The committee hosting the Democratic National Convention is using the city's gas pumps to fill up on fuel, avoiding state and federal highway taxes, officials said today.
"There's something there that just doesn't seem right to me because, in a sense, you're saying then that the officials who pass the laws are not willing to live by them, and that concerns me," Councilwoman Jeanne Faatz said.
The issue came up during the council's weekly meeting with Mayor John Hickenlooper when the Public Works Department requested authorization to be reimbursed by the Denver 2008 Convention Host Committee for use of "fueling facilities, fuel and car washes."
"By doing it this way, by running it through our Fleet Maintenance, that means that that fuel does not pay state or federal highway taxes," Faatz said.
Christine Downs, a public works spokeswoman, said the host committee is not paying the city's locked-in fuel rate but one that's based on the weekly cost of gas. Downs was unable to provide council members an example.
Downs said the contract with the host committee started in March and that $9,700 had been expended so far. The city anticipates making $466,125 total from the contract, she said.
Faatz asked if it was customary to have "fleets for dignitaries" not pay for highway taxes if they're using government fuel facilities.
Hickenlooper said it was.
"I believe this is only for elected officials, government dignitaries," Hickenlooper told Faatz.
"My understanding is in Washington or wherever where this happens on a regular basis, that it's standard operating procedure. I do know for a fact that they're doing the same exact thing in Minneapolis," which is hosting the Republican National Convention, the mayor said.
"Hummmmm," Faatz said.
Hummmmm is right.
Teresa McFarland, a spokeswoman for the Minneapolis-St. Paul host committee, said they're getting their gas at the pump.
"We're not getting a tax break on fuel," she said. "That's not the set-up at this end."
So, it's "standard operating procedures" to rip off citizens from thousand of dollars in tax revenues, and point the finger at Republicans?
Even if Republicans DID do it, which clearly they don't, do you think it's right to bypass the taxes on fuel for what Ms. Faatz correctly calls a "private party"?
This is a pathetic attempt to sidestep an obviously shady practice "but they do it too!". 5 year olds do that. What's worse for them, is that Republicans DON'T do that, making them look worse.
Travis
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