Governorship of Sarah Palin

Infobox Governor
honorific-prefix =
name = Sarah Palin
honorific-suffix =


order = 11th
office = Governor of Alaska
term_start = December 4, 2006
term_end =
lieutenant = Sean Parnell
predecessor = Frank Murkowski
successor =
party = Republican PartySarahPalinSegmentsUnderInfoBoxIn 2006, Sarah Palin was elected governor of Alaska. Running on a clean-government platform, Palin defeated incumbent Governor Frank Murkowski in the Republican gubernatorial primary election in August. [cite web |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/23/washington/24alaskacnd.html |title=Alaska Governor Concedes Defeat in Primary |accessdate=2008-09-03 |date=2006-08-03 |work=The New York Times |publisher=] She then went on to win the general election in November, defeating former Governor Tony Knowles 48.3% to 40.9%. [(Johnson 2008, p. 107)] Her running mate was State Senator Sean Parnell.

During the Republican gubernatorial primary campaign, Palin was endorsed by former Alaska Governor Walter Hickel, [ [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=FDNB&p_theme=fdnb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=1129B98727C52AE8&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Hickel backs Palin] , Daily News-Miner (2006-07-01).] and groups such as the Alaska Correctional Officers Association and Alaska Right to Life. [Milkowski, Stefan. “Governor candidates announce endorsements”, Daily News-Miner (2006-08-19).] Later, in the general election for governor, she was supported by Governor Frank Murkowski. [Hopkins, Kyle et al. [http://dwb.adn.com/news/politics/elections/story/8112414p-8004962c.html “Knowles, Palin in November”] , Anchorage Daily News (2006-08-22).] Republican U.S. Senator Ted Stevens made a last-moment endorsement, filming a television commercial with Palin for the gubernatorial campaign.cite news |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/01/palin_was_a_director_of_embatt.html|publisher=Washington Post|title=Palin Was a Director of Embattled Sen. Stevens's 527 Group|last=Mosk|first=Matthew|date=September 1, 2008|accessdate=2008-09-01]

During her campaign for governor, Palin declared that education, public safety, and transportation would be the three cornerstones of her administration. [cite web|url=http://gov.state.ak.us/bio.html |title=Alaska Governor Sarah Palin |publisher=Gov.state.ak.us |date= |accessdate=2008-09-15] She won the race despite spending less than her Democratic opponent. [(Johnson 2008, p. 107)]

Palin became Alaska's first female governor and, at 42, the youngest in state history. She is the first Alaskan governor born after Alaska achieved U.S. statehood and the first governor not inaugurated in Juneau; she chose to have the ceremony in Fairbanks instead. She took office on December 4, 2006, and has maintained a high approval rating throughout her term; [cite web|url=http://www.haysresearch.com/|title=Hays Research home page] at one point she was recognized as the most popular governor in America.cite news|url=http://weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/851orcjq.asp?pg=1|title=The Most Popular Governor|date=2007-07-16|publisher="The Weekly Standard"|accessdate=2008-10-07] The governorship of Alaska carries unusually strong institutional powers; only a handful of states give their governors greater institutional power and responsibility. [cite web|url=http://www.unc.edu/~beyle/gubnewpwr.html|title=Gubernatorial Power: The Institutional Power Ratings for the 50 Governors of the United States|last=Beyle|first=Thad|publisher=University of North Carolina|accessdate=2008-09-10] [cite news|url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122100776282517559.html?mod=most_emailed_day|title=Running Alaska|date=2008-09-10|publisher=The Wall Street Journal|accessdate=2008-09-10]

In 2007, Palin obtained a passport and traveled for the first time outside of North America to Kuwait and Germany to visit with members of the Alaska National Guard. [cite news |first=Bryan |last=Bender |coauthors=Issenberg, Sasha |title=Palin not well traveled outside US |url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/09/03/palin_not_well_traveled_outside_us/ |publisher=Boston Globe |date=2008-09-03 |accessdate=2008-09-03] [cite news |first=Michael |last=Cooper |coauthors=Bumiller, Elisabeth |title=McCain Chooses Palin as Running Mate |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/30/us/politics/30veep.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1&hp&oref=slogin |publisher=The New York Times |date=2008-08-29 |accessdate=2008-09-04] POV-statement|date=September 2008

Government ethics

Palin had championed ethics reform throughout her election campaign. Her first legislative action after taking office was to push for a bipartisan ethics reform bill. She signed the resulting legislation in July 2007, calling it a "first step" declaring that she remains determined to clean up Alaska politics. [cite web
last=Halpin |first=James |title=Palin signs ethics reforms |publisher=Anchorage Daily News |date=2007-07-10 |url=http://dwb.adn.com/news/government/story/9120051p-9036359c.html|accessdate=2008-09-12 ]

