Gov. Sarah Palin wants to slice $150 million from the state's operating budget. (Though overall, the operating budget increases under her proposal. That's because she's looking to cut in unspecified places, while spending in others, such as the Longevity Bonus and public employee retirement.)
Is there $150 million worth of fat? Where is it?
Her budget, which Palin talked about today in Anchorage, also includes extra money for cities, but is it a real return to revenue sharing, or a one-time deal?
Palin proposes a bare bones capital budget -- a fraction of the money Murkowski proposed spending -- and calls for a depositing more than $1.8 billion into the Constitutional Budget Reserve.
Juneau road
This is just came on the wire, from Anne Sutton at The Associated Press:
JUNEAU, Alaska - Gov. Sarah Palin has ordered the cancellation of a contract to build a one-lane 11 mile gravel road out of Juneau, saying the project was not practical and the process was not transparent ...
Palin: Sell the jet
“The purchase of the jet was impractical and unwise and it’s time to get rid of it,” said Governor Palin. “In the meantime, I am keeping my promise not to set foot on the jet.”
Nowhere money
Click here for National Public Radio reporter Elizabeth Arnold’s profile on Palin. It’s notable for this line:
“Some are expecting she’ll even give back the federal money for the infamous bridges to nowhere.”
Who knew?
Palin and polar bears
On Dec. 18, Gov. Sarah Palin sent a letter to Secretary of Interior Dirk Kempthorne that said: "Listing polar bears under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has the potential to damage Alaska's and the nation's economy without any benefit to polar bear numbers or their habitat."
Palin to comply with Supreme Court on same-sex benefits
Daily News reporter Lisa Demer just called with this news: Gov. Sarah Palin said today that she’ll comply with an Alaska Supreme Court order to offer public employee benefits to same-sex couples.
“We believe that we have no more judicial options to pursue,” said Palin, who supports amending the state constitution to bar same-sex partners of public employees from getting benefits such as health insurance.
For those who apply and qualify, the benefits will be available Jan. 1.
Palin made the announcement today in Anchorage, where she also signed a bill that calls for an April 3 advisory vote that will ask people if the constitution should be amended.
Live from Wasilla's inaugural ball (Update: The receiving line from hell)
Daily News reporters Stephanie Komarnitsky and Rindi White spent Saturday night embedded at Gov. Sarah Palin's hometown inaugural ball. Here's what they saw:
Vice President Palin?
A new blog is pitching Gov. Sarah Palin as a potential running mate for presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani.
AGIA
JUNEAU -- Gov. Sarah Palin's gas line bill breezed through both chambers of the Legislature this morning. The vote was 37-1 in the House of Representatives. The Senate followed quickly with a unanimous 20-0 vote.
Vetos?
Talked to Palin this morning about the capital budget. She said her staff is just beginning to review it. She'll look to reduce it, she said, but didn't say by how much and didn't offer any specific line items she plans to ax. That'll be a question to ask in another couple weeks.
Green's response
Senate President Lyda Green (R - Wasilla) expressed a mix of concern and disappointment over the list of line item vetoes to the FY 2008 capital budget announced today by Governor Sarah Palin.
"Governor Palin and I agree that spending needs to be prioritized because the state may be facing deficit spending sooner rather than later," said Green. "However, many of the items that were vetoed adversely impact core state services like education, health, public safety and transportation, so I am a little concerned about the long term impact these cuts could have."
Cap budget
Gov. Sarah Palin today vetoed nearly a quarter-billion dollars from the proposed $1.8billion state capital budget, a move she said was in line with her campaign promise to be a fiscal conservative.
Late Night?
You'll wonder where this is going at first, but stick with it.
Juneau, Alaska - Governor Sarah Palin is participating in a U.S. Department of Defense sponsored mission, visiting Alaska troops serving in the Middle East. Governor Palin departed Andrews Air Force Base Monday morning for a two-day tour of Kuwait.
