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Palin Declines Pay Raise; Reduces Budget Request

Submitted by T D Williams on Fri, 12/19/2008 - 19:26

 

 

Governor Sarah Palin and Marie Green at the Northwest Arctic Leadership Forum

The Anchorage Daily News reports that a new Alaska state commission created by the legislature has recommended boosting state salaries for legislators, department heads, lieutenant governor and governor. The commission recommends giving the governor a 20% increase (from $125,000 to $150,000).

However, Governor Sarah Palin says she will not accept a pay raise.

"'But if the commission pushes ahead with a pay raise, Palin won't accept the money,' said spokesman Bill McAllister.

"'Her view is, it's just not appropriate to accept a pay raise in the middle of the term.'"

A further example of conservative political action is Palin's budget proposal of $11.2 billion for FY 2010. This is a 7% decrease from the FY 2009 budget.

 “'With the present market conditions and oil prices, it is incumbent on the state to present a general fund budget that spends less than the current one, especially when adjusted for inflation,' Governor Palin said." 

The proposed decline in spending takes into account "volatile" revenue cycles and the need for rainy day funds. Palin's budget proposal is geared to spending less than projected income with all surplus funds to go into a "constitutional budget reserve".

“'The fall revenue forecast again highlights how volatile our revenue cycles can be,' said the Governor. 'Working with the legislature, we have made good decisions over the past two years – putting money into savings accounts and investing in infrastructure that will help develop our resources and our communities.'"

Now if only the federal government would show some fiscal responsibility.

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Comments

Wow

Submitted by Cahnman on Fri, 12/19/2008 - 19:38.

Good for her!!!

I appreciate the gesture

Submitted by Paleo-Skeptic on Fri, 12/19/2008 - 19:47.

but I don't like the reasoning.

My raises typically go into effect in July, right in the middle of the calendar year, presumably toward the end of any fiscal year that a company might declare.

 

This underscores my main complaint with Palin: She does all the right things for the wrong reasons.

Still, an unabashed Palin supporter. 

I appreciate the gesture

Submitted by Paleo-Skeptic on Fri, 12/19/2008 - 19:47.

but I don't like the reasoning.

My raises typically go into effect in July, right in the middle of the calendar year, presumably toward the end of any fiscal year that a company might declare.

 

This underscores my main complaint with Palin: She does all the right things for the wrong reasons.

Still, an unabashed Palin supporter. 

Not a Palinbot like David but also an unabashed

Submitted by the foundation on Fri, 12/19/2008 - 21:54.

Palin supporter (believe in social conservative views but more libertarian than social conservative); this move seems to be a McCain-like move.  She must have learned something from him after all.  A little gimmicky but then again, there's a reason why swing voters/independents had a soft spot for McCain.  They love gimmicks such as pledging to take public financing, challenging a coward like Obama to ten townhalls, etc.  The downside of course was that McCain could not count on conservative turnout (e.g. white evangelical turnout) though he always had their support.

I think the good governor from Alaska would be best served from doing more McCain-like moves in order to increase her appeal to non-Republicans; she doesn't have any problem with fiscal or social conservatives, it's the indies that are wary of her.  She'll never be a wonk but then again, neither was McCain and he was able to garner a ton of indy support prior to the financial collapse when Obama was somehow behind McCain.  The conservative McCain should be her model.

There's an echo in here

Submitted by Paleo-Skeptic on Fri, 12/19/2008 - 19:50.

n/t

The Palin family finances

Submitted by NextRightNando on Fri, 12/19/2008 - 21:04.

I'm sure we'll be hearing how she said "thanks, but not thanks" to the pay rise, but lets not forget that she's going to get $7 million for her book - that helps the family finances a bit.

Which is good, becasue it means that the Alaska taxpayers won't have to keep on picking up the tab for the Palin children traveiing with their mom to events that they weren't invited -( five days at the Ritz Carlton in NYC, etc. etc.)

It will also come in handy for paying the tax lawyers when the IRS comes calling to investigate the 312 nights spent in her own home that she billed the taxpayers for,  using the "per diem" allowance intended to cover meals and incidental expenses while traveling on state business.

 

You stay classy....

Submitted by Cahnman on Fri, 12/19/2008 - 21:19.

n/t

I think Mitch did the same thing...