Public Safety Commissioner dismissal

On July 11, 2008, Palin dismissed Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan, citing performance-related issues.cite web|last=Simon|first=Matthew|title=Monegan says Palin administration and first gentleman used governor's office to pressure firing first family's former brother-in-law|publisher=KTVA|date=July 19, 2008|url=http://www.ktva.com/ci_9929780?source=most_viewed|accessdate=2008-09-01] She then offered him an alternative position as executive director of the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, which he turned down. [cite web |url=http://www.adn.com/monegan/ |title=Resources from "Anchorage Daily News" regarding the Monegan affair |accessdate=2008-09-05 |work= |publisher= |date=] [cite news |first=Kyle |last=Hopkins |title=Governor offered Monegan a different job |date=2008-07-12 |publisher=The McClatchy Company |url=http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/463204.html |work=Anchorage Daily News |accessdate=2008-08-21] Monegan alleged that his dismissal was retaliation for his failure to fire Palin’s former brother-in-law, Alaska State Trooper Mike Wooten, who was involved in a child custody battle with Palin’s sister, Molly McCann.cite news|title=Long-Standing Feud in Alaska Embroils Palin|work=Washington Post|first=James V.|last=Grimaldi|coauthors=Kimberly Kindy|date=2008-08-31
url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/30/AR2008083002366.html?hpid=topnews|accessdate=2008-08-31 "Palin has said she did not pressure Monegan or fire him for not taking action against her former brother-in-law."] cite news |first=Sean |last=Cockerham |title=Palin staff pushed to have trooper fired |url=http://www.adn.com/monegan/story/492964.html |work=Anchorage Daily News |publisher= |date=2008-08-14 |accessdate=2008-09-01 ] He further alleged that contacts made by Palin herself, her staff, and her family had constituted inappropriate pressure to fire Wooten. Palin stated that most of those calls were made without her knowledge, and reiterated that she did not fire Monegan because of Wooten,cite news |first=Megan |last=Hollan |title=Monegan says he was pressured to fire cop |date=2008-07-19 |publisher=The McClatchy Company |url=http://www.adn.com/politics/story/469135.html |work=Anchorage Daily News |accessdate=2008-07-22 |quote=Monegan said he still isn’t sure why he was fired but thought that Wooten could be part of it.] who is still employed as a state trooper. [cite news |first=Lisa|last=Demer|title=Is Wooten a good trooper? |date=2008-07-19 |publisher=The McClatchy Company |url=http://www.adn.com/politics/story/476430.html |work=Anchorage Daily News |accessdate=2008-07-27] . On September 19, 2008, Todd Palin refused to testify to a state legislative committee about his role in the controversy. [cite news |first=Wesley|last=Loy|title=Todd Palin refuses to testify in 'Troopergate' probe |date=2008-09-19 |publisher=The Kansas City Star |url=http://www.kansascity.com/445/story/804503.html]

Palin's choice to replace Monegan, Charles M. Kopp, chief of the Kenai police department, took the position on July 11, 2008. He resigned on July 25 after it was revealed that he had received a letter of reprimand for sexual harassment in his previous position. [cite web|url=http://community.adn.com/adn/node/127679 |title=adn.com Alaska Politics : Palin spokeswoman: Kopp never told governor about reprimand (Updated with comments from lawmakers) |publisher=Community.adn.com |author=Posted by Alaska_Politics |date= |accessdate=2008-09-02] [cite web|url=http://www.aacop.org/Charles%20M%20Kopp.htm |title=Charles M Kopp |publisher=Aacop.org |date= |accessdate=2008-09-02] On August 1, the Alaska Legislature hired an independent investigator to review the situation.cite news|url=http://www.adn.com/monegan/story/478090.html |title=Hired help will probe Monegan dismissal |author=Loy, Wesley |publisher=Anchorage Daily News |date=2008-07-29 |accessdate=2008-08-29] The investigation is scheduled to be completed in October 2008. On August 13, Palin changed her position after an internal investigation, acknowledging that her staff had contacted Monegan or his staff regarding Wooten, but reiterating that she had not fired Monegan because of Wooten.cite web|url=http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/48172.html |title=Alaska's governor admits her staff tried to have trooper fired |author=Sean Cockerham |publisher=Anchorage Daily News |date=2008-08-14 |accessdate=2008-08-29] On September 1, Palin's lawyer asked the state Legislature to drop its investigation, saying that by state law, the governor-appointed state Personnel Board had jurisdiction over ethics issues. [cite news |first= |last= |title=Palin seeks review of Monegan firing case: Governor makes ethics complaint against herself to force action. |url=http://www.adn.com/monegan/story/514163.html |work=Anchorage Daily News |publisher= |date=2008-09-03 |accessdate=2008-09-05 ] Palin also asked that the Board review the matter as an ethics complaint.cite news |first=Lisa |last=Demer|title=Attorney challenges Monegan firing inquiry |date=2008-09-02 |publisher=Anchorage Daily News |url=http://www.adn.com/monegan/story/513137.html |accessdate=2008-09-02]

Energy

Palin has promoted oil and natural gas resource development in Alaska, including in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), where such development has been the subject of a national debate.cite news|url=http://www.ontheissues.org/Governor/Sarah_Palin_Environment.htm|title=State of the State Address Jan 17, 2007 |date=2007-01-17|accessdate=2008-09-01] She also helped pass an increase in the severance tax oil companies pay to extract oil from state land. Palin has created a new sub-cabinet group of advisers to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions within Alaska.cite news|first=Tom|last=Kizzia|url=http://dwb.adn.com/news/environment/story/8786824p-8688242c.html|title=State aims to reduce emissions|publisher=Anchorage Daily News|date=2007-04-12|accessdate=2007-12-27] [cite web|url=http://www.climatechange.alaska.gov/|title=Alaska Climate Change Strategy] When asked about climate change after becoming Senator McCain's presumptive running mate, she stated that it would "affect Alaska more than any other state", but she added, "I'm not one though who would attribute it to being man-made."cite news|first=Mike|last=Coppock|url=http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/sarah_palin_vp/2008/08/29/126139.html|title=Palin Speaks to Newsmax About McCain, Abortion, Climate Change|publisher=Newsmax|date=2008-08-29|accessdate=2008-08-29]