Palin calls special session for Juneau to revise oil taxes
The tax proposal, announced in Anchorage this afternoon, would have a minimum gross tax on production in the state's oldest "legacy" fields. Above that, North Slope fields would have a tax of 25 percent on net profits, up from the current 22.5 percent tax.
Huh
“I heard from many Alaskans serving overseas during my trip to Kuwait in July,” said Governor Palin. “One of the most frequent questions was about the status of hunting seasons upon their return. While I can’t grant our troops the chance to hunt in closed areas or in places with species restrictions, I do want to recognize them and help them hunt this late fall or winter when they get home.”
"Palin said it's time for Alaska to 'grow up'..."
In an interview with NEWSWEEK, Palin said it's time for Alaska to "grow up" and end its reliance on pork-barrel spending. Shortly after taking office, Palin canceled funding for the "Bridge to Nowhere," a $330 million project that Stevens helped champion in Congress. The bridge, which would have linked the town of Ketchikan to an island airport, had come to symbolize Alaska's dependence on federal handouts. Rather than relying on such largesse, says Palin, she wants to prove Alaska can pay its own way, developing its huge energy wealth in ways that are "politically and environmentally clean."
You-know-who on Charlie Rose
Gov. Sarah Palin and Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano sat at that round table Friday on Charlie Rose's interview program on PBS. Both were in New York last week attending Newsweek magazine's Women in Leadership conference. Watch it here.
Oil tax deductions
Gov. Sarah Palin said one of the reasons she called the Legislature into this special session is because the state oil tax isn’t bringing in nearly as much money as expected when it passed last year.
Be Hold
Lyda's lair: Members of the Senate bipartisian coalition gather for a closed-door meeting in the office of Senate President Lyda Green, R-Matanuska-Susitna, seated at desk in center, to discuss proposed oil tax legislation before a floor session today at the capitol building in Juneau. (AP Photo/Seanna O'Sullivan)
Senate goes to 25
Looks like we could have a deal. The Senate is giving into the House on oil tax rate.
The Senate Finance Comittee tonight agreed to raise the tax rate to 25 percent and go with the 0.4 percentage progressivity surcharge starting at $30 net that's in the House version. There were no objections on the finance committee to doing so.
Palin: Wasilla office to close
The governor just announced she'll be closing her "regional office" in Wasilla, as of Nov. 30.
From the press release:
The office, located in the Westside Center on the Parks Highway, was opened during the Murkowski administration, but it was not used enough to justify keeping it open. Foot traffic in the office has often been limited to one or two visitors per day and it rarely exceeded 10 or 12 over the course of the average week. Coupled with Mat-Su's close proximity to the Governor's Anchorage office, the closure of the Wasilla office is the only reasonable course of action.
Palin on CNBC
Check it out.
Lotta Love
Real quick: Here's Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich's take (basically a thumbs up) on Gov. Sarah Palin's budget plan today ...
From the press release:
... The governor is proposing including $75 million in revenue sharing with local governments, which would mean $24,194,468 for Anchorage residents. Begich and the Anchorage Assembly have committed to passing along any revenue sharing from the state to property owners for tax relief.
... The governor's proposed budget includes $406 million to offset rising public employee retirement costs for the state, local governments and local school districts. She also proposes an additional $350,000 for increased prosecution of gang-related crimes.
The proposed capital budget gives Anchorage $140 million for transportation projects including $10 million for the Port of Anchorage expansion; $22 million for Connect Anchorage - Dowling/Old Seward to Minnesota extension; and $2 million for Connect Anchorage - Northern Access to University Medical District Study.
Media darling
In her first year as governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin has plunged ahead with the fearlessness of a polar explorer.
The populist Republican has raised taxes on the powerful oil industry. She has pushed through ethics legislation amid a burgeoning corruption investigation of Alaska lawmakers.
She has bucked her party's old guard. And she has ordered her administration to seek fewer congressional earmarks after Alaska's "Bridge to Nowhere" became a national symbol of piggish pork-barrel spending.
