SARAH PALIN

of the increase is due to the $ 400,000 in interest owed on the road and sewer bonds, a measure she notes
the voters approved. Much of the rest is due to some positions now included in her budget that weren’t
when she first took over, she said. Stein also criticized the $ 5.5 million bond package, which he said will
cost too much to pay off and could make the city vulnerable should the economy turn down.” [Anchorage
Daily News (Alaska), 9/20/99]
Palin Introduced Ballot Propositions To Approve Bonding for A Public Safety Building and For
Paving City Streets. “Wasilla Mayor Sarah Palin proposed four ballot propositions at Monday’s council
meeting. One would ask voters to approve bonding for construction of a borough/city public safety
building and another is a roads package to improve and pave the city’s major streets.” [Frontiersman, 7/8/97]
$5.5 Million Bond Went on 1997 Ballot, Would Cost $450K a Year for 20 Years. “Wasilla voters will
be asked Oct. 7 if they support a $5.5 million bonding project for road paving. If approved, this would be
the first time the city has passed general obligation bonds.” The Frontiersman reported that to bond a
project of this size for 20 years, the annual bond payment is estimated to be in excess of $450,000,
according to the city’s senior accountant, Dean Baugh.” [Frontiersman, 9/24/97]
Budget
Palin Favored Saving State Budget Surplus Money For Later. Governor Frank Murkowski drafted
plans to spend the states $1.4 billion surplus to “help the state catch up” after years of budget deficit.
Sarah Palin stated lawmakers should save some of the surplus for the years ahead and that “this budget
will look odd to Alaskans coming from a Republican governor and a Republican Legislature.” Murkowski
planned to spend the surplus on roads, schools, ports, museums and ice rinks around the state. [AP, 7/1/06]
Palin Said She Favored Using the State’s Surplus for A Fiscal Plan Involving Saving. “Because the
state is enjoying a $1.2 billion surplus from oil revenues, the candidates were asked if they would use
some of it for a fiscal plan. ‘I definitely think we need to take part of that surplus and get it off the table
now before the legislators go crazy with some of their grander spending sprees,’ said Republican
candidate Sarah Palin, former mayor of Wasilla. Her fiscal plan would involve saving money from the
surplus.” [Juneau Empire, 2/23/06]
Government Administrative Spending Increased 48 Percent Under Palin. In fiscal 2003—the last
fiscal year Palin approved the budget—the expenditures of the general government of Wasilla were
$1,899,275. In fiscal 1996—the year before Palin took control of the budget—the expenditures were
$1,286,594. The increase was 48 percent. “General government expenditures” covers administration, city
council, administrative and management systems. [Wasilla Comprehensive Annual Financial Report 2003, Table 1]
• Population Increase in that Time Was 37 Percent. In 1996, the population of Wasilla was
4,635. In 2003 it was 6343, an increase of 37 percent. [Wasilla Comprehensive Annual Financial Report
2003, Table 13]
Total Government Expenditures Increased 63 Percent Under Palin. In fiscal 2003—the last fiscal
year Palin approved the budget—the total government expenditures of Wasilla, excluding capital outlays,
were $7,046,325. In fiscal 1996—the year before Palin took control of the budget—the expenditures were
$4,317,947. The increase was 63 percent. [Wasilla Comprehensive Annual Financial Report 2003, Table 1]
Spending On Salaries Increased 67 Percent Under Palin. In fiscal 2003—the last fiscal year Palin
approved the budget—the total spending on salaries and benefits was $549,392. In fiscal 1996—the year
before Palin took control of the budget—salaries and benefits came to $328,650. The increase was 67