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Palin Saves AK $900,000 By Taking Per Diem

Mike

Well-known member
Palin staffers defend governor's per diem record
KTTU ^ | February 23, 2009 | Rebecca Palsha


ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Gov. Sarah Palin has taken heat for accepting per diem payments while living in her Wasilla home.

On Monday her staff defended those payments and insists it has saved the state hundreds of thousands of dollars.

"This governor has gone to great lengths to save money, and she is unfairly attacked for this comparatively minor amount of per diem," spokesperson Bill McAllister said.

Palin received more than $17,000 in living expenses while staying in her Wasilla home at a rate of $60 dollars a day.

"This is in accordance with state travel policy that pays employees per diem when they're away from their duty station, which for Governor Palin is Juneau," said Kim Garnero, the state finance director.

McAllister says doing this has saved the state thousands of dollars, claiming previous governors and their spouses have collected much more money between travel, lodging and other expenses.

"It's less money than if she stayed in Juneau year-round by a factor of $90,000," he said. "It's $90,000 cheaper."

Still, many have questioned Palin's per diem payments.

"I would suggest saying, ‘Well, $17,000 is a lot cheaper than $100,000' -- or whatever Bill McAllister thinks it might be -- I think the question still remains, is it appropriate for the governor to collect per diem while she's living at home," Sen. Kim Elton, D-Juneau said.

"Let's look at the big picture: through her approach to expenses Governor Palin, in the first two years of her term, saved more than $900,000, OK, $900,000 in state funds, compared to the last few years under her predecessor," McAllister said.

So is Palin collecting a per diem now, and will she continue to do so?

"I don't know the last time she accepted it, but if she has accepted it and continues to accept it, it will be a part of the public record," McAllister said.

Contact Rebecca Palsha at [email protected]
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Well if you think charging the taxpayers per diem to visit or stay in your own home- even after the taxpayers provide you a twenty-six room- ten bathroom, six bedroom, eight fireplace Governors Mansion is ethical and kosher-- then I guess there is no problem- eh :???:
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
Oldtimer said:
Well if you think charging the taxpayers per diem to visit or stay in your own home- even after the taxpayers provide you a twenty-six room- ten bathroom, six bedroom, eight fireplace Governors Mansion is ethical and kosher-- then I guess there is no problem- eh :???:

The Governor saves her state $90,000 and you're bitching why?
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Sandhusker said:
Oldtimer said:
Well if you think charging the taxpayers per diem to visit or stay in your own home- even after the taxpayers provide you a twenty-six room- ten bathroom, six bedroom, eight fireplace Governors Mansion is ethical and kosher-- then I guess there is no problem- eh :???:

The Governor saves her state $90,000 and you're bitching why?

I don't believe it- its a Spin...I don't think its right to pay per diem to go home and visit your friends or relatives- and stay in your own home....Or even when you're in that town on official business..

Think how much they could save if she didn't charge the taxpayers to stay in her own house/home.... :???: What Would a TRUE Fiscal Conservative Do :???:
 

Mike

Well-known member
The State of AK has an office in Anchorage simply because of the size of the city and it's the hub of business activity up there.

Palin lives in Wasilla, about 50 miles away from Anchorage. She fired the state chauffeur and chef and drove herself to work everyday after dropping the kids off at school. She drove her own vehicle and bought her own gas from what I understand.

The Governor's mansion near the Capitol in Juneau was only used by her for about 60 days that congress was in session.

She could have, if she had wanted, used the state jet to take her to work everyday in Juneau had she desired. But, she sold the jet.................


I think the Per Diem amount she got was a steal for the State.

Just in case you don't believe she drove herself to work:
Attractive Alaska Governor Sarah Palin ‘Rear-Ended’Here is an update on that affable mother of five who the mens are always licking their chops over: She almost died the other day. Unlike other fancy-pants governors who have personal drivers to get them into car wrecks, Governor Sarah Palin drives her own self around in a Chevy Suburban. On Tuesday morning she was sitting at a stop light on her way to work in downtown Anchorage when some silly fellow ran into her, and now that guy gets to say he rear-ended the governor, wokka wokka.