Shortly after taking office, Palin rescinded 35 appointments made by Murkowski in the last hours of his administration, including that of his former chief of staff James "Jim" Clark to the Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority.cite news|url=http://www.alaskareport.com/z45013.htm|title=Palin Sacks Murkowski Crony Clark|publisher=Alaska Report|date=2006-12-07|accessdate=2008-09-01] [cite news|publisher=Associated Press|last=Sutton|first=Anne|date=2006-12-06|title=Palin to examine last-hour job blitz]

Gas pipeline

In March 2007, Palin presented the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act (AGIA) as the new legal vehicle for building a natural gas pipeline from the state's North Slope.cite web|date=2007-03-02|url=http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=170|title=Governor Palin Unveils the AGIA|work=News & Announcements|publisher=State of Alaska|accessdate=2008-09-01] This negated a deal by the previous governor to grant the contract to a coalition including BP (her husband's employer). Only one legislator, Representative Ralph Samuels, [cite web |url=http://www.housemajority.org/samuels/index.php |title=Samuels biography on his Legislature web site |accessdate=2008-09-05 |work= |publisher= |date=] voted against the measure,cite web|date=2007-06-06|url=http://alaskalegislature.com/stories/060607/leg_20070606018.shtml|title=Palin to sign gas pipeline plan today|work=News & Announcements|publisher=Alaska Legislature|accessdate=2008-09-01] and in June, Palin signed it into law.cite web|date=2007-06-07|url=http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?bill=HB%20177&session=25|title=Bill History/Action for 25th Legislature: HB 177|work=BASIS|publisher=Alaska State Legislature|accessdate=2008-09-01] On January 5, 2008, Palin announced that a Canadian company, TransCanada Corporation, was the sole AGIA-compliant applicant. [cite web|url=http://www.adn.com/money/industries/oil/pipeline/story/255462.html |title=Palin picks Canadian company for gas line: Gas Pipeline|publisher=adn.com|date= |accessdate=2008-08-29] [cite web|url=http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=7578924 |title=Canadian company meets AGIA requirements|publisher=ktuu.com|accessdate=2008-08-29] In August 2008, Palin signed a bill into law giving the state of Alaska authority to award TransCanada Pipelines $500 million in seed money and a license to build and operate the $26-billion pipeline to transport natural gas from the North Slope to the Lower 48 through Canada. [cite news |first=Yereth |last=Rosen |title=Alaska governor signs natgas pipeline license bill |url=http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=2e84b1e8-9a4a-4558-ad05-21b517c50fae |work=Calgary Herald |publisher= |date=2008-08-27 |accessdate=2008-09-05] TransCanada projects the pipeline to be operational by late 2018, barring unforeseen obstacles. [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/us/politics/11pipeline.html?ref=business "Palin’s Pipeline Is Years From Being a Reality "} New York Times Sept. 10, 2008]

$1200 refund checks for gasoline taxpayers

In June 2008, Governor Sarah Palin asked the Legislature to give Alaskans a special one-time payment of $1,200 to help with the high costs of energy. She said it will come out of the windfall the state is getting from high oil prices. The legislation was passed and signed into law by Gov. Palin in August of 2008. [cite web
url=http://www.adn.com/front/story/442702.html
title=Palin's energy relief: $1,200 each
author=Cockerham, Sean and Wesley Loy
date=June 21, 2008
work=Anchorage Daily News
accessdate=2008-08-30]

This replaces the proposal that Palin dropped to give Alaskans $100-a-month energy debit cards. The governor said the debit cards were too expensive for the state to administer and wouldn't work in some rural Alaskan communities. [cite news
author=Cockerham, Sean
url=http://www.adn.com/politics/story/407821.html
title=Palin wants to give Alaskans $100 a month to use on energy
work=Anchorage Daily News
date=May 16, 2008]

"As the fiscal year winds down, Alaskans are assured of surpluses beyond the billions of dollars put into savings and funding for priorities such as forward funding education and municipal revenue sharing," Palin said in a press release. "With savings and funding priorities covered, I am confident that Alaskans, who are the owners of our resources, can spend their resource revenue better than government can."

Palin is also proposing to suspend the eight-cent-a gallon state fuel tax for one year. Palin said she wants the Legislature to implement these things by September. Fact|date=September 2008

Environment

Predator control

Bounties on wolves in Alaska date to at least 1915; in 1994, the Alaska State Legislature enacted the "Intensive Management Law," requiring management of wildlife for human consumptive use and authorizing specific management actions including "liberalizing hunting and trapping regulations for wolves and bears."citation
last=Alaska Department of Fish and Game
title=Understanding Predator Management in Alaska
year=2007
pages=
place = Juneau, Alaska
publisher=Alaska Department of Fish and Game
url=http://www.wildlifenews.alaska.gov/management/control/predator_booklet.pdf
accessdate=2008-10-07 ] In 2006 the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and The Board of Game extended areas in which the aerial hunting of wolves was allowed under the Predator Control Program. Friends of Animals, Defenders of Wildlife, the Alaska Wildlife Alliance, and the Sierra Club sued the Department attempting to overturn the practice. [ [http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/mar2008/2008-03-18-01.asp "Alaska Judge Upholds Aerial Wolf Killing But Limits Extent"] Environment News Service, March 18, 2008 ] [ [http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/news/2006/1-16-06_nr.php "State Suspends Predator Control Programs in Response to Court Ruling" ] Alaska Department of Fish and Game ]

