TAXPAYERS PAY $1,200 MONTHLY FOR MCKEON TO RIDE IN STYLE.

Byline: Eugene Tong Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Taxpayers pay $1,231.51 a month for Rep. Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon to lease a top-of-the-line Acura sedan, one of the the most expensive deals signed by the 136 House members who take advantage of the car-lease perk.

The two-year lease signed last year with Valencia Acura puts the seven-term Santa Clarita Republican behind the wheel of an Acura RL while back home in the 25th congressional district. The model is an ultra-low emission four-door with 290 horsepower and standard voice-activated navigation system.

The basic RL sedan costs at least $49,000 and gets 18 miles per gallon in the city and 26 miles per gallon in highway driving, according to EPA fuel efficiency estimates.

McKeon's car lease, first reported this week by Knight Ridder News Service, is the second most expensive held by a House of Representatives member, behind Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark., who is paying $1,248.31 for a Ford Expedition sport utility vehicle.

House members traveling on official business have a choice of mileage reimbursement - a maximum 44.5 cents per mile - if they use personal vehicles or to lease a car for their two-year term. The Senate does not allow auto leases to come out of office budgets.

The Acura lease comes out of McKeon's annual business budget of $1.3 million allocated by the federal treasury, McKeon spokesman James Geoffry said Wednesday. It covers costs for McKeon's Washington office and district offices in Santa Clarita and Palmdale, including staff salaries and other expenses.

``It's not costing the taxpayers a dime more,'' said James Geoffrey, a McKeon spokesman in Washington. ``It's not like we're going out and getting more than is allocated.

``It's a transportation cost like any other transportation cost. Mr. McKeon went shopping and determined what met his needs and that's what he came to.''

Valencia Acura Owner and General Manager Don Fleming said the price of the car, the shorter two-year lease instead of a standard three or four year, and expected high mileage - about 15,000 miles allotted per year, pushed lease payments north.

``It's a $50,000 car - that's just the way it came out,'' he said. ``It's a nice car. We have cheaper cars, yes, but the man came in and that's the one he wants. ... We're thrilled to have his business.''

McKeon aides said the congressman travels extensively in his sprawling district, which includes the Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys in the west and stretches east to Inyo and Mono counties and portions of San Bernardino County.

While the auto lease doesn't break the bank - McKeon routinely refunds the House treasury any surplus at the end of the year - it's a matter of perception.

``The concern would be they don't want to be seen driving something too ostentatious,'' said Jon Coupal, chair of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, a taxpayer rights group. ``We would prefer that they travel in safe transportation, but not something overly luxurious.''

Last year, leases for 136 House members cost at least $1.05 million, divided between 72 Republicans and 64 Democrats, Knight Ridder reported. Taxpayers also paid for hundreds of thousands of dollars more in gas and insurance.

Other California representatives with expensive leases include Rep. Dennis Cardoza, D-Atwater, who is paying $1,227.17 a month for a Chevrolet truck, and Rep. John Doolittle, R-Roseville, whose Toyota Highlander hybrid costs $1,073.73 per month. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles, is paying $901.22 a month for a Lincoln Town Car.

The least expensive leases are held by Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, who pays $210.65 a month for a Chevrolet Tahoe; Rep. Sue Myrick, R-N.C., whose Honda Accord costs $214.79 a month, and Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., whose Chevrolet Impala costs $219.00 per month.

Valencia Acura owners Fleming and wife Cheri have contributed $6,000 to the congressman since 2002, including $3,500 in the 2006 campaign cycle, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.

``We've been supporters of him for a long time,'' Don Fleming said. ``But we have been supporters of other politicians who drive other cars.''

McKeon's previous ride was a Lincoln Navigator.

Eugene Tong, [phone]

eugene.tong(at)dailynews.com

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