Governor's jet rationale lacks credibility

Aug. 12, 2005

Spectrum\Larry Wood

Gov. Frank Murkowski finally has his jet. A Westavia Westwind II manufactured in Israel. He could not even buy a Cessna built in the U.S.

Granted, the airplane is used, and only cost us $2.7 million. The operating cost will probably exceed $2,000 an hour, not counting maintenance and hangar fees.

I assume the Department Of Public Safety, which openly supported our governor's desire for a status machine, kept both of the existing turboprop aircraft that were just too slow for our governor in the fast lane.

However, the number of airfields accessible by this expensive machine are considerably fewer than are accessible by DPS's turboprop aircraft.

The justification for the jet was the distances in Alaska, availability, and . . . prisoner transport. Prisoner transport? In an executive jet?!

I guess the old 206, 207, Caravan, and any number of other "commercial" aviation aircraft that serve our communities were - what? Too plebeian in terms of comfort for prisoners? I wonder how the air taxi operators feel about the state expanding its air force?

$2.7 million. That's at least 28 years worth of trooper time on the street at $8,000 per month with a rough guess at benefits and salary.

If the airplane flies a minimum of 20 hours per month, that's another $40,000 per month, or an additional five troopers per month on the street. Not to mention, maintenance and hangar fees would probably cover a DA or two and another district court judge. (Note the figures above are merely rough estimates, but close enough for the purpose of discussion.)

This governor achieved office on the promise of smaller government. He did not tell those of us who voted for him that he had a thing about having to keep up with the "Joneses".

The promise of smaller government went by the wayside early on. The number of state employees his first year of office increased by more than 100. Since then, the size of his administration has continued to increase.

The increased price of oil has been met with ever increasing budgets. Gov. Murkowski seems to forget that he is not in Washington, D.C., anymore, and that Alaska's oil revenues are limited.

If this purchase were justified on a cost-efficiency basis, we would have been informed. That would be touting government's judicious use of our money.

However, this purchase falls under the category of having to seek justification after the fact. The Legislature refused to agree the first go around.

Why, there is so much largesse because of the oil prices that incompetence goes unremarked. DMVA loses $600,000 in SATCOM gear because of mismanagement by ADES, and nothing is said.

The Division of Forestry acquired a DeHavilland Beaver that was extensively modified. The cost of the airplane with modifications to you and me, $500,000. To DOF, more than $700,000, because the purchase contract was mismanaged.

After all, in the state's $8B yearly budget, what's a few hundred thousand dollars here, or a couple of million there? I am certain our governor would remark that such is inconsequential compared to the excesses of Washington.

Now, Alaska's governor has his own jet, and DPS can use it, too. I feel so much better knowing that crime, education, our roads, courts, harbors, airports and wildfire danger from the spruce beetle kill were all addressed before this purchase was made. Right?

And, most importantly, Alaska's prisoners can share the governor's jet. Ah, yes, going to the crossbar hotel at 30,000 feet at 500 mph in gov's jet!

I wonder how the governor really feels about prisoners riding in his jet, or is that just lip service to justify the unjustifiable?

Larry Wood is a resident of Palmer.