In 2007, Palin supported the Alaska Department of Fish and Game policy allowing the hunting of wolves from helicopters as part of a predator control program intended to increase moose populations, which many rural Alaskans subsist on.cite news|title=Lawmaker seeks to ban wolf hunting from planes, copters|last=Bolstad|first=Erika|date=2007-09-26|publisher=Oakland Tribune|accessdate=2008-08-30] In March 2007, Palin's office announced that a bounty of $150 per wolf would be paid to the 180 volunteer pilots and gunners, to offset fuel costs. This drew protest among wildlife activists, [ deMarban, Alex [http://dwb.adn.com/news/alaska/wildlife/story/8726730p-8628810c.html "State Puts Bounty on Wolves"] Anchorage Daily News March 21, 2007 ] who took the state to court and won. Though the activists failed to stop aerial hunting, a state judge forced the state to stop paying the bounty. [cite web|url=http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/wildlife/wolves/story/204937.html|publisher=Anchorage Daily News|date=2007-03-31|accessdate=2008-09-09|author=Alex deMarban|title=Judge orders state to stop wolf bounties]

In May 2007 Palin introduced Bill 256 to streamline the Predator Program, [ [http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/news/2007/5-11-07_nr.php " Alaska Department of Game and Fish" ] ADF & G Press Release May 11, 2007] and make it more difficult for conservation groups to sue the State. Critics of the bill claimed it removed scientific standards and claim the programs are expensive and not effective. [ [http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/wildlife/wolves/story/298522.html "Palin wants to shoot down wolf lawsuits"] Anchorage Daily News, January 30, 2008]

In August, 2007, both lawmakers and Governor Palin approved appropriating $400,000 from the state treasury to explain the aerial hunting program to Alaskans. Since Alaskans were voting the following year on an initiative restricting the practice to Department of Fish and Game personnel, many felt the funds were an attempt to influence the vote against the initiatve. deMarban, Alex, [http://dwb.adn.com/outdoors/hunting/story/9253877p-9168881c.html "$400,000 approved to educate Alaskans about wolf killing"] Anchorage Daily News August 26, 2007] [ Stuart, Ben, [http://www.homernews.com/stories/042408/news_1_002.shtml "AFD&G takes another shot at predators"] homernews.com, top stories from Homer, Alaska, April 24, 2007] Alaskans had passed similar measures in 1996 and 2000, each time with a two-year limit; after they expired the state legislature allowed the Game Board to resume the program. The program also allowed the fly-and-shoot, liberalized hunting of black bears with no bag limits in the same areas, in addition to the area from Anchorage across Cook Inlet in Game Unit 16, which allows the killing of sows and cubs as well as males.

In March 2008 a federal judge upheld the aerial gunning program as a whole, while banning the practice in four areas covering up to 15,000 of the 60,000 square miles covered by the program. The judge said that before the Game Board extended predator control into new areas it had to make new findings on the wolves, caribou and bears in those areas. [ [http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/mar2008/2008-03-18-01.asp "Alaska Judge Upholds Aerial Wolf Killing But Limits Extent"] Environment News Service March 18, 2008] [ [http://www.defenders.org/programs_and_policy/in_the_courts/legal_docket/alaska_wolf.php "AlaskaWolf- Defenders of Wildlife v. Alaska Board of Game"] Defenders of Wildlife] [ [http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?fb_page_id=5720973755&S=8019775 "Judge say Aerial Wolf Control Invalid in Several Areas"] Associated Press, March 14, 2008.] On August 26, 2008, Alaskans voted against ending the state's predator control program. [cite news|title=Alaska voters shoot down predator control initiative|url=http://www.newsminer.com/news/2008/aug/26/alaska-voters-shoot-down-predator-control-initiati/|work=newsminer.com |publisher=Fairbanks Daily News-Miner |date=2008-08-27 |accessdate=2008-09-01 ]

Endangered species

Polar Bears

In December 2007, Palin wrote an opinion column in which she described her opposition to the listing of polar bears as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, stating her position was based on a review of expert opinion. [cite web|url=http://www.adn.com/opinion/story/238813.html |title=Alaska takes seriously its job of protecting polar bears |publisher=Adn.com |author=Gov. Sarah Palin |date=December 18, 2007 |accessdate=2008-09-08] In it she stated that the polar bear population is more numerous now than it was forty years ago, and "there is insufficient evidence of polar bears becoming extinct in the foreseeable future." [ Palin, Sarah, [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/05/opinion/05palin.html?_r=1&oref=slogin "Bearing Up"] The New York Times, January 5, 2008 ] Alaskan state biologists [cite web|url=http://www.adn.com/polarbears/story/416432.html |title=E-mail reveals state dispute over polar bear listing: Polar Bear News |publisher=Adn.com |author=Tom Kizzia |date=May 25, 2008 |accessdate=2008-09-08] and environmental groupscite news|url=http://www.adn.com/polarbears/story/413710.html|title=State will sue over polar bear listing, Palin says|last=Joling|first=Dan|date=2008-05-22|publisher=Anchorage Daily News|accessdate=2008-08-30] disagreed with Palin's position. After Dirk Kempthorne, the Republican Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior listed the bear as threatened on May 14, 2008, Palin sued the federal government, claiming that the listing would adversely affect energy development in the bears' habitat off Alaska's northern and northwestern coasts, while again questioning the scientific basis for the listing. [http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5689165&page=1] Palin claimed the scientists found no ill effects of global warming on the polar bear. Rick Steiner, a University professor of Alaska, sought the e-mail messages of the state scientists who had examined the effects of global warming on the bears, and was informed his request would cost $466,784 to process. Through a federal records request, he was able to obtain the e-mails and he found that the scientists supported the fact that the bears were in danger. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/us/politics/14palin.html?_r=2&sq=palin&st=cse&scp=4&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin&oref=slogin Once elected, Palin Hired Friends and Lashed Foes] The New York Times, Sept 13, 2008.]

On August 28, 2008, the American Petroleum Institute, the National Association of Manufacturers, the United States Chamber of Commerce, and the American Iron and Steel Institute joined Alaska's suit to revert the listing of the polar bear as a threatened species. The issue at hand is a rule implemented by the federal government at the time the status of the Polar Bear was changed to threatened. The rule is to prevent the polar bear's status from being used as a tool for imposing greenhouse gas limits; it exempts projects in all states except Alaska from undergoing review in relation to emissions.The Center for Biological Diversity, is also suing the federal government , to change the Polar Bear status from threatened to endangered. They denounced the Alaska suit's claim that science does not prove polar bear populations are declining. [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/30/AR2008083001538.html "Oil Group Joins Alaska in Suing to Overturn Polar Bear Protection"] The Washington Post August 31, 2008 ]

Beluga Whales

double image|right|Belugas.jpg|160|Wpdms shdrlfi020l cook inlet with arms.jpg|160|Beluga Whales|Cook Inlet stretches convert|180|mi|km from the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage in south-central Alaska. [cite web
url=http://www.crrel.usace.army.mil/sid/hopkins_files/Seaice/Cook_inlet.htm
title=Cook Inlet, Alaska
publisher=
accessdate=2007-02-03]

Palin has opposed, on economic grounds, the designation of the Cook Inlet beluga whale as an endangered species. [cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1837868,00.html|title=Palin on the Environment: Far Right|date=2008-09-01|accessdate=2008-09-04|publisher=Time|author=Bryan Walsh] Palin cited state scientists who claimed that hunting was the only factor causing the whales' decline and that the hunting has been effectively controlled through cooperative agreements with Alaska Native organizations. [cite web|url=http://gov.state.ak.us/archive-24287.html|title=Governor Palin Urges Feds to not list Belugas as Endangered|publisher=State of Alaska|date=2007-08-07|accessdate=2008-09-03] Recent research suggests that despite hunting controls beluga whales in Cook's Inlet remain severely depleted and at high risk of extinction.cite web|url=http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdfs/statusreviews/belugawhale_cookinlet.pdf|title=2008 Status Review and Extinction Risk Assessment of Cook Inlet Belugas|publisher=U.S. Department of Commerce|date=April 2008|accessdate=2008-09-07] [Hunter, Don. [http://dwb.adn.com/news/alaska/wildlife/marine/story/8547228p-8440951c.html "Cook Inlet beluga whales in decline"] Anchorage Daily News, January 8, 2008]

Budget

tate

; although with no buyer found on eBay, it was later sold for $2.1 million through a private brokerage firm to a campaign contributer. [cite web|title=Governor's Plane Wasn't Sold on Ebay|publisher=Washington Post|date=2008-09-06|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/05/AR2008090503722.html?referrer=digg|accessdate=2008-09-08] [cite news |title=No bidders on eBay; sold it offline |url=http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/691/ |publisher=PolitiFact.com |accessdate=2008-09-05]

She also canceled a contract for the construction of an convert|11|mi|km|adj=on gravel road outside Juneau to a mine, reversing a decision made in the closing days of the Murkowski administration. [cite web |accessdate=2008-08-29
url=http://www.ktuu.com/global/story.asp?s=5818166&ClientType=Printable
title=Palin cancels contracts for pioneer road to Juneau
author=McAllister, Bill
date=December 14, 2006
publisher=ktuu.com]

In June 2007, Palin signed into law a $6.6 billion operating budget—the largest in Alaska's history.cite news
url=http://dwb.adn.com/opinion/story/9137864p-9054054c.html
accessdate=2007-12-27
last=Shinohara|first=Rosemary
title=No vetoes here
work=Anchorage Daily News
date=July 16, 2007] At the same time, she used her veto power to make the second-largest cuts of the construction budget in state history. The $237 million in cuts represented over 300 local projects and reduced the construction budget to nearly $1.6 billion. [cite news
url=http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/070807/hom_20070708005.shtml
accessdate=2008-09-01
title=Lawmakers cringe over governor's deep budget cuts
last=Bradner |first=Tim
date=July 8, 2007
work=Alaska Journal of Commerce] In 2008 Palin vetoed $286 million in funds for 350 projects from the FY09 capital budget, or 13% of the total budget.cite news
url=http://www.adn.com/legislature/story/415749.html
accessdate=2008-09-15
title=Palin's veto ax lops $268 million from budget
last=Cockerham |first=Sean
date=May 24, 2008
work=Anchorage Daily News] The "Anchorage Daily News" said the cuts "may be the biggest single-year line-item veto total in state history."

Personal

Palin lives in Juneau during the legislative session and lives in Wasilla and works out of offices in Anchorage the rest of the year. Since the office in Anchorage is far from Juneau, while she works there she is legally entitled to a $58 "per diem" travel allowance, which she has taken (a total of $16,951), and to reimbursement for hotels, which she has not, choosing instead to drive about 50 miles to her home in Wasilla.cite news |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/08/AR2008090803088.html |title=Palin Billed State for Nights Spent at Home |work=The Washington Post |author=Grimaldi, James V. | co-authors=Vick, Karl |date=2008-09-09 |accessdate=2008-09-09] She also chose not to use the former governor's private chef. ["The Anchorage Daily News", January 20, 2008: Palin does not use the governor's private chef, whom Palin transferred to the Lounge of the State Legislature.] In response to criticism for taking the "per diem", and for $43,490 in travel expenses for the times her family accompanied her on state business, the governor's staffers said that these practices were in line with state policy, that Palin's gubernatorial expenses are 80% below those of her predecessor, Frank Murkowski, [Luo, Michael; and Leslie Wayne. [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/us/politics/10billing.html Palin Aides Defend Billing State for Time at Home] . "New York Times", 2008-09-09.] and that "many of the hundreds of invitations Palin receives include requests for her to bring her family, placing the definition of 'state business' with the party extending the invitation."cite news |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/08/AR2008090803088.html |title=Palin Billed State for Nights Spent at Home |work=The Washington Post |author=Grimaldi, James V. | co-authors=Vick, Karl |date=2008-09-09 |accessdate=2008-09-09]

Matanuska Maid Dairy

In April 2007, the state Board of Agriculture and Conservation (BAC) approved a request for $600,000 for a review of the operating expenses of the Matanuska Maid Dairy, an unprofitable state-owned business, [cite news|url=http://www.webcitation.org/5act9Rnjf |publisher=Alaska Journal of Commerce |date=April 29, 2007 |title=Approval for funds could lead to sale of Mat Maid dairy |first=Rob |last=Stapleton ] and forwarded the request to the state legislature for funding. The Alaska Creamery Board, which oversaw the dairy and made the request, met in May and discussed privatizing or possibly closing the dairy. [cite news|url=http://www.webcitation.org/5acsBLvMD |publisher=Alaska Journal of Commerce |date=May 13, 2007 |title=Mat Maid a step closer to becoming a private-sector dairy |first=Rob |last=Stapleton ] It subsequently voted to close the dairy, and on June 13 rejected Palin's public request that it keep the dairy open, saying it stood by its decision to close the dairy plant as July 7. [cite news |publisher=Anchorage Daily News |first=S.J. |last=Komarnitsky|date=June 13, 2007 |url=http://www.webcitation.org/5acsE8XHu |title=Mat Maid board rejects Palin plea to stay open]

On June 18, Palin replaced the entire membership of the BAC, [cite news|publisher=Anchorage Daily News |url=http://www.webcitation.org/5acsMwJJ7 |first=S.J. |last=Komarnitsky |date=June 19, 2008 |title=Palin looks to Mat-Su for board] which then installed itself as the Creamery Board,cite news |first=S. J. |last=Komarnitsky |url=http://dwb.adn.com/news/alaska/matsu/story/9099429p-9015627c.html |title=State board votes to replace Mat Maid CEO |publisher=Anchorage Daily News |date=2007-07-02 |accessdate=2008-09-01] and voted to keep the dairy open for for 90 days while reviewing options. On August 29, 2007, Palin announced that the business could not be made profitable and would be offered for sale. She said that the board could use the $600,000 approved by the legislature in June to help with the transition to a private operator.cite news |first=S. J. |last=Komarnitsky |url=http://dwb.adn.com/news/alaska/matsu/mat_maid/story/9261530p-9176496c.html |title=State to put Mat Maid dairy up for sale |publisher=Anchorage Daily News |date=2007-08-30 |accessdate=2008-09-01] In November, the dairy received the $600,000 legislative funding.cite web|url=http://www.legaudit.state.ak.us/pages/digests/2008/30049Adig.htm |author=Division of Legislative Audit|date=March 7, 2008 |title=Special Report on the Department of Natural Resources, Division of Agriculture, Agricultural Revolving Loan Fund, Matanuska Maid, Part 1, March 7, 2008]

On December 7, with a required minimum bid of $3.35 million for the dairy, no bids were received, and all dairy operations were scheduled to close later that month.cite news |url=http://dwb.adn.com/news/alaska/matsu/story/9504797p-9415550c.html |title=State gets no bids for Matanuska Maid |publisher=Anchorage Daily News |date=2007-12-08 |accessdate=2008-09-01] In August 2008, the Anchorage plant portion of the dairy was purchased for $1.5 million, the specified minimum bid. The new owners said that they planned to covert it to heated self-storage units. The sale of the company's bottle-making facility in Palmer was under consideration as of early September. [cite news |first=S.J. |last=Komarnitsky |title=Mat Maid's Anchorage plant brings $1.5 million |url=http://www.adn.com/matmaid/story/502721.html |publisher=Anchorage Daily News |date=2008-08-23 |accessdate=2008-09-05]

"Bridge to Nowhere"

In Palin's 2006 gubernatorial campaign, she supported the building of the proposed Gravina Island Bridge, which had been nicknamed the "Bridge to Nowhere" because the island had only 50 residents. The bridge was intended to provide access to Ketchikan International Airportcite news
url=http://www.gannettnewsservice.com/?p=2448
title=Palin backed ‘bridge to nowhere’ in 2006
work=Gannett News Service
author=Dilanian, Ken
date=2008-08-31
accessdate=2008-09-08] and not the residential population of the island.

