University System used $2 million in taxpayer money for mansion

ATLANTA - The Georgia Board of Regents used more than $2 million from taxpayers to renovate the house where the chief executive of the state University System lives, according to a report by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.<br> <br> In Sunday&#39;s editions, the paper said the 6,000-square-foot, five-bedroom home of Thomas Meredith in the trendy Buckhead area of Atlanta requires $100,000 a year for routine maintenance. Other charges included $14,000 for an interior decorator and $32,000 for four vintage Oriental rugs.<br> <br> The news comes during a budget crisis among Georgia&#39;s 34 public colleges and universities, with cuts of $316 million for this fiscal year.<br> <br> Meredith defends the spending for the house, which is used to host 15 official events.<br> <br> &#34;The regents made a wise decision in purchasing this home when they did,&#34; he told the newspaper. &#34;In terms of the costs spent on the house since they&#39;ve had it, I don&#39;t believe there have been any unnecessary expenditures.&#34;<br> <br>