At least be honest ... (Andrew Halcro on the per diems)

[Blue_In_AK]

(Be sure to read the Sarah e-mail linked at the end of this article.)

http://www.andrewhalcro.com/at_least_be_honest

Lately there has been some discussion about Governor Sarah Palin billing taxpayers for nights spent away from the Governor's House in Juneau when she sleeps in her own Wasilla home.

During the Presidential campaign, the Washington Post reported that Palin billed the state for meal money while spending more than 300 nights at her Valley home during her first 19 months in office.

The governor has defended the practice by saying her claimed "Duty Station" is Juneau, which makes claiming per diem while traveling, even at her own home, completely legal.

State rules say that if your job stations you in Juneau or Anchorage, but you live in another part of the state, you can still get per diem when visiting your hometown.

In a recent response to a letter to the editor from a Juneau resident concerned about Palin's time away from the state capitol, the governor's deputy press secretary opined that the reason Palin spent so much time away from Juneau was due to work being done on the Governor's House.

"In response to Wednesday's letter, "Palin's refusal to live in Juneau," I would like to remind readers that the Governor's House has been closed for substantial periods of time for a massive plumbing project," wrote Sharon Leighow in the Anchorage Daily News.

But the reason for Palin's pro-longed per diem claiming absence from Alaska's capitol city appears more significant than just bad plumbing.

As has become the case with this administration, if they didn't offer half truths, there would be no truths at all.

In a recently released email dated March 24, 2007, the governor tells her staff,

"I'm anxious for the session to wind down and then we will start conducting a chunk of continued administrative work out of southcentral AK, where it will be easier to stay connected."

"We are going to have to fundamentally change some perceptions of WHERE the admin needs to conduct its business in order to stay connected w/the world outside of Juneau."

Even Joe the Plumber, having read the governor's email (attached) would admit the reason for spending fewer days in Juneau has less to do with bad pipes and more to do with bad feelings towards Juneau being the state's capitol.

Not liking Juneau isn't a sin....but being dishonest about your true intentions seems.....well.....dishonest.

http://www.andrewhalcro.com/files/Palin%20email%20re%20Juneau_0.pdf

[snowbear]

1. Speaking of Andrew....

If ANYONE should be writing a book on Palin, it should be him!!

Andrew knows the scoop on Palin more than all the pundits, mediaheads, and handlers combined.

He should start compiling his notes now, and get his book out the same day her $7 million dollar book hits the stands.

His book would be far more entertaining.. and far more accurate.

[Blue_In_AK]

2. Oh, you are so right.

He's really a smart guy, and was on to her from the get-go. I seem to remember you and me discussing him back in 2006 when I said that my husband had been thinking of voting for him for guv, but ended up voting for Tony (under pressure from me). :) Andrew certainly would have made a better governor than Sarah, that's for sure.