Palin signs oil tax
Gov. Sarah Palin just signed the oil tax increase into law. It's retroactive to June 30.
She signed it at the King Career Center on East Northern Lights Boulevard.
Here's what Palin said in her press release:
"With the signing of this bill, we can turn the page and look forward to a new era of stability and investment opportunities developing Alaska's resources, creating new jobs and a strong economy for years to come," Governor Palin said.
Behold
Gov. Sarah Palin got a break from answering questions about federal corruption probes and natural gas pipeline applications this week to take on the heady subject of fashion.
Palin struck a pose for Vogue, a fashion magazine that spent Wednesday morning at her Wasilla home.
Hockey Mum for V.P.
Looks like Sarah Palin gave an interview to a British publication called "The Monocle," which apparently had heard some rumor she could be Rudy Giuliani's running mate.
A subscription is required to read the interview.
But I saw an excerpt posted over the weekend on the Draft Sarah Palin for Vice President blog, a site that says it is put out by a guy named Adam Brickley who has never been to Alaska and "hails from the Rocky Mountain region of the Lower 48 states."
Recall Sarah Palin
Recall Sarah Palin
§ 8. Recall
Procedures and grounds for recall shall be prescribed by the legislature.
Here is a start
Unqualified
Totally incapable of doing the job that she was foolishly put there to do
Has been shown to be fiscally irresponsible
Lacking the qualities, of efficiency or skill, that is required to produce decisions that are best for the people of Alaska: Sarah Palin is inapt, incapable, inefficient, inept, inexpert, unskilled
Factually incorrect about her perception of the Alaska Constitution
Inadequate to lead this state to a stable economic future
Have you had enough yet Alaska?
AGIA: And then there was one
January 4, 2008, Anchorage, Alaska – Governor Sarah Palin today announced that the State of Alaska has finished its completeness review of the five AGIA applications. The application from TransCanada Alaska Company, LLC/Foothills Pipelines, Ltd. (“TransCanada”) satisfied all of the mandatory requirements set out in AGIA. Thus, TransCanada’s application will move to the next phase, the evaluation phase, of the AGIA process.
Our new license plate
And the winner is: Gov. Sarah Palin unveiled the new Alaska Statehood Celebration license plate in Anchorage earlier today. (Photo by Jim Lavrakas/ADN)
Lyda Green on Sarah Palin
Senate President Lyda Green told reporters here today that there's no personal animosity between her and Gov. Sarah Palin.
"I wouldn't say that there are any disagreements on anything other than policy," Green said.
Sen. Charlie Huggins said, though, that communication between the governor's office and legislators needs improvement.
"We have communications that are, in my estimation, less than adequate," he said.
Huggins didn't provide specifics.
Alaska must develop economy, not rely on federal dollars (Speech text pasted at the end of story)
State of state: Gov. Sarah Palin delivers the annual State of the State to the legislature in Juneau this afternoon. In background are Senate President Lyda Green, House Speaker John Harris.(AP Photo/Chris Miller)
"Can you pull her hair?"
We linked to this earlier, but it got swallowed up by other stuff. So we'll give it its own post: Palin on KWHL's "Bob & Mark Show" this morning.
A friendlier venue for the governor to deliver her point of view on the speech flap would be tough to find. At one point Bob Lester uses the B-word to describe the Senate president. But it's also prime Palin. Excerpt:
Governor: "...Man, I realized last night I've got to be really careful in what I say here at home. Piper heard me griping about Lyda's actions on this to Todd, and Piper she looks at me and she says 'Can you pull her hair?' ... I'd better just zip my lip and not talk about things like that in front of a kid."
Free Speech
Syrin
Free Speech?
I have never seen so many posts being deleted on a particular subject! Wow
She can't get enough of the darkside. She was back on KWHL Monday morning. There is something very troubling about ignoring the obvious...
Behold
This issue: 'Homing in on halibut.' Also: Sarah Palin.
