Free airport parking perk given to elected officials

(3/21/07 - KTRK/HOUSTON) (KTRK) -- How would you like to go to one of Houston's airports, leave your car there during your trip and not pay to park? That may sound too good to be true, but it is reality for some Houstonians.

Almost every airport in the country has a VIP parking program -- a special perk for some people in the community whenever they travel. As we found out, dozens in Houston get that perk and the city forgoes thousands of dollars in potential parking revenue.

Finding a parking space at the big airport can be a drag. So can paying the tab after a long trip away from home -- unless you're someone special.

Traveler Kirstin Newby asked, "How do you do that? Oh, government always has a trick up its sleeve."

The city's airport VIP program includes members of congress, state legislators, county commissioners, city council and even port commissioners while they're in office. And if you've been mayor, you get a lifetime pass. The idea is to encourage elected officials to be proponents of Houston.

Becky Day asked, "They don't pay for a lot of things, do they? Not like the rest of us."

According to documents obtained by Eyewitness News, from July 2005 to February of this year elected officials got $42,015 worth of free airport parking. During that time period, members of congress, who must travel to Washington, used the perk the most. Congressman John Culberson is among the most frequent parkers -- $4,400 worth -- sometimes leaving his car at the airport for weeks at a time.

City council members generally travel the least. Council member Toni Lawrence got $134 of free parking.

She explained, "We're limited, trips come up very fast, and I think that's the intent, not to abuse the system."

Culberson's office told us in a statement that "My employers are the taxpayers. Just like any other employer, when I am traveling on the business of my employer, my employer pays for my parking and traveling."

But the airport admits there's no certain way to police the parking perk

"The ideal use of this benefit is for when they are fighting for Houston or whatever," said Richard Fernandez of the Airport System. "However, when we issue these cards, we have no regulatory power of when they use card."

We looked through all the data, and out of the entire city council, Jarvis Johnson is the most frequent parker, getting just over $300 worth of free parking. We have posted the complete list.
(Copyright © 2007, KTRK-TV)

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