Plan to Lease Jet for Davis Is Put on Hold

SACRAMENTO —  Gov. Gray Davis’ administration is reconsidering plans to lease a $9-million personal jet to fly him around, California Highway Patrol Commissioner D.O. “Spike” Helmick said Monday.

Helmick, who is charged with protecting the governor and legislators, said he suggested immediately after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that Davis acquire a two-engine plane to bolster security. State officials moved quickly to find a suitable aircraft and were expected to sign a lease contract this week.

Helmick said the Davis administration now wants to take time to consider whether the Cessna Excel airplane in question is the best deal available--and whether a private plane is needed at all.

“Everything has been put on hold,” Helmick said. “I think it’s being reevaluated. The governor and his staff have asked for it to be reevaluated.”

Though 41 states use private aircraft to zip their governors around, gubernatorial airplanes have long been a controversial issue in California--and the deal the Davis administration was weighing was bound to continue the tradition.

The $80,000-a-month contract, which included a discount on fuel and free hangar space, was not the result of formal competitive bidding. Instead, it was offered by a firm owned by Stephen Beneto, a trucking company executive who is one of the governor’s largest campaign contributors. The CHP settled on the deal with Beneto Jet Sales after contacting five airplane companies and outlining the expected security and performance standards.

Helmick said Monday the Davis administration may now want to seek offers from a broader set of companies if it decides to lease a plane.

The governor’s office declined to discuss the issue Monday, referring all calls to Helmick. But one state source, who requested anonymity, said administration officials were concerned that the timing of the plane contract made it appear that the governor was trying to capitalize on the terrorist attacks to get something he wanted.

There also is concern about the message Davis would be sending to the public by abandoning commercial flights in favor of private transport. Former President Bill Clinton said last weekend that he planned to book several commercial flights in coming weeks as a show of support for the nation’s airlines, which are in financial straits since the terrorist strikes.

Past California governors have enjoyed personal air transportation. Gov. Pat Brown was fond of his Convair 340 propeller plane, which he nicknamed the Grizzly. Ronald Reagan, who succeeded Brown as governor in 1967, avoided the personal plane for a while but eventually acquired a small jet. Gov. Jerry Brown then refused to extend the Reagan lease and did away with planes altogether 25 years ago, saying they were too extravagant for his “era of limits” administration.

As a result, Davis’ decision to consider bringing back the personal plane could become political fodder for his Republican opponents as he seeks reelection next year.

“Given the fact that Gray Davis has taken us from extraordinary surpluses to massive budget deficits, we think it is not the time to talk about a personal airplane for him,” said Beth Miller, a spokeswoman for gubernatorial candidate and Secretary of State Bill Jones.

With families everywhere having to tighten their budgets because of the economic downturn, Davis should do the same, Miller said. Jones, a licensed pilot, sometimes flies a small Cessna to events around the state but usually flies Southwest or United.

But other potential rivals were not so eager to criticize the idea. Investment banker Bill Simon Jr. has been using commercial flights to get around the state but probably will use a personal plane as the campaign heats up, his advisors said, and he supports Davis doing the same as part of his office duties.

“We have no problem with the governor having a plane to conduct official business,” said Simon spokesman Bob Taylor. “These are difficult times we are living in. It’s entirely appropriate.”

And former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, the other GOP hopeful, is not going to second-guess Davis’ choice of transport, said spokeswoman Carolina Guevara. But while Riordan has been known to fly private jets on occasion, he prefers to travel with the public and on the cheap.

“He likes to fly coach. Unfortunately, I can attest to this,” Guevara said. “He loves to be in coach because he gets a chance to talk to people. He doesn’t see the need to fly any other way.”