Palin patrol
The governor continues to catch hell for her appearance on the "Bob & Mark Show" a couple weeks ago, especially for seeming to go along with the hosts' attacks on Senate President Lyda Green and for laughing as they were doing it. The News-Miner criticized her in an editorial picked up by other Alaska papers, and Dan Fagan raises the whole ruckus anew in his ADN column today.
There's some news in an ADN editorial Friday (titled "Giggle gaffe," it begins "Gov. Sarah Palin really stepped in it when she appeared recently on the show hosted by two admiring radio personalities..."). The editorial reports that Palin called Green and apologized.
Palin Vogue
The issue of Vogue with Gov. Sarah Palin is out. Kate Bosworth is on the cover.
The governor's on page 147, seen standing in front of "her family's seaplane." Big green jacket. No glasses.
The second shot is a full page of Palin walking in the snow. The magazine gives top billing to Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, who gets more of a glamour shot. Palin is billed as a "straight shooter determined to fight corruption." There's a recap of her trip from mayor to govenor. A few references to hunting and dead animals.
billed as a "straight shooter
Syrin
billed as a "straight shooter
Really Have not seen that yet!
What does all this have to do with being the Gov of Alaska? Nothing!
Palin approvals
Wonder how Gov. Sarah Palin's approval rating has changed over the past couple years?
Anchorage pollster and political consultant Ivan Moore has this chart, tracking her from December of 2005 to this month.
Heads up Alaska
Syrin
Heads up Alaska
Where have we heard this lie before????
Ensuring an Open Administration Hillary Clinton describes how she would ensure an open and transparent government, if elected.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGJh3_WL7Ig&feature=related
Palintology overrun
"Turkish and Muslim hackers" have taken over the Sarah-loving web site Palintology.
"Turkish and Muslim hackers" have taken over the Sarah-loving web site Palintology.
Still in one piece
I ran into Gov. Sarah Palin and husband Todd around lunchtime today in the Capitol.
Look close and you can see the cast on Todd’s right arm, which he injured in a crash last week during the Tesoro Iron Dog snowmobile race.
All things considered, I’d say the dude’s looking pretty fit!
What I know
Syrin
What I know
Sarah Palin is not capable or does she have a reasonable mind. She cannot meet the task that is before us, Alaska's future.
Since she is so above answering any correspondence from Alaskans.....
Just tell Sarah that I am still waiting for that call to go to lunch. Perhaps we can talk and discuss a strategy to transition her into another position before she can do anymore damage. Being incompetent as she is, what can she do? I know there has to be something else out there...
I can tell you, her family needs her much more then we do.
Palin's Media
Sarah Palin is getting all kinds of media during her D.C. trip.
Check out this gushing piece in the American Spectator that declares "Sarah Palin, the beautiful conservative Republican governor of Alaska, would be an ideal choice to help McCain slay this unholy ObamaOprah beast."
Exxon case
Palin's response: "Absolutely. Deterrence here is the operative word," she said. "We do not want this to ever happen again to any other community, state, individual. And yes, the oil industry is quite key to our economy in Alaska, some 85 to 90 percent of our state budget, the revenues are derived from resource production in oil and gas. And our fisheries, that's the No. 1 private sector employer. Alaskans understand the significance of this."
Shame Pole...Pictures or propaganda?
Syrin
Shame Pole...Pictures or propaganda?
Shame Pole...Pictures or propaganda? Pull all of the pictures out from 19 years ago, thats the cutting edge of journalism..... ADN ...Try something new...
Compensatory damages are paid to compensate the claimant for loss, injury, or harm suffered.
Exxon, which has already paid $3.5 Billion in fines.
Generally, punitive damages, are not awarded in order to compensate the plaintiff, but in order to reform plaintiff.
The plaintiff does not need to be reformed, especially by lazy fisherman waiting for a hand out or a pandering governor taking advantage of the lack of understanding by the people.
Can't wait till it's over and the biggest pig can't use this to confuse her serfs anymore!