The rear-ender has gotten speeding tickets before, and he is also a certified EMT who drives fire trucks and stuff, so look out, Anchorage!

Anyhow, the governor is totally fine, due to her enormous vehicle. It bumped the car in front of her, and that car bumped another one. In total, four cars were involved in this little accident. The driver of the first car had a funny little anecdote about the whole thing:

“It was really just a quick bump,” said Jason Goodenbery, the driver of the fourth vehicle hit, a Toyota Camry.

He went to the driver of the car behind him, Amanda Peterson, and realized two other vehicles were involved, he said.

“She asked me, ‘Is that Sarah Palin?’ And, I had seen her and I had noted some resemblance, but I was like, ‘No it’s not her.’ ”

“So I went to speak with her and the gentlemen in (the car behind Palin’s), Mr. Brown, and we were just trading names and phone numbers, very polite, and I asked her (for) her name and phone number and she started to say, ‘Sarah,’ and I was like, ‘Oh, man, you are Sarah Palin, aren’t you?’ “

Governor Palin will probably see many more rear endings in her future so that dudes in Camrys can get her phone number.

Palin unhurt in fender bender [Anchorage Daily News]
 
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Anonymous

Guest
The Governor's mansion near the Capitol in Juneau was only used by her for about 60 days that congress was in session.

I wonder how much that costs the state taxpayers to sit empty- while she gets paid per diem and milage to live at home :???:
Yep-- more Fiscal Conservatism :???: :wink:
 

Mike

Well-known member
Sarah DID drive a state furnished vehicle to work:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Governor's staff defends her expenses
$805,312: Compared to Murkowski, and Knowles, Palin is called "frugal"; $18,000 in per diem while in Wasilla.

By LISA DEMER
[email protected]
Anchorage Daily News
Published: February 23rd, 2009 10:10 PM
Last Modified: February 24th, 2009 10:58 AM

Gov. Sarah Palin, under scrutiny for charging the state for expenses while living in her Wasilla home, is actually living much more inexpensively than her two immediate predecessors, according to an analysis provided Monday by her staff.

Officials compared Palin's expenses for items including travel, lodging, and meals to that of former Govs. Frank Murkowski and Tony Knowles. They said she's spent about $900,000 less in her first two years than Murkowski did his last two years.

Her expenses were also lower than for Knowles his last two years, though the difference was not as dramatic.

"With the exception of former Gov. Murkowski's much derided purchase and use of a jet, Gov. Palin is not criticizing her predecessors' expenses, but rather demonstrating that she has been frugal," said Bill McAllister, Palin's communications director, in a news conference Monday.

Still, Palin has decided to give up a state Chevy Suburban -- a loaner from her security detail -- that she had use of while working in Anchorage and living in Wasilla, said Bob Cockrell, part of her security staff.

"We turned it in today," Cockrell said.

Palin's decision on the vehicle related to a recent determination that she owed income taxes on the value of any personal use of it, McAllister said.

The governor intends to start driving her own car, Cockrell said, adding that he isn't pleased with the decision because her car -- a Volkswagen Jetta -- is small and not as safe as the state rig.

Counting her travel, her family's travel, lodging, meal allowances and the cost of running the Juneau governor's house, Palin's expenses her first two years amounted to about $805,312, according to figures provided by the administration. That compares to close to $1.6 million for Murkowski his last two years, the figures show.

Plus, she saved an additional $125,000 by reducing her security staff, though McAllister said he believed the positions were recently added back in.

The biggest differences relate to billings for use of state aircraft -- including the jet bought by the Murkowski administration that Palin made a big deal of selling.

Most of the criticism of Palin and her living expenses concerns the $60-a-day for meals and incidentals she collects when she works outside her assigned duty station, which is Juneau. That money will now be taxed as income.

Since taking office in December 2006, she's collected more than $18,000 in meal money during the time she was staying in her Wasilla home. That figure is higher than has been previously reported because it includes charges through Dec. 14. (Palin hasn't charged the state for her expenses during September and October, when she was running for vice president, according to a state executive compensation and travel report for 2008.)

