Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini today said Governor Jon Corzine should follow Delaware’s example by cutting the number of cars, vans and trucks in the state fleet then auctioning off the vehicles, a move that brought in more than half a million dollars for Delaware.

“Reducing the bloated state fleet will cut maintenance and gas costs,” explained Angelini, R-Monmouth. “Those savings, coupled with funds raised by auctioning the vehicles, could be used to keep the property tax rebate program viable and pay down state debt. If Delaware made more than half a million dollars by auctioning 197 vehicles imagine how many New Jersey could auction and the profit we could realize.

“We have more than 15,500 vehicles issued to state employees, an increase of 144 since January 2007 and Governor Corzine expects us to believe he has ‘scrubbed’ the budget for wasteful spending?” she continued. “Instead of cutting what little property tax relief middle class families have been depending on to survive and shutting schools for severely disabled students, the governor ought to look in his own backyard and begin making real, tangible spending cuts.”

The Associated Press reported last week that Delaware auctioned off 197 vehicles for a $519,000 profit. It’s fleet of 4,900 vehicles was reduced 20 percent and it expected to drop to 3,920.

Angelini, noting that Delaware state officials used an Eatontown, New Jersey-based auction liquidation service, said, “Our neighboring state has even laid the groundwork for us. This is an excellent measure for reducing state costs and one that Governor Corzine should have already done.”

Angelini said that in light of Delaware’s success in cutting its fleet of state vehicles for profit, she is calling for immediate action on legislation she introduced last month to control the use of New Jersey state vehicles.

The bill, A-3914, would require state departments and agencies to submit a request to the state Treasurer for the use of state vehicles before they are assigned to or used by officers or state employees. The written requests must include the name of the employee, a description of their job responsibilities, an explanation of why they require a vehicle, the time period that the vehicle will be used, and a cost analysis. This measure provides that the Department of the Treasury will manage, control, and supervise the assignment and use of each vehicle that is owned or leased by the State for the conduct of official business.

“In a state beset with chronic budget deficits, it is vital that we monitor programs that are funded by taxpayer dollars,” said Angelini. “This bill will help to ensure that state vehicles are used only by those employees whose positions require that the state provide transportation. It is a cost-saving measure that we can’t afford to ignore.”

####