3.5 BILLION w/ a B was plenty for you greedy pigs...
Palin interview
Sarah Palin's C-Span interview aired at 3:20 a.m. Sunday Alaska time. So you'd have to be an insomniac or a highly caffeinated political junkie to have watched it live.
It was a long interview and there were a couple of interesting moments. I watched a recording of it today and heard this nugget:
"I would absolutely love to serve on a national level at some point," Palin said.
There's obviously been a ton of speculation about Palin having U.S. Senate aspirations. But she's always downplayed it and I don't think I've heard her say before that she does want to be on the national level.
Palin was responding to questions from the C-Span interviewer about whether she'd be John McCain's running mate. Palin kept saying the whole thing is pretty far fetched. But the C-Span guy was persistent:
C-Span: If asked, would you accept?
Palin: That's quite speculative and hypothetical at this point, of course. I would absolutely love to serve on a national level at some point. At this time, though, with Alaska so much on our plate, we're trying to get a natural gas pipeline up and running...
C-Span: But if he called you on the phone and said 'Gov Palin, serve with me on the ticket and work on these issues nationally,' would you accept?
Palin: I can't imagine that happening so it's tough for me to even speculate on that right now. I really doubt that would happen.
C-Span: But if it did?
Palin: (laughs) If it did, I would cross that bridge when we get to it.
(We couldn’t find a direct link to the interview. But if you follow this link and then click on Washington Journal Entire Program 02/24/2008 you should be able to watch it. Palin comes on at the 24:33 point.)
Her media tour extended
Gov. Sarah Palin is in Los Angeles tomorrow for two events.
At 7:45 a.m. Alaska time, she’ll appear on the “KTLA Morning Show.”
KTLA is a big Sunset Boulevard television station, and its “Morning Show” is like “Today” for L.A., said Palin spokeswoman Sharon Leighow.
In the evening, Palin will take part in a Newsweek conference also featuring Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano. The magazine had profiled the two in its Oct. 15 “Women & Power” issue.
Ruedrich and Palin - the roots of the split
Over the weekend, the ADN's Sean Cockerham and the AP's Steve Quinn wrote stories about the battle that's brewing within the Alaska Republican Party over whether party chairman Randy Ruedrich should remain in that role. The party meets later this week in Anchorage for its annual convention.
The rift between Gov. Palin and Ruedrich goes way back. For context, here's a story we published in 2004. It's long.
Palin explains her actions in Ruedrich case
ETHICS: Former oil and gas commissioner's missteps went beyond his partisan work.
Palin pregnancy
Behold: Governor Sarah Palin presented information about Alaska’s gas pipeline to the Hoover Institution Board, which is the Stanford University-based public policy research center, on Feb. 26, 2008, in Washington, D.C. Photo credit to Goodman/Van Riper Photography.
Palin calls off showdown on education bill
Lots of lawmakers were riled this week over hints from Gov. Sarah Palin that she might veto House Bill 273, a school funding package legislators had touted as one of their major successes this year.
Palin, however, has just doused the firestorm with a press release that says, “I intend to sign the bill.”
One of the main provisions of the bill would kick up the state’s base funding by $100 per pupil. Currently the level is $5,380 per student.
Palin had supported a higher adjustment of $200 per student.
Palin, lawmakers spar on spending
JUNEAU – For more than a week, state lawmakers have been filing into Gov. Sarah Palin’s office to explain themselves.
The lawmakers have hometown projects they want to fund – everything from road improvements to baseball batting cages. And they’re hoping Palin won’t veto them as she did last year.
The meetings, open to reporters, offer an extraordinary glimpse into the state budgeting process as well as the tenuous relationship between the governor and leading lawmakers.
At stake are about $70 million worth of items lawmakers resurrected from a $231 million list of projects Palin cut last year, saying they didn’t qualify in her book for state spending.
The vetoes infuriated many lawmakers, who said they felt Palin blindsided them.
Just a reminder
Syrin
Just a reminder
Senate leaders have written their own projects? These projects come from the people of Alaska! That is why they are representatives.. Sarah represents no one. She's workin for Sarah! She has no intellect to meet with those who know what's needed and then measure the priority of anything..
