“Hot Wheels” is the nickname radio host Francene has assigned to arrogant Board of Education chief Jon Draud.
While Draud got plenty of media attention yesterday at the state Board of Education meeting, today he granted a one-on-one to WHAS Radio’s Al Mayo.
We asked Mayo about Draud’s general mood — which you’d think might be contrite or even remorseful given the publicity given Draud’s decision to try to charge the state for a bunch of extras on his car. Draud told him that he didn’t do anything wrong, but that he was going to pay the difference in costs anyway.
What’s more, Draud said there “was no way anyone could force him to do it under state law,” and that his only regret was the way the story “blew up” in the media.
This wasn’t some ambush interview. Draud agreed to it, and had time to think about what he was going to say.
Let’s remind Mr. Hot Wheels that he’s a public servant, and let’s keep after him until we actually see him write a check for the $13,000 or so he says he’s going to pay for the GPS system and phone. Let’s remind him that regular folks, even public officials, found their way to their destinations before GPS systems were commonplace, and that they’re not a “safety” device.Mayo told us that when he asked Draud if the personal expenses were a bit extreme given the state’s budget deficit, arrogant Mr. Draud replied that the state’s budget problem wasn’t relevant to him.
Draud represents the worst example of conduct by a public official. Every time he opens his mouth, he digs a deeper ditch.
11 responses so far ↓
1 David Adams // Jun 12, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Actually, having Draud pay for the “engine upgrade” doesn’t quite cut it. We should figure out how much gas mileage he is losing versus the bottom of the line 4 cyl. and require him to pay the difference every time we buy his gas.
2 BILked // Jun 12, 2008 at 7:41 pm
David,
The difference between a 4 cylinder and a V-8 should not be the question, It’s the total mileage he will put on the car JUST driving to work and back home each day. I did the MPG math back on May 23rd and he will drive 52,000 per year just to go home and work. This does not include any “work” miles he drives.
State vehicles are replaced at 100,000 miles, so not only is this guy going to get over $44,000 worth of free gas(four years) to go back and forth to work but will he get a new car in two years.
· “BILked // May 23, 2008 at 11:52 pm
Steve B – I’ll use your stats to do a little MPG math to see how much in gasoline dollars it will cost for Draud to drive from his home in Edgewood, Ky to Frankfort
Google maps says it is 95.3 miles each way from his house to Frankfort for a total of 190.6 miles per work day. I’ll add 10 miles for side trips and lunch each day and for easy math. Lets assume he drive 200 miles per workday.
There are 260 work days per year times 200 miles per day equals 52,000 miles driven on the state taxpayers dime just to get to work so he can earn that $220,000 salary
Lets say he averages 18 mpg. Divide that by the 52,000 miles he drives each year and you get 2,888 gallons of gasoline. Now lets multiply that by $3.95 (todays price) and his annual fuel cost is a massively huge $11,411.
Son of a bitch!. No wonder he wants the taxpayers to pick up his gasoline charges.
Whoever approved this kind of abuse of taxpayer dollars SHOULD BE FIRED. This is outrageous. I sure wish we could get our hands on the approval document so we could see all who approved this purchase.
$11,411 for gasoline for a guy who makes $220,000 per year. And we will not replace social workers who take care of the most vunerable of Kentucky ’s children.
When will we start voting in people who will really hire people who DESIRE to make state government the most efficient it can possibly be.
I think Beshear needs to start over with his hires.
3 John state employee // Jun 12, 2008 at 7:58 pm
What kind of chicken shit merit and non merit state government managers let this purchase go through in the first place?
I guarantee you if John or Jane state employee requested a $18,000 car with $13,000 in option add on’s they would be turned down so fast your head would spin.
Now we need to follow the paper trail and see WHY this purchase was approved in the first place. It sure smells of Democratic politics and their buddies being cared for.
Richie Farmer was continually turned down for items to alleviate his back pain during his first term and these cost much less than $1,000.
Under the Fletcher Administration, these things didn’t happen. Every car purchase was scrutinized. We had to submit paper work to Fleet Management and then fight them over the smallest things. But everyone has retired from there and new Democratic flunkies and tit suckers run the place now.
We have our own cars now and are doing things right. No more dealing with those corrupt Democrats and them “taking care of their own” attitudes.
4 Terri // Jun 12, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Except that, well, you know, Draud was appointed by a Republican Governor, was a Republican representative from NKY, and what have you. Yes. Democratic flunkies all around.
5 David Adams // Jun 13, 2008 at 6:33 am
Sure. Democratic flunkies.
Who do you think tipped off Toni Konz at the CJ? Ernie Fletcher?
6 Terri // Jun 13, 2008 at 7:14 am
I’m playing the world’s smallest violin for you and your greedy, arrogant, wasteful brethren.
7 David Adams // Jun 13, 2008 at 8:43 am
I might feel like I needed some of your sympathy except for the fact Draud scored all his points over the years bending over backwards to impress House Dems. I’m enjoying his comeuppance at least as much as you are.
8 Jake // Jun 13, 2008 at 9:05 am
Excited to see someone go down because they like Democrats. Wow.
And I hear from the folks who broke the story that they were tipped by– wait for it– REPUBLICANS. Imagine that.
This constant spin machine needs to stop.
9 David Adams // Jun 13, 2008 at 10:00 am
I would be excited to see Draud run out of office because I think he is far more interested in saying anything to draw a paycheck rather than actually improving education in Kentucky.
That’s not spin.
10 jake // Jun 13, 2008 at 10:11 am
Good. Saying it without Republican or Democratic spin makes it spin-free.
Also, Draud’s just the tip of the iceberg. So hopefully the rest of the greedy SOBs robbing us blind will screw up on this level.
11 David Adams // Jun 13, 2008 at 10:22 am
That’s why some of us are pushing so hard for spending transparency. If watchdogging the system weren’t dependent on someone getting an anonymous tip, there would be less robbing.
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