Some Florida officials using lobbyists' private planes

07-26-2009 • McClatchy News

Rather than drive or fly commercial planes, a small group of lawmakers has billed taxpayers for the convenience of getting to Tallahassee on private planes -- some of them linked to lobbyists and companies with a stake in the decisions legislators make. The 19 Democratic and Republican legislators took private flights totaling more than $37,000 during the recent legislative session, state records show. That represents a fraction of the state's $66.5 billion budget, but it raises questions about the relationships between lawmakers and the groups seeking their votes. And in a time of deep bud