McAllister said that meal money is minor in the scheme of things, and that she's saving more than enough in other areas to make up for it.

Besides her $125,000-a-year salary, Palin is entitled to lodging, and when she's away from Juneau, per diem money, McAllister said. Plus, the state covers the cost of the First Family's groceries when they are in Juneau, he said.

Palin could have been billing the state for a hotel room in Anchorage, as did Knowles, who leased out his home here while he was governor. And the state paid for Murkowski to have an apartment downtown. Palin, who spends more than half her time in the Anchorage office, commutes from Wasilla, her staff noted.

Palin cut expenses at the Juneau house by getting rid of the cook, and operational costs also are lower because the family is away so much, McAllister said. Costs for the house under Palin are more than $100,000 less than during Murkowski's last two years.

State officials revealed last week that Palin owes taxes on the daily living expenses.

The state turned to outside tax experts after questions came up during the presidential campaign. On Feb. 13, the state received the determination, Kim Garnero, state finance director, said Monday at the news conference.

Revised W-2s for 2007 and 2008 were sent out for Palin last week, Garnero said.

"What pushed the governor into a taxable situation is she earned the majority of her salary in Anchorage, which made it her tax home," Garnero said.

Palin could only collect expense money tax free if she were away from her tax home.

Some of Palin's stated justifications to work in Anchorage and collect the expense money raise questions of their own: an interview with Fox News on Nov. 9, a telephone call with newly defeated U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole on Nov. 21 and photos with the University of Alaska Anchorage basketball teams on Nov. 28 and 29.

The state travel authorization forms don't give Palin and her aides much room to explain her reasons for being outside Juneau. Palin is on duty 24-7, often sends e-mails in the middle of the night, and was working on more than the documents indicate, McAllister said.

"She had a full blown Cabinet meeting. She met with her gasline team. She met with her budget director. She met with her legislative liaison," McAllister said. "I mean all those things don't show up."

McAllister said he couldn't reveal how much Palin owes in taxes.

"The governor's personal taxes are a private matter," he said. "She'll pay whatever she owes. Whatever the IRS says, she'll pay it."

It's not clear if she intends to continue to collect the expense money.


Find Lisa Demer online at adn.com/contact/ldemer or call 257-4390.
 

Mike

Well-known member
Oldtimer said:
The Governor's mansion near the Capitol in Juneau was only used by her for about 60 days that congress was in session.

I wonder how much that costs the state taxpayers to sit empty- while she gets paid per diem and milage to live at home :???:
Yep-- more Fiscal Conservatism :???: :wink:

Whatever she got for staying at home was cheaper than living in the mansion, for sure.

"Cost the taxpayers to sit empty"? Are you nuts? :lol:
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Mike said:
Oldtimer said:
The Governor's mansion near the Capitol in Juneau was only used by her for about 60 days that congress was in session.

I wonder how much that costs the state taxpayers to sit empty- while she gets paid per diem and milage to live at home :???:
Yep-- more Fiscal Conservatism :???: :wink:

Whatever she got for staying at home was cheaper than living in the mansion, for sure.

"Cost the taxpayers to sit empty"? Are you nuts? :lol:

You ain't never paid the heat bill on a 26 room mansion- especially in Alaska...
 

Mike

Well-known member
Oldtimer said:
Mike said:
Oldtimer said:
I wonder how much that costs the state taxpayers to sit empty- while she gets paid per diem and milage to live at home :???:
Yep-- more Fiscal Conservatism :???: :wink:

Whatever she got for staying at home was cheaper than living in the mansion, for sure.

"Cost the taxpayers to sit empty"? Are you nuts? :lol:

You ain't never paid the heat bill on a 26 room mansion- especially in Alaska...

I truly think you have lost all cognizance. Go get analyzed..and get some help.............. Quick. :roll:
 

TexasBred

Well-known member
Juneau is not much colder in winter than Texas and much cooler in summer. Not denying there will be some very cold days and nights but looks like a nice place to live.


