The Limousine Liberal

Also, the city has TransitChek — it wouldn’t be that hard to just get a monthly pass. They could even make a video about it, like they did with composting. That still wouldn’t answer who will drive you around Italy, but it’s at least something:

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio regularly doesn’t pay for subway rides when he is conducting government business — contrary to what his office said earlier this week — and he takes personal out-of-state trips at the expense of taxpayers, aides said.

Mr. de Blasio, a Democrat who previously served as the city’s top government watchdog, allows the taxpayers to pay for nongovernment trips outside the five boroughs, a practice other elected officials with police protection decided is improper.

The mayor’s aides said Mr. de Blasio wouldn’t reimburse the city for taxpayer-funded costs such as fuel, though other politicians do.

Marti Adams, the mayor’s first deputy press secretary, said she erred this week when she told The Wall Street Journal that Mr. de Blasio pays for his subway rides and that it was an “exceptional case” on Tuesday when the Journal observed the mayor entering the subway without paying.

[. . .]

The mayor’s staff told the public that Mr. de Blasio paid for his trip to Italy, but Ms. Adams confirmed that a chauffeured white Mercedes-Benz that transported the family all over Italy was paid for by the taxpayers. She declined to provide the cost of that car.

Ms. Adams signaled that Mr. de Blasio’s stance on travel-payment issues is developing. She said the mayor “recently clarified” with his office’s legal counsel whether he should be paying for his commute since moving to taxpayer-funded Gracie Mansion.

[. . .]

Betsy Gotbaum, who preceded Mr. de Blasio as public advocate, said she reimbursed the city for nongovernment use of her city vehicle. “The mayor should pay for anything that isn’t work related,” she said.

Ms. Gotbaum said she also paid for her subway rides, even when those trips were related to city business. She said she believes Mr. de Blasio should pay for all of his subway rides, no matter the purpose.

“He is an example, and I think he makes enough to pay,” she said, referring to Mr. de Blasio, who is paid $225,000 annually. “It’s better for his image and the city’s image if he pays. People watching, seeing the cops swipe him through — it’s not a great image.”

A number of elected officials — Ms. Gotbaum, Christine Quinn, a former City Council speaker, and Bill Thompson, a former city comptroller, for example — reimbursed the city for thousands of dollars for nonwork-related trips they took in their city vehicles. Ms. Quinn also usually paid for her subway rides, no matter their purpose, an aide said.