The $44,000 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which may or may not be a “Trailhawk” edition, gets about 22 miles to the gallon. It’s a perk that Zimmerman receives for mostly work-related travel, though the Metroparks has noted in the past that the CEO does make a single trip to and from his Strongsville home each day.
In other words, it’s his personal vehicle, though it’s owned and maintained by the Metroparks, (which is funded, lest we forget, by taxpayers). Much like the new-ish white Jeep it replaces, this 2019 edition will presumably have no Metroparks branding or government license plates.
The high-performance SUV was purchased on Jan. 4 at the Haasz Automall of Ravenna, (see image below). It is “a hugely capable off-roader—or track warrior—wrapped in a smart package,” says the ratings team at thecarconnection.com. “[It is] exceptional in many ways, but not in fuel economy. Offered with a wide range of gas-powered engines, the 2019 Grand Cherokee doesn’t have any tricks to keep the truck from sliding down our fuel-efficiency scale.”
Jeep promotes this gas-guzzler as a vehicle that “exudes luxury, power and follows through with grace.”
It’s just the sort of vehicle for Zimmerman, who, according to a Metroparks spokeswoman, continues to be provided a park-owned vehicle because of the regular travel his job entails, “including on-trail and off-road driving.” Lol. Taxpayers should feel relieved, at this point, that Zimmerman hasn’t developed a taste for the Mercedes Safari vehicles.
Zimmerman pays taxes “on mileage for commuting,” the spokeswoman wrote Scene in an email, and “provides reimbursement to Cleveland Metroparks for personal use.”
As if that makes this outlandish perk measurably less offensive. Both Scene and Cleveland.com have noted before that the SUV is simply over-the-top, especially when it’s considered alongside Zimmerman’s salary, which has ballooned to nearly $240,000 from the $145,00 annual rate at which he was hired in 2010. This is to say nothing of his generous benefits package, which among things includes an exclusive ability to cash out unused vacation days.
Every time we report on these excesses, we are bombarded by Zimmerman supporters who note that he has achieved untold wonders at the helm of the Metroparks, (some of which we wholeheartedly support). They are keen to list the abundance of business and marketing awards accrued. They assure us that Zimmerman could make much more money in the private sector. He is therefore worth every penny.
And yet, we often wonder just how far that logic goes. Surely, the free brand-new SUV rankles even adamant supporters. It’s a bad look for three readily identifiable reasons, which we’re happy to reiterate:
- The park-owned, taxpayer funded vehicle is essentially Zimmerman’s private car. He takes it home and may use it for whatever he pleases.
- It’s a very expensive vehicle, a top-of-the-line product fresh off the assembly line that would cost half as much in a year or two, given the rapid depreciation of automobiles. Why does Zimmerman need a brand new car every couple of years? Is this responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars?
- Most importantly, the 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee is a hulking, gas-guzzling SUV. We’re talking about the CEO of the Cleveland Metroparks here, and he has demanded a vehicle that’s exceptional in pretty much every area except fuel economy. His thirst for “luxury and power” then, and the illusory need for off-roading capabilities, comes at the expense of the environment his organization is ostensibly committed to protecting.
This article appears in Jan 16-22, 2019.
Wow…….I would like a GPS tracking device so the public can know exactly where he is driving and how it translates particul use of tax payer money.
He should pay for his private car!! Not me..what a douche to actually except it…The metro parks should be investigated…That’s illegal to use money for personal use…Calling the news station asap…he will go down…karma is a bitch…
Well, this is exactly the kind of shenanigans that happen when the sheeple voters of Cleveland vote yes for every single, ma$$ive tax levy AND tax renewal that are on the ballot at every single election cycle!!!!!!
So nice to know that I am barely struggling to pay the outrageous property taxes that just massively increased by an average of 40% so Zimmerman with his huge, six-figure salary, luxury SUV use, and multitude of perks that most people can only dream about, receive.
Its time to VOTE NO! on ALL of these levies! Us peoperty owners are tapped out!!!!
Once Taxin Jackson gets recalled from office, he should be sent right to jail along with thief Budish for their constant mismanagement of taxpayer funds!!!!
Woah. People living under the bridges while corrupt politicians are living the high Life on tax money. What is this California?
The Cleveland Metroparks continually receives a free ride due to its marketing around trees, trails and deer……the deer that aren’t killed by sharp-shooters several times a year, that is.
When is the public going to wake up and show up and write petitions to the various boards calling for a halt to these practices at their expense. Keep doing nothing and they’ll keep spending your tax dollars.
Appalling that this is a perk of a county job, but then consider all of the other non-profit leaders in our region raking in more than Zimmerman. Sharon Sobol Jordan made $330K to run Centers for Ohio- she was essentially handed the job from Lee Fisher and now Armond Budish is cooking up some way to pay her more at the “Unify Project.” Cleveland City Council President Kevin Kelley is CHAUFFEURED every day by a Cleveland Police Officer. We also have the quasi-governmental Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization which is asking for $30 million dollars from Cuyahoga County Council, but were not allowed to ask any questions about it because wait…it’s a non-profit…no wait, it’s a governmental entity…we’re lawyers!!!
Not that I agree that the taxpayers should be paying for his personal vehicle, but the Trailhawk trim of the Grand Cherokee is not the top of the line. Nor is really a gas guzzler. Trailhawks typically come with a V6 that is rated on par or better than most other SUVs from an MPG standpoint. Plus the picture who show is a Trackhawk, not a Trailhawk. The Trackhawk trim of the Grand Cherokee starts north of $70,000. Again I agree with your stance, but get your facts right.