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Thursday January 18 6:27 PM ET
Clinton Will Stay on Govt. Payroll
By SHANNON McCAFFREY, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Clinton (news - web sites) leaves government
housing Saturday for life as a private citizen, but he'll still be receiving
federal help.
Like other ex-presidents, Clinton will continue to get taxpayer-funded
travel, mail, staff, office space and Secret Service protection.
Clinton is office hunting in Manhattan, one of the world's priciest markets.
The 56th floor suite the president has his eye on reportedly rents for about
$650,000 a year, more than twice the $285,000 Ronald Reagan's California
office costs taxpayers. President Bush's Texas office costs $147,000;
President Carter's in Georgia, $93,000, and President Ford's in Michigan,
$99,000.
The rent and other office-related costs - everything from pens and pencils
to travel - are covered by the government for the life of the ex-president.
Clinton is only 54, so taxpayers could be footing the bill for decades.
``That President Clinton is looking in such an expensive area is a great
concern to us,'' said Pete Sepp, spokesman for the conservative American
Taxpayers Union.
Gary Ruskin of the Congressional Accountability Project, a watchdog group
affiliated with consumer advocate Ralph Nader (news - web sites), suggested
Clinton look for a cheaper office or set up shop in a federal office
building.
``We hope he'd help save some of the budget surplus he helped create,''
Ruskin said.
The Carnegie Hall Tower office suite Clinton is eyeing is on West 57th
Street and has a commanding view of Central Park. In the neighborhood are
the famed Russian Tea Room restaurant, the Carnegie Deli and Carnegie Hall.
Rockrose Realty, which is handling the property, would not comment Thursday.
White House officials would say only that no deal had been finalized.
Office rents in Midtown Manhattan average $62 per square foot but can be as
high as $100 a square foot in some choice buildings, said Michael Slattery
of the New York City Real Estate Board.
Manhattan is about an hour's drive from the Clintons' home in Chappaqua,
N.Y., bought when Hillary Rodham Clinton (news - web sites) decided to run
for the seat being vacated by Democratic Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan.
Clinton has not spelled out what he will do after leaving office. He'll
collect a $157,000-a-year pension and may hit the lecture circuit, where he
could make a lot of money.
Don Epstein, chief executive officer of the New York-based Greater Talent
Network, predicted Clinton would earn than $100,000 a speech.
``I think that he probably will command more than just about anybody else
out there,'' Epstein said.
He also could land a huge book deal. Last month, his wife agreed to an $8
million advance for her memoirs.
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