Governor asks for state audit over vehicle usage

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry has asked for a state audit to determine how many passenger-type vehicles the state operates and how they are used. <br><br>The state may own about 10,000

Monday, December 15th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry has asked for a state audit to determine how many passenger-type vehicles the state operates and how they are used.

The state may own about 10,000 vehicles of all types, according to preliminary Department of Central Services data.

The state motor pool is a fraction of the total _ individual agencies also own numerous vehicles.

However, what Henry and the state auditor are targeting are cars, sport utility vehicles and other passenger vehicles used by agency officials and employees.

State Auditor and Inspector Jeff McMahan will take a comprehensive look not only at numbers of vehicles, but their uses, with a hard look at efficiency _ in short, whether they are really needed.

McMahan says being able to sell surplus vehicles will bring in additional revenues that are particularly needed during the state's ongoing period of budget stress.

At some point, agencies may have to unload unneeded vehicles as surplus property.