The Public Figure's Guide to Purchasing Cars with Public Funds

Arroyo · 11-26-2007, 10:31 AM

THE PUBLIC FIGURE'S GUIDE TO PURCHASING CARS WITH PUBLIC FUNDS

The new president of Pasadena City College caused a bit of an uproar when she purchased a new Cadillac DTS (DeVille Touring Sedan) with community college funds. The transaction was completely legal, having gotten the stamp of approval from the local college's board of trustees. The problem was her choice of vehicle. The $54,244.46 DTS is the largest car in the Cadillac line and is EPA rated at 15 miles per gallon in the city. Her gasoline card is also footed by community college funds.

"I have a bad leg, and I'm a very tall woman - 5 foot 8 inches - so it provides plenty of leg room and it's been a comfortable car for me driving longer distances," said President Paulette Perfumo to the Pasadena Star News.

There are very few cars sold in America that won't fit a 5-foot, 8-inch person - even with a bum leg. The cars chosen by past Pasadena City College presidents - a Ford Taurus, Chevrolet Lumina (now Malibu), and Toyota Highlander - will easily fit a 5-8 person. Leo DiCaprio, at 5-11, seems to fit just fine in his Toyota Prius.

But college presidents aren't expected to be automotive experts. They are, however, often put in the precarious position of having to lead by example. Fiscal belt-tightening is already being experienced by all of California's community colleges and even more is expected at the mid-year cycle due to the state budget short falls. Add to this, the concerns over global warming, energy conservation and decreasing our dependence on foreign oil, and you can see why the purchase of a Cadillac DeVille may be sending the wrong signal.

SO, WHAT'S THE RIGHT SIGNAL?

LA Car has come up with some novel "best of" lists in the past, including The Best Cars to Drive in Rush-Hour Traffic and Surveying The Best New Car Sound Systems. Why not a list of the best cars to purchase with public funds? For future college presidents and the like, here are my candidates (in alphabetical order)...

Full article (with images) It's Not Easy Being Seen - Back Seat Driving

MarinJohn · 11-26-2007, 11:31 AM

As long as we allow people to slurp at the money pit they will. I can see no reason why a car is a perk for an educator. A credit card to Office Depot, perhaps. It's my guess this person thinks of her present job as a jumping off point to an elected political position, and if this is so, she is right on track to enrich her personal life at the public expense. She should be unceremoniously fired, and the cost of the car should come out of her retirement package and then be a parting gift to her. You can be sure she would be royally pissed off at 'wasting' her money on such a perk.

MikeSF · 11-26-2007, 11:32 AM

Quote:

"I have a bad leg, and I'm a very tall woman - 5 foot 8 inches - so it provides plenty of leg room and it's been a comfortable car for me driving longer distances," said President Paulette Perfumo to the Pasadena Star News.[/b]

My dad has used this as a rational for why he drives a Chevy Caprice w/ v8 engine, basically police cruiser. And I never understood it, unless you put the seat all the way back and your legs are still uncomfortable bent the whole leg room argument is voided. Unless you are somehow too wide to fit in a regular bucket seat and need a bench seat, the comfort level must be voided as well in that aspect. Which leaves what the seat is actually made of, does it have proper support, is it comfortable, and it seems to me that maybe they just put more comfortable seats in larger cars, so the cheapest solution would be to get a more economical car and simply replace the seats.

But the fact she bought this with community college funds really shines as a huge gap that needs to be plugged. She's probably already making a 6 figure salary for what is arguably a position that does not command that much work. Why the hell do they toss in car funds on that? Being a community college teacher and hearing about how we're low on funding it really chaps my hide to hear stories like this. Even as a student I remember having this huge talk about how tuition needs to be raised to pay for all these programs (of which I didn't use any), and that same year the President (making over $300k) and the 6 vice presidents of the school (each around $200k) got themselves a nice little raise.

