Gassing up the D.C. government’s vehicle fleet has cost nearly $3 million more this fiscal year than last, but District officials say they saw the fuel price spike coming and adequately budgeted for it.

Between October and April, the District spent $8.31 million on gasoline and diesel for the city’s vehicle fleet, paying an average blended price of $2.76 per gallon, according to numbers provided by the Office of Property Management. The city spent $5.48 million during the same period the year before, at an average blended price of $1.93 per gallon.

“The additional $2.8 million was paid for as part of a planned increase,” said Bill Rice, spokesman for the agency, which purchases fuel through a Department of Defense contract. “We saw it coming. We did plan for an increase in fuel costs, and unfortunately it happened.”

The Office of Property Management has $12.8 million budgeted for fleet-related fuel this year, Rice said, and “so far we are within budget.” Four months remain in fiscal 2008.

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According to budget documents, the District projected spending $39.1 million this year for natural gas, $2.5 million for fuel, $32.1 million for electricity and $16.75 million for fleet fuel — roughly $2.65 million more than the expenses totalled in 2007. D.C. leaders maintain the city is adequately prepared for exploding prices.

“When the FY08 and ’09 budgets were drafted, assumptions were made about increasing fuel costs that, at this time, we believe will meet the District’s needs,” said David Umansky, spokesman for D.C. Chief Financial Officer Natwar Gandhi. “However, we are closely monitoring the situation and will keep all departments informed if there are reasons for concern.”

The District eliminated roughly 150 vehicles from its 3,500-vehicle fleet early in Mayor Adrian Fenty’s first year in a cost-saving move.

At the same time, the Department of Public Works shifted 2,273 of its vehicles to run on an environmentally friendlier, ultralow-sulfur diesel.

Fixed costs for the D.C. government, including telecommunications and energy, have increased 55 percent since 2004, due primarily to escalating rent and electricity bills.

mneibauer@dcexaminer.com