The money is needed for a leaky roof and Palin asks "Who’s paying for that Leggo thing up front, that statue?"
"That’s your baby?" Palin asked. You know what Sarah, you have your hands full with your own "baby", but you are too self-absorbed to care.
But first she’s offered appointments to come and argue for their projects. Palin herself has sat through more than a dozen such meetings so far. Really? Are we suppose to find honor by her commitment to argumentative devices? Palin is who called for this arguing session. She should be in the hot seat...
"How a Hockey Mom Turned Alaska’s Political Establishment Upside Down."
Check out this new Sarah Palin book from Epicenter Press. Looks like it’s being published in May.
It’s called “Sarah: How a Hockey Mom Turned Alaska’s Political Establishment Upside Down.”
Want a sense of the tone?
The first chapter is called, “Growing Up Sarah.” It starts by saying that honesty became a non-negotiable standard in her family and that there was an expectation that if you wanted something, you earned it.
The chapter ends by saying people kept criticizing Sarah as she made her mark on politics, saying she was too young, inexperienced and naïve.
“Yet, time after time over the years, underestimating Sarah always turned out to be a big mistake,” it concludes.
Palin confirms fifth child will be a boy
Gov. Sarah Palin confirmed Monday that her fifth child, due May 18, will be a boy.
Palin and her husband, Todd, have not yet selected a name for the child, but are getting plenty of ideas offered by Alaskans.
The boy will be the couple's second son, following in the steps of 18-year-old Track.
The first couple's three daughters are Bristol 17; Willow 13; and Piper, 7.
Palin back to work, confirms baby has Down syndrome
Gov. Sarah Palin was back at work Monday holding a meeting on the natural gas pipeline, three days after giving birth to her fifth child.
Palin and her husband, Todd, showed the baby, Trig Paxson Van Palin, to a few reporters Monday and talked about the sooner-than-expected delivery.
Six pounds, two ounces
April 18, 2008, Anchorage, Alaska – Governor Sarah Palin and her husband Todd welcomed the arrival of their fifth child this morning. The Palins were thankful that the Governor’s labor began yesterday while she was in Texas at the Governor's Energy Conference where she gave the keynote luncheon address, but let up enough for her to travel on Alaska Airlines back to Alaska in time to deliver her second son.
Trig Paxson Van Palin was born at 6:30 a.m. and weighs six pounds, two ounces. The Governor and Trig are both doing well and resting comfortably.
Now online: capital budget with explanations
Citizens, here's a way to kill a few hours: You can now go through the state capital budget (awaiting the governor's signature and veto pen) and read the explanations / justifications offered for each of the hundreds (and hundreds and hundreds) of projects.
An Alaskan VP?
So far, Gov. Sarah Palin has been the only Alaskan to generate serious vice presidential buzz.
But how about Alaska's two Republican U.S. senators? A reporter for The Hill, a Capitol Hill newspaper, asked all 97 senators not running for president whether they would consider a VP bid, if asked. Here's how Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Sen. Ted Stevens responded:
VP Madness...and it's Palin in the finals
Maybe it was the mention in the New York Times...Whatever it was, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is in the "VP Madness" finals, a bracket-style competition among potential GOP running mates for Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. The contest, on Congressional Quarterly's website, allows readers to select running mates for the presidential candidates from both parties. Palin has made it through all of the preliminary rounds to square off against former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
Stay tuned, the GOP winner will be announced Thursday. And Democrats are next in VP Madness -- once they figure out who their nominee is, that is.
Maybe it was the mention in the New York Times...
Palin pitches $1.2B program to help offset energy costs
JUNEAU - Gov. Sarah Palin on Thursday proposed a $1.2 billion, one-year plan to help offset the high energy costs paid by the state's residents.
Grants totaling $475 million would be given to utility companies operating in the state, to be used to lower customer bills.
Palin said she expects monthly bills to be reduced by 60 percent because of the state aid.
Will be updated
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment