61 DNC vehicles are regulars at city pumps, records say
By Daniel J. Chacon, Rocky Mountain News (Contact), Kevin Vaughan, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published July 29, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.
At least 61 vehicles being used by planners of the Democratic National Convention have been gassed up at city government pumps in the past three months, a practice that raised questions about possible avoidance of federal and state gasoline taxes.
Records provided Monday in response to a request from the Rocky shed little light on the practice, which was started even though the city had not executed a contract for the fuel.
Representatives of both the Denver 2008 Host Committee and the Democratic National Convention Committee refused to disclose who has been driving the vehicles, which are part of a fleet provided by General Motors.
"What are they trying to hide?" asked Denver City Councilman Charlie Brown, who called on convention planners to identify those who have been using the fuel. "When you're not open, that implies that you're trying to hide something."
No authorizing contract
A contract for the fuel, which eventually may total more than $450,000, still has not been reached.
"They just should have never started doing this without a contract," said Denis Bercke feldt, a spokesman for Denver Auditor Dennis Gallagher.
Gallagher has complained repeatedly about city business deals that start before a contract is drafted, approved and signed.
The fill-up controversy flared last week when representatives of the Public Works Department told the City Council that members of the host committee would be fueling at city pumps and would not have to pay the 40.4 cents-per-gallon gasoline tax. After an outcry, including a determination by state Attorney General John Suthers that the practice probably was illegal, host committee officials said they would pay the taxes.
The Rocky requested records that would show details of already-dispensed fuel. Records provided by the city answered some questions:
* Sixty-one vehicles have been fueled at the city's pumps with gasoline that ranged from $2.62 to $3.56 a gallon.
* The total bill, as of Wednesday, stood at $11,141.53.
* One vehicle - No. "1" on the city's logs - has been filled 27 times for a total of $1,126.67.
* A bus has been fueled 10 times at $4.41 a gallon - apparently for diesel fuel - for a total of $6,121.08.
Drivers a mystery
Ann Williams, a public works spokeswoman, said the city does not know the identities of those driving the convention vehicles - only the unique registration numbers on those vehicles.
"There's not a need . . . as a city to know exactly who's driving which vehicle," Williams said. "That's an issue internally for the DNCC."
Both Chris Lopez of the host committee and Natalie Wyeth of the DNCC refused to identify who has been fueling at city pumps.
The vehicles are part of a fleet and are driven at different times by different people, Wyeth said. Lopez said that to date none of those who have gotten fuel has been members of the host committee.
The host committee is responsible for raising private money to put on the convention. The DNCC is responsible for planning various aspects of the convention, which is scheduled Aug. 25 to 28 at the Pepsi Center and Invesco Field at Mile High.
No price comparison
Since the controversy broke, representatives of the Public Works Department and convention planners repeatedly have said the fuel would be billed at "market" prices.
But it is impossible to tell, based on the records provided by the city, how the price-per- gallon paid so far by convention planners stacks up against the price at the pump charged at commercial gas stations. The Rocky did not request the dates of the transactions, and therefore the city did not provide them. And the city fuel is not subject to delivery, spill and environmental fees that consumers face when they gas up at the corner station.
It also is not clear who initiated the practice, although both public works officials and convention planners cited "security" as a primary reason behind it - even though the convention vehicles are easily identifiable on the street, because they have special red, white and blue license plates.
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July 29, 2008
5:46 a.m.
Suggest removal
youngman writes:
Its just a donation to the Democratic National Committiee...I am sure the Republicans will get the same treatment...LOL
Hickenlooper is a typical Democratic politician.....you follow the law...I don't have to..I can lie..you can't....I can cheat..you can't...standard MO
July 29, 2008
5:54 a.m.
Suggest removal
Shadow writes:
"There's not a need . . . as a city to know exactly who's driving which vehicle," Williams said. "That's an issue internally for the DNCC."
Thats right, nothing to see here, move along. Theres no bias going on. Its all internal. Nothing news worthy here. Just Democrats taking care of Democrats on the tax payers dime.
July 29, 2008
8:01 a.m.
Suggest removal
FCZ writes:
"What are they trying to hide?"
July 29, 2008
8:06 a.m.
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Rallyracer7 writes:
I love how there are people bashing John Hickenlooper about this. I am willing to bet he had nothing to do with this, and that it was more the DNC commitee that decided that they didn't have to pay like everyone else. Typical liberal thinkers. And being a conservative myself, i'm not for the Dumacratic party, but really people, John isn't the problem, it's the people of the party.