Month Av Max Temp (F) Ave Min Temp (F)
January 29.0 18.2
February 34.2 23.0
March 38.7 26.6
April 47.5 32.4
May 55.3 39.2
June 61.6 45.3
July 64.0 48.4
August 62.7 47.6
September 56.0 43.2
October 47.0 36.9
November 37.7 28.5
December 32.5 23.4
 

MsSage

Well-known member
Juneau is not much colder in winter than Texas
Up here in the upper panhandle its the same as Juneau.( except today we are at 89) but HEY we have WIND POWER wwwhhhooooooo yeap I pay $190 a month for a small apartment for power :roll: My dad pays $125 a month for a 2500 sqft House In SC but he does NOT have wind power.


OT Your upset over the per diem right? OK I have a question shoer gets a per diem for everyday he is on the road. Some days he uses that much other days he doesnt are you upset he can take that off his taxes?
 

TexasBred

Well-known member
MsSage said:
Juneau is not much colder in winter than Texas
Up here in the upper panhandle its the same as Juneau.( except today we are at 89) but HEY we have WIND POWER wwwhhhooooooo yeap I pay $190 a month for a small apartment for power :roll: My dad pays $125 a month for a 2500 sqft House In SC but he does NOT have wind power.


OT Your upset over the per diem right? OK I have a question shoer gets a per diem for everyday he is on the road. Some days he uses that much other days he doesnt are you upset he can take that off his taxes?

Most per diems come with no strings attached. You can use it for food and lodging, women, drinks whatever.....it just comes with the job.
 

Tam

Well-known member
Oldtimer said:
Mike said:
Oldtimer said:
I wonder how much that costs the state taxpayers to sit empty- while she gets paid per diem and milage to live at home :???:
Yep-- more Fiscal Conservatism :???: :wink:

Whatever she got for staying at home was cheaper than living in the mansion, for sure.

"Cost the taxpayers to sit empty"? Are you nuts? :lol:

You ain't never paid the heat bill on a 26 room mansion- especially in Alaska...

Have you paid the heat bill on a 26 room mansion in Alaska Oldtimer? I doubt it. :wink: Do you think if the mansion is not occupied that the heat is turned up to normal lived in temps like it would be if Palin and her family were living in it? I dare say that the heat is only turned up when someone is actually in the mansion. And since Palin's house in Wasilla is A LOT SMALLER it costs A LOT LESS to heat than a 26 room mansion especially in Alaska. . :roll:
 
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Anonymous

Guest
MsSage said:
OT Your upset over the per diem right? OK I have a question shoer gets a per diem for everyday he is on the road. Some days he uses that much other days he doesnt are you upset he can take that off his taxes?

Does he ger paid per diem for the days/nights he spends in his own house :???:

To me that is wrong.....I've used per diem when travelling-- but I wouldn't even think of asking for it the nights I spent in my own home...The auditors would just laugh at me...Especially when the taxpayers are furnishing and paying for a Mansion to live in....
 

MsSage

Well-known member
Does he ger paid per diem for the days/nights he spends in his own house
Well since he sleeps in and drives his "house" Yeah he gets the per diem when he spends it in his own house.
When he is not OTR he is either at my apartment or his parents house which is not very often.
Before you say well thats NOT a house. It is his home and costs more than most houses.
 

Mike

Well-known member
Oldtimer said:
MsSage said:
OT Your upset over the per diem right? OK I have a question shoer gets a per diem for everyday he is on the road. Some days he uses that much other days he doesnt are you upset he can take that off his taxes?

Does he ger paid per diem for the days/nights he spends in his own house :???:

To me that is wrong.....I've used per diem when travelling-- but I wouldn't even think of asking for it the nights I spent in my own home...The auditors would just laugh at me...Especially when the taxpayers are furnishing and paying for a Mansion to live in....

The bottom line is, OT.............she drastically cut the travel related and ordinary expenses of her predecessors while in the Governors Office.

Unless you can dispute that Shut The F___ Up! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Bring It!!! Come on, we're waiting...........................
 
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Anonymous

Guest
So much for principles, honesty, and ethics...Getting paid by the taxpayers to live in your own home :roll: :( That type of thinking is what put us in the dire economic straits we're in...
 
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