Submitted by the foundation on Fri, 12/19/2008 - 21:49.

These two should get together and pen an op-ed for next week railing against the Dem Congress for the pay raises they are set to receive.

Palin cannot accept $7 million for a book as long as she remains a state employee....if she writes a book, I would hope she wouldn't name the book after a sermon delivered by a racist like Jeremiah Wright.

Barack "race card I don't look like all those guys on the dollar bills" Obama is going to running up some legal fees explaining that land deal with Rezko, which none of his supporters can explain.  I don't know how you can get into Palin's IRS form becuase you seem to be assuming that she didn't report her per diem expenses.  Are her tax returns online?

It was absolutely revolting and disgraceful to see Barack "race card" Obama (hey, I'll take Bill Clinton's word for it, best president of the past 16 years and that race memo that Obamabots cannot explain) accuse John McCain of racism; the "dollar bill" comment was the most vicious one of the entire election cycle. 

Rezko, the race card

Submitted by NextRightNando on Fri, 12/19/2008 - 23:33.

Did he play the race card? Depends on the individual's interpretation.  As for Rezko, both Clinton and McCain tried but got nowhere with it. I think that for anyone who isn't a political junkie, "Rezko" doesn't mean anything. You can talk about it all you want, but it won't have any effect, becasue the average voter doesn't know what the story is.

Washington Post, October 23: "The most direct indication that Rezko has not seriously damaged Obama's image was in NYT-CBS poll last week that showed that among the 44 percent who said they were bothered by "anything" to do with Obama's background or past associations, one respondent mentioned Rezko."

On the other hand, every voter has a good gut understanding of what "took the kids to NYC to stay at the Ritz Carlton on the government's dime" means.

It is my firm belief that Palin's ethical lapses before she went on the national stage and her husband's membership in the Alaska Independence Party and her courting that party's support are chickens that will come home to roost. I know a lot of people on this site have great affection for her, but she has zero chance in 2012.

 

Your conclusion is wrong

Submitted by Paleo-Skeptic on Fri, 12/19/2008 - 23:42.

Look at Chappaquiddick.

The American public can be very forgiving.

Anyway, all of her faults fall in the right direction.  These are the errors of youth.

People LOVE Sarah, and that should never be underestimated.

She's a true progressive in the historical sense of the term rather than in the re-branded Kennedy-style liberalism sense of the term-- or, if you like, a maverick, an heir of Roosevelt.

 

SOME people love Sarah Palin

Submitted by NextRightNando on Sat, 12/20/2008 - 08:04.

December 08 Wall Street Journal Poll

Rate your feelings toward X as either very positive, somewhat positive, neutral, somewhat negative or very negative.

G.W. Bush: VP = 11, SP=20, N=10, SN=16, VN=43

D Party: VP=17, SP=32, N=22, SN=15, VN=13

R Party: VP=7, SP=20, N=20, SN=26, VN=26

McCain: VP=11, SP=30, N=25, SN=21, VN=12

Hillary: VP=27, SP=26, N=20, SN=14, VN=12

Palin: VP=15, SP=20, N=16, SN=15, VN=30

Condi: VP=21, SP=26, N=27, SN=12, VN=6

 

For simplicity, lets combine the "Ps" and the "Ns":

G.W. Bush: P= 31, N=10, N=59

D Party: P=49, N=22, N=28

R Party: P=27, N=20, N=52

McCain: P=41, N=25, N=33

Hillary: P= 53, N=20, N=26

Palin: P=35, N=16, N=45

Condi: P=47,  N=27, N=18

I don't recall anyone ever saying that people LOVE Condi Rice and therefore she would be a great candidate.

Palin has very high negatives, and very few neutrals.

 

 

Oh, and by the way...

Submitted by davidfarrar on Sat, 12/20/2008 - 11:00.

...if the RNC is smart enough to offer their leadership position to Gov. Palin, she can then accept the $7 million book deal right away. Am I right?

ex animo

davidfarrar

They need a strategist

Submitted by Paleo-Skeptic on Sat, 12/20/2008 - 11:19.

Someone unafraid to make difficult decisions.  Someone most concerned about the bottom line.

Sounds to me like they need Mitt Romney.