Why do moderators ask, "Will you reside in the governor's mansion?"

[Inchworm]

Just curious. How often do they not reside there? Do all states have one?

I'm guessing the same might go for some mayors. What cities have them?

Anyone know where I could look to find answers?

:hi:

[zeemike]

1. I don't know whether you are referring to Jerry Brown.

But when he was Governor he closed down the governors mansion and moved into a small apartment....they called him Governor moonbeam.

[Inchworm]

5. To save money I assume? n/t

[blondeatlast]

2. Many governors choose to remain in their own homes.

I know that Janet Napolitano and Bruce Babbitt stayed in their homes here in AZ. I'm not sure if I would want to move if I were elected guv.

[Inchworm]

7. aHa!

I'll read up on that. It just seems one would miss a lot being elsewhere.

Thanks

:)

[blondeatlast]

11. Eh--I forgot that AZ doesn't even have a guv's mansion. nt

[Inchworm]

16. Hehe

No wonder it was difficult to locate :)

:hi:

[rocktivity]

3. Not all of them do

New York City's current mayor doesn't live at Gracie Manson. And I recall some scandal about Sarah Palin charging per diem fees for working out of her home.

:headbang:
rocktivity

[Inchworm]

9. Ahhh, like living "off base"

in the military.

:hi:

[rocktivity]

13. Here's the Palin scandal I mentioned

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has billed taxpayers for 312 nights spent in her own home during her first 19 months in office, charging a "per diem" allowance intended to cover meals and incidental expenses while traveling on state business...Palin, who earns $125,000 a year, claimed and received $16,951 as her allowance...

Roughly TEN MONTHS out of a possible 19? She DOES go rouge!

:headbang:
rocktivity

[Tommy_Carcetti]

23. Does Rhode Island have one?

The Governor could probably easily commute to work wherever he lives in the state.

[Inchworm]

26. Not according to this

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:US_Governor_Mansions

Yea, there may not be enough room in RI for a mansion ... ut oh :D

:yoiks:

[Inchworm]

4. I've been watching various debates and this question has been asked a few times

I found the answer to what states have them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Governors%27_mansions_in_the_United_States

My curiosity is why wouldn't they reside there? I couldn't imagine a President not living in The White House.

[blondeatlast]

8. Most Presidents are forced to relocate; it's not always necessary for a guv to do so. nt

[Xithras]

15. A governors mansion isn't the same as a White House.

At least, not in all states. Everybody likes to joke about Jerry Brown selling the California governor's mansion, but the reality is that the California governors mansion was just a big house on a regular street in a suburb of Sacramento anyway. It was a nice house, but there was no way to tell from the street that it was the governor's mansion. The house had no cache, and few people really cared about it.

The White House is a center of government, and not just a home. It has ballrooms for entertaining guests, meeting rooms for dignitaries, and is among the most historical buildings in the United States. Most "governors mansions" are just homes. Nice homes, but still just homes. Of course, there are states where this isn't true (Texas), but overall, most states don't attach a massive amount of symbolism to these homes.

If a governor lives within travel distance to the state capitol, and is more comfortable in their own home, then why NOT let them stay where they are?

[Inchworm]

18. Makes sense

Do states make it clear what "within travel distance to the state capitol" means?

Most times I feel like I'm 2 hours from anywhere. I couldn't imagine the NC governor living in my county. I guess it would be cool and all, but still.

:)

[pipi_k]

6. MA doesn't have a Governor's mansion n/t

[MineralMan]

10. Minnesota has a Governor's mansion. The current Governor, Pawlenty,

does not live it it. It is, however, used for ceremonial functions. I suppose the Governor could live in it, if he chose to do so.

[Inchworm]

14. Does he say why he chooses not to live there?

Like I mentioned, I'm just satisfying my curiosities.

:hi:

[MineralMan]

19. I don't know. He may have when he was first elected, but I didn't

live here then. I imagine, for most Governors, living in the Governor's Mansion is a bit like living in a fish bowl. By living in one's own home, you'd have more privacy. Of course, if your own home is nowhere near the seat of government, that might make a difference in the decision.

I don't know if any states require the Governor to live in the mansion. I'd guess not.

[BillStein]

12. Reagan

refused to live in the governor's mansion, a beautiful old house. He and Nancy had a new mansion built, all electric and soul-less...

[Inchworm]

17. Gonna steal idea from Pelosi

Well, bless his heart for being true to who he is... soul-less.

:P

[Xithras]

21. The old California governors mansion wasn't a practical residence any longer anyway.

Ever been there? It's a beautiful house, but it sits on the intersection of two very busy streets and has tiny lawns, so the whole house sits only feet from the roadway. The whole house shakes when a big truck rolls by, and the mid-1800's construction style (no insulation, single pane glass) means that road noise is both constant and loud. The house is also somewhat small (as many homes of that era were...it was originally built to be a private residence, and not a state building), and lacks room for offices.

The Reagan's actually did stay in the house briefly, and moved out because it's not a very friendly building. Keeping it as the governors mansion would have required extensive renovations and modernization, which would have undermined many of the historical features of the home. And it STILL would have been located only feet from a roadway with big trucks rumbling by.

Turning the old mansion over to the state parks department was probably a good idea. The house worked in the 1800's and early 1900's, but I couldn't imagine anyone wanting to live there nowadays.

[MurrayDelph]

24. Of course, the fact that the Reagans chose not to live there

did not stop Nancy from requesting Brown Sr from leaving early so she could decorate it properly.

After decorating (on the state's dime), they decided they didn't like the place and rented somewhere else.

[AldebTX]

20. Texas Has A Governor's Mansion

However, our current Repug Governor(Perry) does not reside there. It does not meet his needs.

He has the state rent a larger luxury home (at taxpayer's expense) to keep him in the style to which he is accustomed.

Another interesting fact is Rick Perry has been in Government Service (hate that expression) for 25 years and his personal fortune has grown immensely.....unfortunately we are privy to how....its private don't you know.

[Xithras]

22. I thought the Texas governors mansion burned down?

Did they finish rebuilding it already?

[tammywammy]

It doesn't meet his needs because it's still undergoing renovations

It was already under renovations when it was set on fire.

I'm not going to fault him for living in a house that's still fire damaged. I will fault him for his outrageous rental property at $10k a month on the taxpayers dime.

[MurrayDelph]

25. Ahnold gets around the problem

by commuting in his private plane (which is registered in Nevada).

[northoftheborder]

27. Texas gov. mansion

The governor's mansion in Austin is a magnificent historical building, just across from the Capitol. All governors have lived in it. It is used for state functions, the gov. office is there, although he has one in the capitol also, plus living quarters for governor and family. Unfortunately several years ago, while undergoing renovation, it was set on fire by an arsonist, and the repair is just now beginning. It is going to cost millions to put back, and they are using some money which came from the federal hurricane funds to add to the private donations; (not a good time to be raising money for something like this.)

Gov. Goodhair has been living in a rented $10,000 a month private residence paid for by the state. Lots of questions about whether that large and expensive a place is necessary, and I've wondered where Bill White will live if he is elected. There's been so much flack about Perry's abode, White might decide to buy his own home. Security is a real problem when finding a place for a governor to live.

[Winterblues]

28. Sarah not only did not reside in the Governor's mansion but charged the state

per diem for living in her own home...Talk about getting government out of your life....

[karynnj]

29. Some states do - and the reason is that in those states there have

been governors that have opted to commute from their mansions. (NJ, where Corzine was not the first to not live there.)