October 2, 2008

A Royal Mess

By: AF Editors

A number of groups in Washington have been pushing transparency efforts throughout the states, effecting real change around the country (and indeed, the world). Kudos to groups like Americans for Tax Reform, the National Taxpayers’ Union, and Citizens Against Government Waste for their efforts to expose waste, fraud, and abuse. Unfortunately, this work is never done…

The latest government body in need of a little transparency?

The Queen of England.

From The Courier and Mail:

Like homeowners across Britain, the monarch has faced escalating prices for fuel, food and home repairs.

These have seen the cost of maintaining her position as head of state almost double.

But her taxpayer-funded Civil List payment of £7.9 million ($17.5m) has not increased in 20 years – and is not due to be renegotiated until 2010. …

About 70 per cent of her Civil List revenue is spent on staff salaries. The rest goes on entertaining.

If her income and expenses are paid by the taxpayer — have at it. BTW, 30% of $17.5M USD is $5.25M on “entertaining.”

(Hat tip: Perez Hilton. Yeah, that’s right.)