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News release from the Idaho Democratic Party
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: February 2, 2012
Contact: Sally Boynton Brown (208) 440-2374 or Shelley Landry (208) 336-1815
Crane's Treasury
As Idahoans cut back during the recession, State Treasurer Ron Crane was living the high-life using state funds to pay for New York City limousines to haul family members of his staff, to pay for driving himself to work, to pay for whitewater rafting trips and to pay for a pet program outside the purview of his office. Amidst these revelations, Crane has had the audacity to ask the Legislature to grant him even more power.
Crane is yet another example of a GOP culture that treats the state as a personal piggy bank and shows contempt for tax-paying Idahoans.
The Management Report for the Office of the State Treasurer has highlighted several areas where Republican State Treasurer Ron Crane has failed Idahoans. News that family members of his staff used state paid limousines during trips to New York City and Crane�s failure to track commuting expenses to work are not his only problem areas.
The audit noted that Crane has not used the State reporting system to track expenses for annual rafting trips. Also, Crane�s daily commuting expenses, discovered by reporters in January, have amounted to $8000 in un-authorized spending. And, his office has directed staff-time and $10,000 a year to an annual program not covered in statute, Crane�s non-profit company called the Idaho Women's Money Conference, Inc.
Despite the troubling audit and a lack of institutional control, Crane is pushing to have new programs added to his purview.
Shelley Landry, Executive Director of the Idaho Democratic Party said, �It�s odd that the Treasurer is trying to grow government and expand his powers at a time when most agencies are being asked to reduce their functions and tighten their belts. While the findings of this report aren�t illegal, they highlight, once again, the culture of arrogance and entitlement that has infected the leadership within the Republican Party. Idahoans must have complete confidence in the elected official in charge of their money. Ron Crane inspires no such confidence.
Correction: A previous version of this press release was in err due to a reader's mistake. Crane failed to account for bond rating trips. My apologies.
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Sally Boynton Brown
Communications Director
Idaho Democratic Party
(208)440-2374
idahodems.org
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