JEFFERSON CITY, MO – Is it all right to use government property for private purposes as long as taxpayers are reimbursed? When it comes to Missouri state-issued cars driven by elected officials, the answer is yes, said the state’s Office of Administration, according to The Kansas City Star.

However, according to Missouri law, “State agencies shall be responsible for ensuring that state vehicles are used only for state business and not for private purposes.”

The Kansas City Star inquired about the use of state vehicles by Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder and three other statewide elected officials following recent revelations that Attorney General Jay Nixon has used a state vehicle to attend political fundraisers.

Kinder’s office said he began using a state-issued vehicle in September 2005 and came to an agreement with the Office of Administration to reimburse the state for personal use of the car on an annual basis. Kinder’s office provided a copy of a check for $5,756 paid to the state in September 2006. The check matched up with a campaign expenditure reported on Kinder’s October 2006 campaign finance report.

Rich Aubuchon, deputy commissioner and chief counsel for the Office of Administration, said the agency on its own adopted a vehicle reimbursement policy for personal use. He could not cite a statute authorizing the practice, the report said.