According to New York Magazine’s Daily Intelligencer blog, the first family is planning to use their own private funds for some renovations in the White House.

While the Obama’s can probably afford the expenses (they declared $4.2 million in household income in 2007 tax returns) there are government funds that could have been used to cover the projects. There is a $100,000 budget allotted to president for redecorating, as well as private charities such as the White House Historical Association, which covered Laura Bush’s request for a (awkward) $74,000 set of china.

I knew there was something about these people that I liked.