Pandora
Well-Known Member
JUNEAU -- Top Alaska legislators said Tuesday they're likely to accept at least most of the federal economic stimulus money that Gov. Sarah Palin did not.
"I think at the end of the day we will end up taking most of the funds," said Anchorage Republican Rep. Mike Hawker, who is leading the House effort on the stimulus as co-chairman of the finance committee.
It looks to me like some of the legislators think at least some of the money she is refusing is worth refusing.
The biggest chunk of money at issue is about $170 million for education. School district officials are mad, and Anchorage Democratic Rep. Harry Crawford said he doesn't expect legislators to withhold the money.
I don't see anybody getting in front of that train," he said.
And it looks to me like the reason they are taking what they are taking is because no one wants to stand up to the schools, or get in front of that train as one guy put it.
Senate President Gary Stevens, a Republican from Kodiak, said he's especially interested in the money that would go for special education and schooling for disadvantaged children. Stevens said his meetings with the governor prior to her stimulus announcement had given him the impression she was going to go after more of the money and he was surprised to hear otherwise last week.
This man says he spoke with Palin before hand and she seemed interested in the money at that time. I know its just a crazy thought but maybe she actually would like money for special needs kids and its only when she saw the strings attached she changed her mind. Crazy I know but this man Gary Stevens said she was at one point interested in the money. Maybe she is just on her monthly cycle (assuming she isnt pregnant AGAIN!) and that caused mood swings, it must be something like that instead of something like getting more information and seeing strings attached.
But legislators do have questions about the stimulus package and plan on hearings in the coming weeks to sort out the details. Some share Palin's view that accepting federal money could create expectations among the public for services that the state would need to either fund or abandon after the federal dollars stopped coming.
ACK!!! there are people in Alaska who share Palins view, people worried that this will cause the taxes to be raised after obama has washed his hands of these programs.
"I am very concerned and I know Alaskans are about what we're about to do here," said Fairbanks Republican Rep. Mike Kelly.
I wonder is anyone attacking this guy for being concerned or is trashing someone for seeing problems with taking some of this money just a Palin thing?