City Cars Cost Plenty

Today in the Committee on Civil Service and Personnel which I chair, we discussed what it costs the city to let employees have a car full time. First of all, the city buys the car or leases it; then the city insures it; licenses it; pays gas and oil for it; and pays for maintenance.

Approximately 110 employees take cars home on a full time basis. The figures given to me today indicate it costs $310,000 a year for gas, oil and maintenance. The city self insures so there are no insurance premiums to pay. I did not get the figures for the purchase or lease of these cars.

I asked for a full report for City Council because we need to go after every nickle and dime. Here's a place to start. No city cars for anyone. Either provide a monthly auto allowance to cover wear, tear, gas, oil and maintenance for a city employee to use their own car or alternatively, require the monthly submission of mileage records for reimbursement.

Looking at this issue was a suggestion of many city employees who provided ideas on how the city can save money.