 SuperCab for use in his campaign.The problem is that according to Edmunds.com the value of this vehicle is $11, 097 retail. The Blue Book price is a little higher: $12,250. But as Blue Book says, dealer's retail is not a final price, only the dealer's asking price.
There are only three explanations that I can think of:
- He is the dumbest negotiator and appraiser of used trucks on the face of the earth.
- He bought the truck from a friend or family member and they got to pocket close to $20,000.
- He paid himself the price the truck sold for when he originally bought it new back in 1999. In other words he charged his campaign for a truck he already owned. In fact, if that is the case, he bought it 3 years before he ran for office.
3 comments:
dropped in here via "next blog."
A politican? Probably a little of both--dumb and crooked
Crime. Par for the course. Poster for either public-funded campaigns w/strict limits on money OR less restrictions and free for all and let the bloggers uncover who should not be elected. Hooray for the bloggers.
As far as I can tell, no law was broken by Lyons. This is an example of how lax our current campaign finance and ethics laws are in New Mexico. I agree with Garth, we need to go the way of Albuquerque city elections and the PRC to break the fundraising arms race cycle. Public financing of campaigns is the best option for changing the status quo.
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