July 29, 2008
8:17 a.m.
Suggest removal
cooperjtd writes:
....sigh... should any of this really come as a surprise to anybody? regardless of the party affiliation, it's just government as usual. I don't know about anybody else, but I'm tired of getting bent over and not even getting a kiss afterwards. But what can you do besides move or get arrested for protesting.
land of the free, unless you don't conform to the popular government opinion.
sorry folks, this article just made me throw up a bit in my mouth.
July 29, 2008
8:17 a.m.
Suggest removal
LOUIE writes:
So what's wrong with the democrats pumping Ethyl, long as it isn't Ethel Kennedy?
July 29, 2008
8:20 a.m.
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Alive writes:
All I really want is Hickenlooper to brush his teeth and get a good haircut.
See folks, I can put the partisanship aside and get down to the real human issues that we all must face together. The mayor's dental hygiene effects us all equally. Hopefully this is just one small step in bringing us together.
Let's pool our money and get Hicky all buffed up for his big show. Together, we can show the world just how special Denver is!
God Bless You All.
July 29, 2008
8:44 a.m.
Suggest removal
toocool writes:
61 cars buzzing about Denver - doing what? The Convention is @ the Pepsi Center, the Convention Center Hotel a few blocks east, other obligations and planning (accept city police-security) handled - dare we say - by telephone-conference calls, email, etc. SO "who are these people" and where are they going???
July 29, 2008
9 a.m.
Suggest removal
Darwin writes:
YIOTA writes: The party of change. The campaign of hope. The empty suit with a bunch of blind followers is more like it.
You are right. They take the dollars and leave you with a little change, if there is any. Their "hope" is that you don't catch on to their shenanigans. Your statement "The empty suit with a bunch of blind followers is more like it" is quite correct.
July 29, 2008
10:09 a.m.
Suggest removal
stuckiniowa writes:
Freethought -- 10 ears of sweet corn says he has to PAY for his interest in oil there. He will probably use loopholes to mitigate the taxes he pays -- but at least he will pay them!!!!
July 29, 2008
10:10 a.m.
Suggest removal
alwaysright writes:
Hey let's put on orange jump suits and protest.
July 29, 2008
10:13 a.m.
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treecat writes:
Your children will pay for years to come for the Democratic National Convention.
Politicians of Denver & Colorado get a chance to PLAY wannbees!! During the convention they and Denver's taxpayers will get nothing but the clean up, unpaid bills and later criticism. While looking pathetic on television, like those who line the edges of the Red Carpet during Oscars. You know the ones, 24 hours before the show.
July 29, 2008
10:20 a.m.
Suggest removal
HankRearden writes:
Impeach Hickenlooper, elect Diamond Joe Quimby. I er-a he would make a great er-a mayor for Springville, er-a Denver.
July 29, 2008
10:52 a.m.
Suggest removal
peter303 writes:
After the Augest election passes, the city can impound the vehicles then.
July 29, 2008
12:05 p.m.
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Crub writes:
screwy louie is funny
July 29, 2008
12:54 p.m.
Suggest removal
WhadUsay writes:
Just cause you don't read about it here in Denver doesn't mean the RNC isn't doing the same stuff. Here are just a few examples:
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/disp...
http://www.fightbacknews.org/2008/07/...
http://www.minnesotaindependent.com/v...
http://protestrnc2008.org/
http://www.minnesotamonitor.com/showD...
http://wcco.com/local/dialogue.office...
http://www.twincities.com/politics/ci...
http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/article/...
July 29, 2008
1:24 p.m.
Suggest removal
mark79trans writes:
$11,141.53 worth of fuel burnt so far and it hasn't even started. What about Global Warming? I would expect a pretty big donation to the Carbon Fund for this. Are these hypocrites avoiding Carbon Credits to off-set burning all this fuel similar to avoiding taxes. What the heck? Shouldn't these people be using public transportation since that is what they are advocating for the rest of us? I fail to see the need for this transportation since the convention hasn't started. The host committee would look good on buses and lite-rail for whatever transpiration they need prior to the convention starting. I really don't care if they have boxes of paper since they could care less about my child who needs transportation to and from school or to and from day-care.
July 29, 2008
1:25 p.m.
Suggest removal
Cwillyrun1 writes:
freethought, there was a deficit long before Bush became President. Solely blaming him is nothing more than looking for a scapegoat, and what does it have to do with the lack of oversight by the Democrats running this circus... letting DNC members avoid the law? I'm happy I'm not a resident of Denver.