on her gubernatorial campaign and said the bridge was essential for the town's prosperity. [cite web
first=Tom
last=Kizzia
title=Palin touts stance on 'Bridge to Nowhere,' doesn't note flip-flop
publisher=Anchorage Daily News
date=2008-08-30
url=http://www.adn.com/sarahpalin/story/511471.html
accessdate=2008-09-10] ] Members of the Alaskan congressional delegation, particularly Representative Don Young and Senator Ted Stevens, were the bridge's biggest advocates in Congress, and helped push for federal funding. The project encountered fierce opposition outside of Alaska as a symbol of pork barrel spending. [cite news
title=Alaska: end sought for 'bridge to nowhere'
url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A04E7D81F3AF931A1575AC0A9619C8B63
publisher=Associated Press, New York Times
date=2007-09-22
accessdate=2008-10-05] In 2005, [cite news
title=Two 'bridges to nowhere' tumble down in congress
url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=k8UMAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fGEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2320,5100277&dq=two-bridges-to-nowhere-tumble-down-in-congress
publisher=The Victoria Advocate
page=18a
date=2005-11-24
accessdate=2008-10-05] Congress stripped the specific earmark allocation of federal funds for the two bridges, without changing the amount of money allocated for use by Alaska. [cite web
url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/22/alaska.bridge.ap/
date=2007-09-22
work=CNN
title='Bridge to nowhere' abandoned] As a result, the money previously earmarked for this and another controversial project, the Knik Arm Bridge, a total of $442 million, was to be made available for transportation projects generally.citation
last=Hulse
first=Carl
title=Two 'Bridges to Nowhere' Tumble Down in Congress
newspaper=The New York Times
date=2005-11-17
url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/17/politics/17spend.html Registration required.] The proposed Knik Arm Bridge is officially named "Don Young's Way" after Alaska Congressman Don Young, in the original legislation.

The next year, Palin ran for Governor on a "build-the-bridge" platform, arguing that it was essential for local prosperity. [cite news
url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/03/palin.track.record/?iref=hpmostpop
publisher=CNN
title=Palin's maverick trail goes from city hall to gov's mansion
date=2008-09-02
accessdate=2008-09-02] She said in August 2006: "We need to come to the defense of Southeast Alaska when proposals are on the table like the bridge, and not allow the spinmeisters to turn this project or any other into something that’s so negative." In October 2006, when asked, "Would you continue state funding for the proposed Knik Arm and Gravina Island bridges?", she answered: "Yes. I would like to see Alaska's infrastructure projects built sooner rather than later. The window is now - while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist."citation
title=Where they stand (10/22/2006)
newspaper=Anchorage Daily News
year=2008
date=2008-08-29
url=http://www.adn.com/sarahpalin/story/510378.html] She also criticized the use of the word "nowhere" as insulting to local residents. [citation |title=Where they stand (10/22/2006)| newspaper = Anchorage Daily News |year=2008 |date=August 29, 2008|url=http://www.adn.com/sarahpalin/story/510378.html]

Congress did not, however, reinstate the earmark for the bridge. In September 2007, with no federal money available, Palin removed the state's portion of the cost from her proposed budget. She stated:

"Ketchikan desires a better way to reach the airport, but the $398 million bridge is not the answer. [...] Despite the work of our congressional delegation, we are about $329 million short of full funding for the bridge project, and it’s clear that Congress has little interest in spending any more money on a bridge between Ketchikan and Gravina Island. [...] Much of the public’s attitude toward Alaska bridges is based on inaccurate portrayals of the projects here. But we need to focus on what we can do, rather than fight over what has happened." [cite web
url=http://gov.state.ak.us/archive-28635.html
title=Gravina Access Project Redirected
accessdate=2008-10-05
date=2007-09-21
publisher=State of Alaska Governor]

Her switch allowed the state to use the federal money for other transportation projects.cite news
url=http://www.adn.com/politics/story/511471.html
title=Palin touts stance on 'Bridge to Nowhere,' doesn't note flip-flop
work=Anchorage Daily News
author=Tom Kizzia
date=2008-08-31
accessdate=2008-09-08] Palin did, however, continue constrution of an access road on Gravina Island, which would have linked to the bridge but now goes only to an empty beach; federal money for the access road, unlike the bridge money, would have otherwise been returned to the federal government.

According to Reuters, Palin's decision to cancel the bridge "earn [ed] her admirers from earmark critics and budget hawks from around the nation. The move also thrust her into the spotlight as a reform-minded newcomer."cite news
last=Rosen
first=Yereth
title=Palin "bridge to nowhere" line angers many Alaskans
publisher=Reuters
date=2008-09-01
url=http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCandidateFeed7/idUSN3125537020080901
work=Reuters
accessdate=2008-09-05] In an article titled, "Bridge leads McCain to running mate Palin", the Associated Press said canceling the bridge was "the first identifiable link connecting Palin and McCain," soon followed by "whispers of Palin being an ideal GOP running mate."cite news
url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20080829-1718-wst-bridgetonowhere.html
publisher=Associated Press
title=Bridge leads McCain to running mate Palin
last=Quinn
first=Steve
date=2008-08-29
accessdate=2008-09-02] cite news
url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/09/01/america/palin.php
publisher=International Herald Tribune
title=Opposing Alaska bridge endeared Palin to McCain
last=Kirkpatrick
first=David
coauthors=Larry Rohter
date=2008-09-01
accessdate=2008-09-02]

