(GOP) Senator wrongly reports mileage

[UpInArms]

http://www.wvgazette.com/section/News/2005041340/

For the past 10 years, state Sen. Karen Facemyer, R-Jackson, has wrongly reported the mileage from her home to the State Capitol, allowing her to avoid paying federal taxes on more than $99,000 in reimbursed expenses when she attends legislative meetings in Charleston.

Facemyer also got about $2,000 more in state mileage reimbursement money than she was entitled to by exaggerating the distance of her commute.

Facemyer bumped up her mileage to the Capitol from 45 miles to 52 miles in January 1995, even though she didn’t change her residence in Ripley.

The change allowed her to take advantage of a little-known section of the federal tax code that exempts state legislators from paying taxes on reimbursed expenses, provided they live more than 50 miles from a state’s capitol building.

Facemyer acknowledged Wednesday that she misreported her mileage. She said it wasn’t intentional.

...more...

More of those great GOP ethics!

[MADem]

1. Does this horseshit rule fall into the "tax cuts for the wealthy"

pile?

Jeez, I know plenty of junior military personnel who live more than fifty miles from their duty stations, and they don't get breaks like that. They just can't AFFORD to live near their work!

[stuckinlucky]

9. What this lady did is clearly criminal, but...

I wouldn't assume that a State legislator is wealthy. In many states, it's a part-time job and doesn't pay a lot at all. I certainly don't begrudge a conscientious public servant the ability to write off LEGITIMATE travel expenses to and from the capital. Of course, when you suddenly realize that your house is just over the limit for said deductions, something fishy is going on.

[MADem]

11. She's gotta be doing OK

...if she was pulling in 99 grand in 'REIMBURSED EXPENSES' on her taxes for her work as a legislator. If she can shell out that kind of money, padded expenses notwithstanding, she's not hurting.

The average soldier doesn't make a quarter of that. And doesn't get a mileage break.

[stuckinlucky]

12. I have no idea how she's doing, and I really don't care - she's a crook

I would simply ask that you consider the possibility that a law allowing state legislators to deduct LEGITIMATE travel expenses doesn't fall into the category of "tax cut for the wealthy." Her abuse of that law (for which she should be severely punished) is an entirely separate issue, as is the issue of soldier reimbursement for similar expenses (they should get it).

Just a quick example: Minnesota state legislators were paid $31,140 in FY 01-02. Suppose you were elected to represent the good people of Duluth and were required to make the weekly round trip to St. Paul of approximately 300 miles every week the legislature was in session. You have a family in Duluth, maybe a small business or a farm, not to mention a constituency that expects to see you every now and then. Should the cost of your travel to and from St. Paul come out of your $31,140 salary on which you already pay taxes?

For every state legislator using the position as a stepping stone to higher office or to skim money from the public till, there are several who are just citizens who feel driven to participate in our democracy. Many of them are not wealthy and are sacrificing time away from their homes and families in order to serve their communities.

I think we can slide them some gas money.

[MADem]

13. So long as we do the same for the enlisted kid or junior officer

...defending our country, I've no beef with helping them out with expenses for gas--but this lady had 99 grand in expenses--what was she driving, the Space Shuttle?

I just find it amazing how these legislatures are often quick to vote laws for themselves that they don't pass on to others who clearly need them and would benefit from them. And the federal legislature is really the absolute worst at that...perks, pay raises, and all sorts of benefits...they even get to cut in line ahead of wounded active duty at Walter Reed and Bethesda.

I find the pork, overall, bothersome.

[livetohike]

2. Wasn't intentional?

She should be fired. That's what would happen in corporate life.

[Roland99]

4. I didn't mean to intentionally change it.

[livetohike]

5. Bushspeak lol

:-) All of these Republicans are taking lessons from the Great Leader.

[daleo]

14. Unless you are in upper management.

Then you would get a raise for showing initiative.

[karynnj]

3. It wasn't intentional???

when she took action to change it? (If it were wrong from the beginning, it would be believable that it was not done for fraud.)

[gratuitous]

16. Bartcop's rule #2

If someone makes a mistake that puts more money in their pocket, they'll keep making that same mistake over and over again until someone else corrects them.

So, by making this "unintentional" change from 45 to 52 miles for the trip, suddenly she's putting an extra hundred grand in her pocket. Uh huh. I don't know what they call that in her neck of the woods, but here in Oregon we call that bullshit.

[FloridaPat]

6. Sure. Just another mispeak. Why didn't she just move.

[Endangered Specie]

7. Wasnt intentional?

:wtf: Did the ink from the 4 jump over the 5and become a 2 all on its own?

[DulceDecorum]

8. Lets blame the Democrats, and the judges,

and the bunnies.

[struggle4progress]

10. Just a simple consequence of the expansion of the universe. eom

[yellowcanine]

15. "She said it wasn’t intentional." Bullshit. I review employee expense

statements. If someone suddenly added 7 miles to a trip they have been claiming for all along I would want to know why. Either they moved, they had to take a different route because a bridge is out, whatever. No way does someone do that and it isn't intentional. Besides, when they sign the statement they are asserting that the information is true. So they should have checked it even if someone else was putting the numbers in. Not intentional? Bullshit.