Beebe Drafts Policy For Use of State Plane For Official Trips

Last updated Friday, May 18, 2007 10:48 PM CDT in News

By Andrew DeMillo
The Associated Press

"All you can do is tell the truth and try to say that you're going to use it for state business, and that's what we're going to use it for," Beebe said.

Beebe said he's already traveled to Northwest Arkansas and Wynne in the new aircraft.

The previous State Police plane, a 1982 King Air 200 purchased in 1997 for $1.4 million, was approaching the maximum number of hours before the Federal Aviation Administration would require an overhaul of the aircraft. State Police had said an overhaul could cost between $700,000 and $800,000.

The plane was frequently used by Huckabee, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination. In 2006, through November, the plane was used for Huckabee or his wife, Janet, 55 times, down from 80 in all of 2005. That includes 21 out-of-state trips, compared with 40 in all the previous year.

Under Huckabee, flight records compiled by State Police would list the destination, travel times and passengers but would provide no details on the purpose of the trip.

The new policy says that the governor's office, on request, will release additional information about the flight, including the purpose of the trip. Beebe's office can withhold information about the flight's purpose if there is a "compelling reason."

"Such reasons might include, but not be limited to, use of the plane in connection with negotiations with businesses that might open or expand operations in the state and in which interested parties desire that such negotiations be kept confidential," the policy said. "In the event such information is temporarily withheld, it shall be released when the need to maintain confidentiality no longer exists."

The policy also doesn't address whether Beebe can use the plane for trips that may combine official business with personal or political meetings.

Beebe spokesman Matt DeCample said the governor would have to decide that on a case-by-case basis.

The Legislature this year approved using money from the state's $919 million surplus to replace the aircraft.

Beebe declined to say whether he believed Huckabee's accounting of his trips on the flight was adequate.

"There's no question that the media brought it to everybody's attention, but I'm not going to get into commenting on what the previous administration did in that regard," Beebe said.

Arkansas State Police Director Col. Steve Dozier said the new policy won't change the current documents used by the agency to record flight information. The additional information would have to come from Beebe's office, he said.

"This is the first written document that I'm aware of that outlines the use of the plane," Dozier said.

Dozier said State Police bought the plane for about $3.9 million and received $600,000 in trade-in value on the old aircraft.

Although the policy says Beebe may reimburse the state for using the plane, DeCample said FAA regulations prevent State Police from accepting reimbursements from Beebe for any unofficial use of the plane.

Although private individuals or businesses cannot reimburse the state to use the plane, Dozier said, the plane is available for use by other state agencies for $875 an hour.

"If we can come up with a way to reimburse the state, that might come back into consideration," DeCample said. "For now, he's just not going to use it for any personal trips."

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