Although she canceled the bridge, Palin spent $25 million from the $223 million earmark to build the road on Gravina Island to an empty beach where the bridge would have gone. State officials said "they were going ahead with the $25 million road because the money would otherwise have to be returned to the federal government."cite news
url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/157696/page/3
title=An Apostle of Alaska
work=Newsweek
date=2008-09-06
accessdate=2008-09-08] cite news
url=http://www.adn.com/sarahpalin/story/511471.html
publisher=Anchorage Daily News
last=Kizzia
first=Tom
title=Palin touts stance on 'Bridge to Nowhere,' does not note flip-flop
date=2008-08-31
accessdate=2008-08-31] The cancellation of the bridge did not lead Palin to return any of the remaining $197 million in the earmark to the Federal Government. Palin's Ketichikan campaign coordinator Mike Elerding, says, "She said 'thanks but no thanks,' but they kept the money." According to Palin’s communications director Bill McAlister, the bridge "isn't necessarily dead"; it may still be built with "a less costly design". Palin changed her mind on the bridge, he said, when "she saw that Alaska was being perceived as taking from the country and not giving, and that impression bothered her and she wants to change it. [...] I think that Sarah Palin is someone who has the courage to re-evaluate situations as they developed." Palin said through her spokesperson that the road would open territory for development. [Kizzia, Tom. [http://www.adn.com/sarahpalin/story/511471.html "Palin touts stance on 'Bridge to Nowhere,' doesn't note flip-flop"] , "Anchorage Daily News" (2008-08-31)] A McCain-Palin spokesperson said that "because the contract for the road was already signed before she got into office, the governor was left no viable alternative." [ [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0809/23/ec.01.html "Bailout Negotiations Continue; FBI Targets Wall Street Firms" (Transcipt)] , CNN (2008-09-23).] The Alaska Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration state that the contract could have been cancelled at minimal cost and that the federal money could have been returned to Congress for other uses, if the road had been cancelled when Palin took office in December 2006, but the bridge to the island was not cancelled until September 2007. [http://www.propublica.org/article/palin-defends-construction-of-road-to-nowhere-925/. Citation contains CNN's photograph of the terminal point of the Gravina Island Highway, nicknamed the "Road to Nowhere"]

In her nomination acceptance speech, Palin said: "I told the Congress 'thanks, but no thanks,' for that Bridge to Nowhere." [cite web
url=http://portal.gopconvention2008.com/speech/details.aspx?id=38
title=Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by Alaska Governor Sarah Palin
publisher=2008 Republican National Convention
date=2008-09-03
accessdate=2008-09-08] McCain-Palin television advertisements also claim Palin "stopped the Bridge to Nowhere." [cite news
url=http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/archive/2008/09/08/politics-of-the-bridge-to-nowhere.aspx
title=The Politics of the 'Bridge to Nowhere'
work=Stumper
publisher="Newsweek"
last=Romano
first=Andrew
date=2008-09-08
accessdate=2008=09-08 The Washington Post called the claim a "whopper," and the New Republic considered it as "a naked lie."] Ketchikan's Mayor Bob Weinstein has criticized Palin for using the term 'Bridge to Nowhere' in her vice-presidential nomination acceptance speech because Palin had termed that name for the bridge "insulting" during her 2006 gubernatorial campaign, when she campaigned on her original "build the bridge" platform. [cite web
last=Rosen
first=Yereth
title=Palin "bridge to nowhere" line angers many Alaskans
publisher=Reuters
date=2008-09-01
url=http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCandidateFeed7/idUSN3125537020080901
accessdate=2008-09-05]

Earmarks

Alaska's federal congressional representatives cut back on pork-barrel project requests during Palin's time as governor, however Alaska is still the largest per-capita recipient of federal earmarks, requesting nearly $750 million in special federal spending over two years and obtaining $295 per Alaska resident from the federal government. [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26611103/] [The Associated Press, Woodward Calvin, http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ici5RhMkh6-9V07yckpLBEEjzf6QD932MU100]

In the 2008 budget year, Palin requested $256 million in federal earmarks,Dubious|date=September 2008 and her requests for the 2009 budget total $197 million. [Seattle Times "Palin's earmark requests: more per person than any other state" http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008154532_webpalin02m.html] [Associated Press: Taylor, Andrew, "Palins Pork Requests Confound Image" http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080903/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_palin_earmarks] [ [http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/09/11/1377812.aspx "TrooperGate back in the News " MSNBC First Read September 11, 2008 by Mark Murray]

Lobbyists

Palin has given jobs to friends and appointed lobbyists to oversee industries they used to represent; she appointed a fund-raiser of hers, Deborah Richter, as director of the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend Division. Palin hired Cora Crome, who had worked for industry lobbying group United Fishermen of Alaska, as her fisheries-policy adviser. [cite web
first=Jeffrey
last=Bartholet
coauthors=Karen Breslau; Andrew Murr; Mark Hosenball; Suzanne Smalley; Michael Isikoff; Michael Hirsh; Daniel Stone; Holly Bailey; Lisa Miller; Sarah Kliff; Katie Paul
url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/157696/page/4
title=Sarah Palin: an apostle of Alaska
work=Newsweek.com
date=2008-09-06
accessdate=2008-10-05]

See also

* Mayoralty of Sarah Palin
* Electoral history of Sarah Palin
* Political positions of Sarah Palin

References