Perry defends luxury rental home

Governor says he and first lady share space with security detail, state guests:

Gov. Rick Perry on Friday defended his new digs: the gated home near Barton Creek Country Club where he's staying while the Governor's Mansion is renovated.
Critics have lampooned Perry for the almost $10,000-a-month rent the state is paying for him and first lady Anita Perry during what could be an 18- month renovation. I too do not agree with Gov. Perry being allowed to spend almost then thousand dollars a month just for rent on his rental home. Not only is the Gov. Mansion being renovated at the states expense but we also get to pick up the humble rental check.
"If it were just my wife and myself in six-plus thousand square feet, they might have a point," Perry said of his critics. " But there's 21 members of the governor's protective detail that use up probably a good third of the space." Does this include the pool?
Perry said the home- which had been for sale for $1.8 million- is used for meetings and entertainment too. Of course the house is used for that too, he's the Governor. I'm sure there were other houses, where he is supposed to be renting, for less rent.
Perry goes on to try and say that architects warned him the Mansion was in danger of being lost to fire or structural damage and so the need for renovation is necessary, and therefore needed a place to live. Perry says that since moving from the Gov. Mansion that he has missed being near Town Lake, but that "it's fun getting to know new neighbors," He also said " it's fun, actually, to have neighbors." Perry said he spent Halloween handing out candy bars to the kids, how nice of him.
A reporter pointed out to Perry that former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee moved into a triple- wide mobile home in 2000 for mansion renovations. The trailer was placed on mansion grounds. Gov. Perry replied "Texas, Aint Arkansas."
It does not matter what excuse Governor Perry tries to make about why he chose the house that he chose, I am still not going to agree with it. It is a big waste of the states money just to house some folks for a while no matter which way you try and look at the situation.