July 29, 2008
2:12 p.m.
Suggest removal
DU13070305 writes:
YIOTA assumes that these vehicles are small, fuel-efficient vehicles. Yet the ones I've seen parked outside convention HQ in the mornings are all brand-new Chevy Tahoe hybrids that get a whopping 20 mpg.
July 29, 2008
2:28 p.m.
Suggest removal
whazzamattau writes:
These thefts by DNC officials just prove the old adage: A liberal is someone that will give you the shirt off someone else's back." These DNC officials are thieves stealing from the citizens of Denver at Mayor Hickenlooper's invitation. What hypocrisy and this is the administration complaining that there is not enough money in city budgets to do provide important human services. Liberals only want us around to pay their bills.
July 29, 2008
2:46 p.m.
Suggest removal
whazzamattau writes:
Dear WhadUsay,
The links you post that you claim show that Republicans are running the same gasoline theft ring as operated by the DNC is totally bogus. I clicked on 3 or 4 of them. Not a single instance of Republicans engaging in this kind of theft from taxpayers, even on your hyper-liberal drivel web sites. But we can't expect liberals to be confused by facts. It's the politics of personal destruction, lies and smear campaigns and the hypocrisy of claiming your opponents are just as corrupt as you are.
Can’t you think for yourself, or is the truth so foreign to you that you cannot stomach the fact that it’s wrong to steal. Even if it is your hero who is the thief.
July 29, 2008
3:17 p.m.
Suggest removal
Cwillyrun1 writes:
freethought, the DNC is not allowed to avoid paying local, state and federal taxes on gasoline, per Colorado law. Do you get that??? Also, how many leaders of other countries visit the United States, under Bush's watch or any other President, that us taxpayers end up paying for? What is it you don't get? Blaming Bush for every ill this country has is pretty weak, but it still has nothing to do with the DNC illegally having access to untaxed gas under a Democratic Mayor's watch.
Education President..... a flawed "No Child Left Behind" act but it's still better than what Clinton had before him...... which was, NOTHING! Right? Health Care President, but is that the socialist version of health care, where the government covers everyone? That idea hasn't worked in Massachussetts, where the deficit from their health care model after just a few years has left them asking the federal government for a bailout. They wanted it, now they can pay for it themselves. Tax Reform President.... and he has cut taxes for all classes, not just the rich that the media plays on because people like you are easily led and it makes for more readership or viewership. Maybe you like the version of tax reform we get with Bill Ritter instead (more taxes). I don't! Social Security Reform President, which was looked at, but unfortunately there was never a consensus with that in regards to Congress and the Senate. Guess they can take as much blame for their failure to act, even if Pelosi said that with the Democrats in control things would get done. HAHAHAHA, yeah, right! Peace to the Mideast President, Iraq is better off than it has been, Iran isn't taking Americans hostage like they did with Carter, Pakistan and India aren't at each other's throats like they were when Bill Clinton was in office........ but it's still the mideast and true peace won't come until that part of the world moves out of the stone age.
Come back more prepared next time. And try to not avoid the problem with the DNC not paying fuel taxes, which is against the law in Colorado.
July 29, 2008
3:23 p.m.
Suggest removal
Rallyracer7 writes:
Free Thought, I just want to know where you got the figures for Bush throwing the Pope a party... I am sure you would be hard pressed to find that he spent millions of dollars on one party. There is no way actually, even with security and everything else that he spent more than a couple hundred thousand tops.
July 29, 2008
3:27 p.m.
Suggest removal
mark79trans writes:
Why is it that the DNC screws up and looks pretty hypocritical given their environmental stance, and those on this board that don't want to take responsibility start pointing the finger at Bush or other officials! That is pretty messed up and a the major problem we face today...nobody wants to take responsibility for anything!
Republican or Democrat...public officials are bought by special interests and we give them way to much money and power, period! It is a power game and we the people are stuck in the crossfire. Furthermore, too many people give this power based on a promise of something they don't have or have never earned.
July 29, 2008
6:28 p.m.
Suggest removal
GetReal writes:
When is the Dem Governor and Mayor going to painstakingly assemble a Dem Blue Ribbon Committee to determine if these Dem gas indiscretions warrant the assembling of another Dem Blue Ribbon Committee to investigate, and then find no Dem indiscretions?
All of this too, on the taxpayers dime.
July 29, 2008
6:55 p.m.
Suggest removal
Sundog writes:
Truth is, we need a new party. The American Party. Throw the b-ds out.