During last week’s discussion which ultimately led to the Gilbert Town Council dropping the town’s policy of providing the mayor with a truck, a staff report outlined how much it’s cost the town to maintain the Ford F-150 truck donated by San Tan Ford in May 2007 for Mayor Steve Berman’s use.
The costs listed in the report included $1.901.64 for “claim settlement,” without providing any details on what kind of claim was settled. Town spokesman Garin Groff told the Tribune that figure represented the cost of repairing both vehicles after Berman backed the truck into another car.
In an interview today, Berman said the crash happened when he was backing out of his driveway at home and hit an illegally parked vehicle parked directly across the street, but “it’s hard to say it’s not your fault when you back into somebody.”
The report highlights that the town’s “free truck” hasn’t been free. During the fiscal year which ended June 30. the town spent $3,740.99 for fuel, $2,013.49 for external maintenance and repair, $682.50 for internal maintenance and repair, $523.98 for supplies, $49.44 for parts, $558.18 for licensing and $380 for insurance, along with the claim settlement. The town is self-insured.
Berman is an embarrasment. Why doesnt he lease his own car? Maybe since he is paying a mortgage on a $1 million home and his wife lives somewhere else, the money gets a little tight. He always says he is “mayor for life”, but I think he is done. I dont know anybody that wants Berman to be Mayor Again.
Now that the mayor will not be getting a truck how about the rest of the town employees that are given car allowances giving them up? Don’t we pay them enough to afford their own car?
So far, in all the articles published about this clown -
No one has investigated HOW he can afford such a palatial home.