MarinJohn · 11-26-2007, 12:05 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Arroyo @ Nov 26 2007, 07:31 AM) [snapback]544228[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

THE PUBLIC FIGURE'S GUIDE TO PURCHASING CARS WITH PUBLIC FUNDS
"I have a bad leg, and I'm a very tall woman - 5 foot 8 inches -
[/b]

Hmmm, a "very tall woman" is 5'8", but I'm a very short man at 5'7". I guess my britches are larger than I thought! Don't you just want to slap excuse-givers?

MikeSF · 11-26-2007, 08:30 PM

Yeah, but can't blame her, it's her way, I mean a quick google of her name finds that she was fired from her last job as Solano Community College president, and apparently they had to continue to pay her under contract unless she got another job for up to the rest of the year, apparently waited until the year was up and got a new job in the mean time siphoning $200k from another Community college. Why this chick doesn't have a special star on her resume to flag her to other schools is beyond me. Apparently she's among the highest paid school employees in the area! I can't believe this chick who got fired "termination of contract" can get these jobs where the benefits are enormous.

100 mph · 11-27-2007, 01:33 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MikeSF @ Nov 26 2007, 05:30 PM) [snapback]544493[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Yeah, but can't blame her, it's her way, I mean a quick google of her name finds that she was fired from her last job as Solano Community College president, and apparently they had to continue to pay her under contract unless she got another job for up to the rest of the year, apparently waited until the year was up and got a new job in the mean time siphoning $200k from another Community college. Why this chick doesn't have a special star on her resume to flag her to other schools is beyond me. Apparently she's among the highest paid school employees in the area! I can't believe this chick who got fired "termination of contract" can get these jobs where the benefits are enormous.[/b]

It looks like this isn't the first time the college board of trustees had raised an eyebrow:

"The stealth manner in which the car was purchased for the president of the college - before the board had a chance to even discuss it - mirrors the nefarious manner in which the president herself was selected. The board hired Perfumo after bypassing the two top recommendations of the highly regarded selection committee, which was made up of respected leaders of the college as well as esteemed members of the community. Having served PCC for 40 years as a professor of anthropology, I am greatly disappointed in the cavalier attitude the current board has displayed regarding its responsibility to the college, the community and the environment." - Elvio Angeloni, Letter to the Pasadena Star News Editor

The "buying guide" also made the Pasadena Star News:
PCC President Gets Some Auto Advice

wbuttler · 11-27-2007, 10:00 PM

this is interesting because i was just reading over the weekend that the
mayor of Charleston SC drives a black prius...
seems he wishes to be responsible to the voters for fuel efficency and costs.....

froley

boxer01 · 11-29-2007, 03:48 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MarinJohn @ Nov 26 2007, 01:05 PM) [snapback]544278[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Hmmm, a "very tall woman" is 5'8", but I'm a very short man at 5'7". I guess my britches are larger than I thought! Don't you just want to slap excuse-givers?
[/b]

I love my Prius, but honestly, I am not happy with lack of lumbar support and comfortable seating. I began to ache after about 40 minutes in the seat... I just purchased a special lumbar support system for the seat and it has had a great impact.

Also, "chick" is an interesting term--usually thrown out when putting a woman in her place.

I agree that this person made a very poor choice.

Arroyo · 12-11-2007, 03:34 PM

Perfumo rethinks car pick
PCC's approval of Cadillac questioned
By Janette Williams, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 12/07/2007 11:43:20 PM PST

PASADENA - She's not saying why, but Pasadena City College President Paulette Perfumo is considering her automobile options, including trading in the subsidized, top-of- the-line Cadillac she picked as her personal college-funded transportation.

Her choice of a $54,244.46 Cadillac DeVille Touring Sedan that gets about 14 mpg in city driving raised some eyebrows on the campus when the school's trustees - with one exception - approved the purchase last month.

And her luxury car inspired "The Public Figure's Guide to Buying Cars With Public Funds," written by Roy Nakano, executive editor of the San Gabriel-based online magazine LACar.com.

Nakano wrote in his "Back Seat Driving" column that college presidents aren't expected to be auto experts, but are "often put in the precarious position of having to lead by example." He suggested some eco-friendly options for Perfumo, all costing well under $30,000.

Perfumo, speaking through college spokesman Juan Gutierrez, said Friday there was a "direction of (staff) exploring all the possibilities" of making some changes, which also would have to be approved by the trustees.

"One option is to purchase the car at the same price the school paid and get a stipend like (presidents of) other (community) colleges," Gutierrez said. "Or just give the car back, buy her own car and collect a stipend. The school would return it and use the funds to buy additional school vehicles. Maybe there's a third option. No decision has been made."

Perfumo has explained her choice by saying she had the same car at her last job as president of Solano Community College District and needs a large car to accommodate her 5-foot-8 height and a "bad leg."

Her contract gives her use of a car of her choice - plus taxes, license, gasoline card and maintenance - on top of her $183,000 salary.

Community college presidents who get car allowances include John Nixon, interim president at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, who drives a 2005 Honda Accord hybrid he bought himself and gets a monthly $850 car allowance, and Glendora's Citrus College President Michael Viera, who drives a 1999 Jeep Cherokee and gets about $800 a month in car allowance.

Beth Wells-Miller, the lone anti-Cadillac vote on the seven-member PCC board, said she had "no factual information" that would allow her to comment on Perfumos'a plans.

But, she said, Perfumo "apparently talked about the possibility of getting something other than the Cadillac."

Wells-Miller said when the news got out she'd had some phone calls questioning the board's approval, it had been "an item of interest" on campus and was discussed in the Academic Senate.

"Yes it's been talked about," Wells-Miller said. "I don't know if (a change of car) would defuse things, but I imagine it could."

http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_7667224

priusenvy · 12-12-2007, 03:38 AM

I believe the expression is "gorging oneself at the public trough".

11-26-2007, 10:31 AM	#1
Arroyo Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 181 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: #7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts Friends: 0	THE PUBLIC FIGURE'S GUIDE TO PURCHASING CARS WITH PUBLIC FUNDS The new president of Pasadena City College caused a bit of an uproar when she purchased a new Cadillac DTS (DeVille Touring Sedan) with community college funds. The transaction was completely legal, having gotten the stamp of approval from the local college's board of trustees. The problem was her choice of vehicle. The $54,244.46 DTS is the largest car in the Cadillac line and is EPA rated at 15 miles per gallon in the city. Her gasoline card is also footed by community college funds. "I have a bad leg, and I'm a very tall woman - 5 foot 8 inches - so it provides plenty of leg room and it's been a comfortable car for me driving longer distances," said President Paulette Perfumo to the Pasadena Star News. There are very few cars sold in America that won't fit a 5-foot, 8-inch person - even with a bum leg. The cars chosen by past Pasadena City College presidents - a Ford Taurus, Chevrolet Lumina (now Malibu), and Toyota Highlander - will easily fit a 5-8 person. Leo DiCaprio, at 5-11, seems to fit just fine in his Toyota Prius. But college presidents aren't expected to be automotive experts. They are, however, often put in the precarious position of having to lead by example. Fiscal belt-tightening is already being experienced by all of California's community colleges and even more is expected at the mid-year cycle due to the state budget short falls. Add to this, the concerns over global warming, energy conservation and decreasing our dependence on foreign oil, and you can see why the purchase of a Cadillac DeVille may be sending the wrong signal. SO, WHAT'S THE RIGHT SIGNAL? LA Car has come up with some novel "best of" lists in the past, including The Best Cars to Drive in Rush-Hour Traffic and Surveying The Best New Car Sound Systems. Why not a list of the best cars to purchase with public funds? For future college presidents and the like, here are my candidates (in alphabetical order)... Full article (with images) It's Not Easy Being Seen - Back Seat Driving __________________ Project Prius: Breaking The Sound Barrier

11-26-2007, 11:31 AM	#2
MarinJohn Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 3,330 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 399 Thanked 77 Times in 44 Posts Friends: 7	As long as we allow people to slurp at the money pit they will. I can see no reason why a car is a perk for an educator. A credit card to Office Depot, perhaps. It's my guess this person thinks of her present job as a jumping off point to an elected political position, and if this is so, she is right on track to enrich her personal life at the public expense. She should be unceremoniously fired, and the cost of the car should come out of her retirement package and then be a parting gift to her. You can be sure she would be royally pissed off at 'wasting' her money on such a perk. __________________ Think Independently, Don't Drink Right Wing Bloody Koolaid

12-11-2007, 03:34 PM	#9
Arroyo Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 181 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: #7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts Friends: 0	PCC President Rethinks Car Purchase Perfumo rethinks car pick PCC's approval of Cadillac questioned By Janette Williams, Staff Writer Article Launched: 12/07/2007 11:43:20 PM PST PASADENA - She's not saying why, but Pasadena City College President Paulette Perfumo is considering her automobile options, including trading in the subsidized, top-of- the-line Cadillac she picked as her personal college-funded transportation. Her choice of a $54,244.46 Cadillac DeVille Touring Sedan that gets about 14 mpg in city driving raised some eyebrows on the campus when the school's trustees - with one exception - approved the purchase last month. And her luxury car inspired "The Public Figure's Guide to Buying Cars With Public Funds," written by Roy Nakano, executive editor of the San Gabriel-based online magazine LACar.com. Nakano wrote in his "Back Seat Driving" column that college presidents aren't expected to be auto experts, but are "often put in the precarious position of having to lead by example." He suggested some eco-friendly options for Perfumo, all costing well under $30,000. Perfumo, speaking through college spokesman Juan Gutierrez, said Friday there was a "direction of (staff) exploring all the possibilities" of making some changes, which also would have to be approved by the trustees. "One option is to purchase the car at the same price the school paid and get a stipend like (presidents of) other (community) colleges," Gutierrez said. "Or just give the car back, buy her own car and collect a stipend. The school would return it and use the funds to buy additional school vehicles. Maybe there's a third option. No decision has been made." Perfumo has explained her choice by saying she had the same car at her last job as president of Solano Community College District and needs a large car to accommodate her 5-foot-8 height and a "bad leg." Her contract gives her use of a car of her choice - plus taxes, license, gasoline card and maintenance - on top of her $183,000 salary. Community college presidents who get car allowances include John Nixon, interim president at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, who drives a 2005 Honda Accord hybrid he bought himself and gets a monthly $850 car allowance, and Glendora's Citrus College President Michael Viera, who drives a 1999 Jeep Cherokee and gets about $800 a month in car allowance. Beth Wells-Miller, the lone anti-Cadillac vote on the seven-member PCC board, said she had "no factual information" that would allow her to comment on Perfumos'a plans. But, she said, Perfumo "apparently talked about the possibility of getting something other than the Cadillac." Wells-Miller said when the news got out she'd had some phone calls questioning the board's approval, it had been "an item of interest" on campus and was discussed in the Academic Senate. "Yes it's been talked about," Wells-Miller said. "I don't know if (a change of car) would defuse things, but I imagine it could." http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_7667224

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11-26-2007, 08:30 PM	#5
MikeSF Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: San Francisco Posts: 376 My Car: 2006 Prius Model: Package: #2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Yeah, but can't blame her, it's her way, I mean a quick google of her name finds that she was fired from her last job as Solano Community College president, and apparently they had to continue to pay her under contract unless she got another job for up to the rest of the year, apparently waited until the year was up and got a new job in the mean time siphoning $200k from another Community college. Why this chick doesn't have a special star on her resume to flag her to other schools is beyond me. Apparently she's among the highest paid school employees in the area! I can't believe this chick who got fired "termination of contract" can get these jobs where the benefits are enormous.

11-27-2007, 10:00 PM	#7
wbuttler Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 85 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	this is interesting because i was just reading over the weekend that the mayor of Charleston SC drives a black prius... seems he wishes to be responsible to the voters for fuel efficency and costs..... froley

12-12-2007, 03:38 AM	#10
priusenvy Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Silicon Valley, CA Posts: 1,758 My Car: 2005 Prius Model: Package: #6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Friends: 0	I believe the expression is "gorging oneself at the public trough".