Details about this story

• Source: Associated Press
• Date: April 22, 2007
• URL: Read the story
• Bylines: Erik Schelzig
• Topics: State Government
• Data Types: State Data
• Description/Excerpt: Buried in the state budget is a special provision for the state's top lawmakers that allowed former Senate Speaker John Wilder to have the full cost of travel on his private plane reimbursed with taxpayer money. Most of Tennessee's 132 lawmakers must adhere to a law that allows them to bill the state for the actual auto mileage between their home and the Capitol. Those living at least 100 miles away can be reimbursed for the lowest fare commercial flight available. An analysis by The Associated Press of records posted on the Legislature's Web site and other records obtained from the Office of Legislative Administration found that Wilder was reimbursed at least $13,633 for legislative travel in 2006, tops among all lawmakers. Wilder was paid $234.60 for the 340-mile round trip between Nashville and the airstrip in Longtown. If he had been reimbursed at last year's auto rate of 44.5 cents per mile, Wilder would have been eligible for only $151 for each trip. Even while Wilder was flying between his home and Nashville, his security officer was following the same route in a state-owned Ford Crown Victoria. Officials could not immediately say what the annual cost of operating the car was.