Attorney General Curtis Hill catches heat for spending on new van, office renovations

Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on office renovations and a new state vehicle, sparking criticism from some budget leaders. 

The renovations underway at Hill's Statehouse office are expected to cost about $279,000. That includes $78,000 for new furniture, $71,000 for historic replica painting and $2,500 for seven reclaimed chandeliers. The six-room office is home to Hill and 10 to 15 of his top staffers. 

Hill's office initially declined to release the figures, arguing that there was no budget for the project and that costs could change. The $279,000 figure is based on invoices and purchase orders later obtained by IndyStar through a public records request fulfilled by Hill's office.

IndyStar also found that Hill, a Republican who took office in January, has purchased a new 15-passenger van at a cost of nearly $31,000 to serve as a mobile office. The van is emblazoned with decals that cost another $667 and sport Hill's name.

The spending is raising eyebrows among some state lawmakers.

"During the budget cycle, Curtis was yelling and screaming that I wasn’t giving him enough money to run his office," said Sen. Luke Kenley, R-Noblesville,  outgoing chairman of the Senate budget committee. "But apparently that’s not true if he’s doing all these things."

Rep. Greg Porter, D-Indianapolis, the ranking Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, said the spending was inappropriate, especially given the state's recent decision to increase gas taxes and BMV fees.

"In these economic times, when we’re raising taxes to take care of roads, I think a renovation of that magnitude is unnecessary," Porter said. "And I don’t see anybody else with a mobile office with their name on the side of it — not even the governor."

But Jeremy Brilliant, a spokesman for Hill, defended the spending, arguing that repairs to the office were long overdue and would enhance safety.

"The restoration is critical to maintaining the status of this office," he said.

He also said outreach efforts with the mobile office have helped return nearly $100,000 in unclaimed property to Hoosiers.

"The return on investment has been fantastic," he said.

Both the renovations and the van are being funded with money the attorney general's office has recovered through lawsuits it files on behalf of consumers. 

Brilliant said Hill and his staff have tried to keep renovation costs down.

For example, the attorney general's office purchased seven chandeliers from the now-shuttered Jonathan Byrd's Cafeteria. The $2,500 price tag was dramatically lower than the cost of purchasing new fixtures, which he said easily could have surpassed $100,000.

Brilliant said Hill hopes to keep costs well below $279,000, but he acknowledged that costs could also rise. 

For example, construction crews recently discovered old marble and hardwood floors beneath the office's old carpet. Hill had allotted $28,000 for new carpet, but may now try to restore the marble and hardwood floors instead. The cost of that remains unclear, Brilliant said.

Also not included in the $279,000 is the re-creation of historic doors and woodwork throughout the office. Brilliant said Hill plans to use PEN Industries to complete that work. PEN Industries is a division of the Indiana Department of Correction that utilizes inmate labor.

Brilliant said the cost of that work also was unclear. 

Hill is not alone in using public money to upgrade his office.

When former Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz took office in 2013, she spent $86,000 renovating her Statehouse office, according to WISH-8.

That same year, lawmakers allocated $750,000 to spruce up House chambers and offices. That makeover included new leather chairs that cost $760 each. 

A few miles north of the Statehouse, the state-owned governor's residence is also undergoing HVAC, electrical, flooring and fencing work. Those upgrades are expected to cost taxpayers about $185,000.

Call IndyStar reporter Tony Cook at (317) 444-6081. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.