The results are in, finally, from our “What’s-In-Your-Driveway” poll of the Maine congressional delegation.

As promised in an item posted last week, Down to Earth asked each of our four members of Congress what vehicles they use and whether they lease any cars at taxpayer expense. The questions grew out of a debate in the House of Representatives over whether to require members with taxpayer-financed vehicles to give up gas guzzlers for “low greenhouse-gas emitting vehicles.” As of last year, 136 of 435 House members were leasing cars at taxpayer expense.

It took anywhere from 10 minutes to five days for the press secretaries of all four members to give us the answers. Now, there are a lot more important things going on in Washington than our pesky poll, so we won’t name the slowpokes. Here are the responses in the order they were received.

Sen. Susan Collins does not lease a taxpayer financed vehicle, her spokesman wrote.

“She owns two cars... She has a 1998 Honda Accord that she drives here in DC and she has a 1997 Subaru Outback that she drives at home in Maine. She likes them both because they are reliable and get good gas mileage!”

Collins’ enthusiastic spokesman sent a follow-up email to remind us that she has led the legislative fight for fuel efficiency standards and incentives. Yeah, yeah, don’t distract us with energy policy when we’re in pursuit of celebrity gossip and political hypocrisy.

Rep. Tom Allen’s Press Secretary had this to say:

“Tom voted for that amendment. He does not lease a taxpayer financed vehicle. He and (his wife) Diana drive a 2003 Toyota Prius and also have an ancient Jeep they use out at the farm.”

Sen. Olympia Snowe’s spokesman said she doesn’t have a taxpayer-financed vehicle and that her staff did not know members of Congress could even do that. Must be a House thing, the spokesman said.

Snowe has a hybrid Lexus SUV in Washington and a 2001 Cadillac SLS in Maine. In the interest of full disclosure, her office also noted that her husband and former governor John McKernan leases a BMW.

Rep. Michael Michaud’s office sent this reply:

Yes, he does lease a taxpayer financed vehicle. It’s a Toyota Camry (made in Kentucky) and it’s his only vehicle. His spokeswoman also sent a statement from Michaud regarding his support for the fuel standard proposal and the Energy Bill.

“I was pleased that the House-passed bill included a provision that will ensure that the government’s vehicle fleet is made up of low greenhouse gas emitting vehicles. This type of change is important to an overall goal set by the bill to require the federal government to be carbon neutral by 2050. In the end, these types of changes are good for the environment and hold the potential of saving taxpayers $7.5 billion through 2030.”

The House Energy Bill doesn’t yet define what a "low greenhouse-gas emitting vehicle" is, but I’d guess Michaud would get to keep the Camry.

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