| Well-grounded The best way to lead is by example, so give South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford credit for cutting back on his usage of state planes. The state's other constitutionally elected officeholders are also to be commended for curbing their use of state planes at a time when the state is hundreds of millions of dollars in the hole. Sadly, the same frugality cannot be said for Georgia, which is also facing a huge deficit of about $1 billion. Gov. Sonny Perdue does pay for his plane usage out of his campaign funds, but according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, other constitutional officers, especially state school Superintendent Kathy Cox, fly on state planes, at a cost of about $600 an hour, for official business when they could save taxpayers a bundle by going commercial. In 2001, there were 208 flights by South Carolina's top elected state officials; last year there were only 96. This may be a small thing in terms of absolute dollars, but symbolically it's extremely important. The public hates the kind of hypocrisy where elected leaders are pinching pennies on essential services while they continue to take maximum advantage of every official perk, such as flying up, up and away on taxpayer-funded planes. State budget shortfalls over the past several years have triggered tens of millions of dollars in painful midyear spending cuts. Nonetheless, the No. 1 problem for the Palmetto State's legislative session next month will be the looming $350 million deficit. Gov. Sanford insists that Cabinet-level officers use commercial flights or, even better, drive when feasible. They're also urged to share hotel rooms on as many trips as possible. Former Gov. Jim Hodges and his staff took 101 flights on the state's airplanes during his first nine months in office at a cost of $40,213, according to an analysis of state Commerce Department records by The Associated Press. Sanford, who took office in January, took 67 flights during the first nine months of this year, costing $30,538. Both men spent less than former Gov. David Beasley, whose flights on state planes and helicopters cost at least $59,000 during his first nine months in office. The state owns one plane and co-owns a jet; Sanford is seeking a way out of the latter deal, made by the Commerce Department three years ago. Not using the jet saves some money, but not having to help pay for maintenance and upkeep would save a lot more. The tab for management fees since July is $136,549; since 2000 it's $623,457. It makes no sense to continue those maintenance costs for a plane the state seldom uses and could get along without. The other plane, that the state owns outright, should be kept on hand and in flying condition for emergencies only which, hopefully, will be rare. All we're asking is that our elected officials be well-grounded.
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