Some members of the Village Board are reported to be using the 'tactic' of claiming miles from work to the Village Hall even though that is a trip that they'd have made on the way home. It is probably fine so far as the IRS is concerned. It has been done in many different settings over the course of time. If there is a specific reason/need for the stop at the Village Hall, then that is fine. If this is simply a convenient way to gain a deduction while satisfying the recently enacted requirements of expense accounts, it troubles me.
The trouble with these kinds of things is that, even though not illegal, some might take away the wrong impression from this knowledge. These kinds of things can too often cloud the minds of people. These things can cause people to 'see' things that may not be there. These are the things that help to create or feed the 'us versus them' issues. These are the things that not all would be comfortable in doing.
Once in public office, one lives in a fish bowl, rightly or wrongly. Maybe my naiveté is showing yet again.
My personal approach is to lean almost too far in the opposite direction in such situations, so, for me, I wish it wasn't so.
This revelation is a little disconcerting. I find it troubling. I wonder what is next.
