Governor Tom Wolf, when he shut down Pa.'s economy, also shut down car dealers. But that's no reason for his administration to stop buying high-end cars. On April 10, the General Services Administration posted a solicitation on the state's e-Marketplace, seeking proposals for two 2020 Ford Expedition Ltd Max, complete with heated seats, leather-trimmed captain's seats and a snazzy sound system. These are $64,000 cars, and according to a State Representative, sound suspiciously like the cars used for Governor Wolf's police detail. I guess he's parked his Jeep Wrangler until his next campaign.
Since the state's car dealers have been put out of business, he's obviously trying to make a deal with an out-of-state supplier.
State Rep. Andrew Lewis, who exposed this hypocrisy, had this comment: "An auto dealer in Ohio can submit a bid to supply these PA government vehicles because Ohio is operating by federal CISA guidelines for essential businesses and allows auto sales. An auto dealer in Maryland can, because Maryland is operating by federal CISA guidelines as well. An auto dealer from VA can..... you get my point. There’s something perverse about a state government buying vehicles, paid for by PA taxpayers, from out of state dealers when that same government has shut down all PA dealerships. This hurts the employees at family-owned dealerships more than anyone else, as they are struggling to hang on by a thread. Yet another example of arbitrarily holding Pennsylvanians back while giving opportunities to other states who will be so far ahead of us when this shut down ends."
18 comments:
The PA car dealers may have their showrooms closed, but they can do business online. Enough with all the big bad Wolf posts.
Carvana man!
In a time like this, EVERY State Taxpayer purchase should be looked at carefully. First of all, is the purchase an ESSENTIAL need. A ‘must have item.’ An item or service that cannot be put off for one more year.
Then consider the DISGUSTING appearance of your own State spending YOUR dollars in another State for an item that can be obtained at dozens of vendors already in YOUR State. Madness.
Think ahead. YOUR State Is about to raise every tax on YOU to recover lost funding due to this shut down. It will probably create a brand new
‘Fee’ on top. Call this one the COVID-19 Recovery Fee. These upcoming money grabs from YOU will remain in place, at least, for 2-10 years.
Enjoy the brand new, tricked-out, SUVs that YOU purchased. Oh, you won’t even get a ride!
And if the dealer is a small business that's transgender owned, the state will pay a healthy premium for those rides vs buying from some privileged dealer who might save taxpayers money. What goes on in DGS bidding is shocking. I'm not certain what state agency is performing the transgender background examination or if gloves are used and pants are lowered.
7:14-
This is a Left-leaning Blog, provided to us by a Left-leaning Blogger, living in a Left-leaning State. I’ve had several things deleted over the years, too. But, to that I say, “So What?” It’s not my Blog. I understand I am a GUEST subject to the house rules, which I will respect.
MOST of my views do go out, and I’m grateful. I not a ‘Blog Fanatic.’ Still, I believe this is our region’s most read Blog, and with a nice sampling of REAL political operatives following along. Some of those folks will be influenced by what I offer. That’s the key for me. All we can do is, what we CAN. I’ll take that!
Besides, I refuse to Register with Google, Facebook, Twitter, and the like. So, here I am.
What a slap in the face to regional auto dealers! Good expose, Bernie.
While I agree with 5:10 AM that PA dealers can solicit the business on-line, the bigger question is whether this expenditure is needed.
With the Wolf administration finding more and more ways to commit fiscal hari kari, maybe they should just pop the 130K into the unemployment benefits fund.
Wolf will destroy the average business in pa--he was not a real business person--he was a left wing person who will destroy as many businesses as possible
Wolf will listen to advice from a Cuomo, a Schumer, before guidance from everyday productive citizens. The old ‘Never Let a Crisis Go to Waste’ theory.
The republicans want to pass legislation to rely on Fed standards for reopening.
That way any deaths caused by a second wave they can blame the feds.
Bernie come over from the dark side signed Like Skywalker
THIS GUY NEEDS TO GO ! HE WILL KILL OUR COMMONWEALTH AND THEN TAX US MORE THAN WHAT HE ALREADY IS.
"This is a Left-leaning Blog, provided to us by a Left-leaning Blogger, living in a Left-leaning State. I’ve had several things deleted over the years, too. But, to that I say, “So What?” It’s not my Blog. I understand I am a GUEST subject to the house rules, which I will respect."
I delete comments that make sweeping generalizations about one side or the other. Neither the right nor the left is the enemy, nor is it Democrats or Republicans. If you wish to comment, my standards are pretty low. I do not like vulgarity. I do not like anonymous slurs aimed at other readers. I hate huge gaps at the end of a comment. And I find that comments containing these slams at the "left" or "right" are unthinking, for the most part. I have deleted a few today. I do not delete criticisms of elected public officials unless they are totally disgusting. Unfortunately, some are. At its worst, this bl;og is a troll farm attracting ugly comments from some ugly and sick people. At its best, it is participatory journalism. Like yesterday's link to the graph from PSU. Or the story about Chief Miller. It all started in the comments.
9:43 -
I would answer, Governor Wolf should do the same, and for the same reason! It’s obvious, Wolf is looking for cover, or TO COVER. He’s just “Looking For Cover in All the Wrong Places.”
Bernie, I wrote the portion quoted in your 10:46 response. You are doing a good job. I do not agree with your understanding of certain things, but in the end, you are providing our community a valuable public service. It’s the ongoing DIALOGUE that matters. The Pros and Cons that might cause readers to do more research.
You may lean left, but you're giving a fair shake to businesses and workers who are suffering. The overreach and lack of transparency is appalling. I appreciate your enabling the conversation.
"You may lean left"
Yeah oK. Left of Atilla the Hun? You Trumnpkins are funny and sad!
5:10 You may be able to look at vehicles on-line, but you can't purchase anything! Notaries aren't allowed to process any paperwork! Buyers are going to Jersey to make purchases- I know several small Car Dealers that have gone out of business- this is just crazy!
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