Taxpayer activist groups in California have questioned the state's purchase of $540,000 in Ford Fusion Hybrids and other cars for state legislators over the past 18 months.

The activists say the vehicles are unnecessary political perks that underline the "excesses and absurdities" of government, the president of the National Tax Limitation Committee told the Los Angeles Times.

The 20 cars, which are reserved for state Senators, replace state fleet vehicles with as little as 12,400 miles on their odometers. They have been assigned to the state Senate motor pool. A spokesman with the state's Department of General Services said the new vehicles were part of the "continuing effort to green the state's fleet."

The older vehicles replaced by the Fusion Hybrid cars were cycled back into the state's daily rental fleet.