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| New $456K Bus Adds Fuel to Feud |
| By azcentral.com |
| Published: 06/18/2009 |
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Sheriff's New $456K Bus Adds Fuel to Feud Upset over purchase, county forces Arpaio to keep it parked by Craig Harris and Yvonne Wingett - The Arizona Republic About a month ago, the Sheriff's Office received a new bus to transport inmates from jails to court. But the bus can't hit the road until the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors approves the title and registration - which could take some time. The problem is that the $456,000 custom-made bus was purchased during a freeze on all major purchases imposed by the board in the face of tough economic times. So the board, which lately has been involved in legal fights with Sheriff Joe Arpaio, has yet to approve the money to operate the bus. What is shaping up as another standoff between the board and Arpaio underscores the divisions in authority as to how county money is spent. Arpaio controls money in his budget. But the board can still exert authority through other spending and administrative actions. On Wednesday, the Sheriff's Office wanted the board to add the bus to the county fleet. But the request was not on the agenda. County staff and budget officials said they wanted more time to review the request. Scott Isham, chief of staff to board Chairman Max Wilson, said there was not enough support by the supervisors to add the bus to the fleet because of procurement issues and the capital freeze. No future vote is scheduled. So, the gleaming new bus remains parked at a county facility near the jail complex in southwest Phoenix. Board allocates funds By state statute, the five-member Board of Supervisors is responsible for the county's overall $2.2 billion budget. The board allocates money to departments, and it expects them to live within their means. However, the supervisors cannot dictate to other elected officials - the sheriff, the county attorney, the recorder and others - how to spend their money. If any department head or official overspends a budget, the board can place that person on a line-item budget where officials generally must ask budget officials for permission to buy almost anything. Over the past decade, the Sheriff's Office has mostly stayed within the budget. The board never has placed the office on such a restrictive spending plan but did put it on a modified line-item budget years ago. In some cases, the sheriff doesn't need the board's approval to spend money. One is the Jail Enhancement Fund, which the Sheriff's Office used to buy the bus. Money in the fund, which comes from court fees, allows sheriffs across Arizona to spend at their discretion for jail operations. Arpaio's office this fiscal year received $1.58 million of the nearly $5 million divided among all county sheriffs, according to the state Department of Corrections. Arpaio's office has about $600,000 left in the fund, which is also used for training and equipment purchases. Lisa Allen, a sheriff's spokeswoman, said buying the new bus was a prudent business decision that shouldn't concern county budget officials. "We think we can run this office better than they can," Allen said. "We think we can fulfill our obligations to the court and prisons throughout the state. And to be told from people who know very little how to run a jail facility this large is insulting to us." No plates on vehicle The bus purchase came to light a few weeks ago when a sheriff official showed up at the county's Government Equipment Services office. The department is responsible for inspecting board-approved vehicles and issuing titles and registration. John Cantu, director of the department, would not inspect, title or register the bus because he had no record that the vehicle was paid for and approved by the board. "They weren't happy about it, I'll tell you that," he said. "Right now, there are no plates on the vehicle. I can't do anything with the bus, that's the bottom line. Technically, it's not a county asset." Officials in the Office of Management and Budget are urging supervisors to not title and register the bus. Instead, they want to deed the bus over to the state Department of Corrections as a credit on the money lawmakers are taking from local governments to balance Arizona's budget. If that happened, the bus would be used by the state prison system. Budget officials say the Sheriff's Office violated a direct countywide policy, paid too much for the bus and doesn't need a bus that typically is used for long-distance trips. If the sheriff needed a new transport bus, they say, he could have bought one similar to the other five in his fleet, which cost less than half the price of the new bus. "They don't need a long-haul bus. The county does short hauls. A school bus would work," County Manager David Smith said. "They could sell it on eBay, sell it at auction, see if the manufacturer is willing to take it back." But Jerry Sheridan, director of detention for the sheriff, said the five buses now in use constantly break down because they are retrofitted school buses that are not intended to transport inmates round-the-clock. Three of the five were out of commission Wednesday. The Sheriff's Office said it has spent nearly $195,000 on repairs since the fleet was put into service in 2006. Read more. If link has expired, check the website of the article's original news source. |
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