February 3, 2009, Juneau, Alaska - Governor Sarah Palin again today expressed her serious concerns with President Obama’s proposed stimulus package. In a joint letter sent to Alaska’s congressional delegation, Governor Palin, House Speaker Mike Chenault and Senate President Gary Stevens cautioned that unrestrained spending, initiation of new programs that the states may be asked to continue after the federal stimulus is gone, and the borrowing of hundreds of billions of dollars to pay for it may result in serious economic problems in the future.
Governor Palin recently traveled to the nation’s capital to personally express her concerns with the stimulus package with business, economic and political leaders. The trip was not an effort to endorse or lobby for the current stimulus package now before Congress.
“I agree with the decision of Senator Murkowski and Congressman Young to vote NO on the package,” Governor Palin said.
The governor has strongly supported funding for infrastructure that creates good American jobs and will have a positive effect on the nation for generations to come.
“It's a given that a stimulus package is needed and will happen,” Palin said. “With guaranteed spending on the table, I am arguing for needed construction projects and tax breaks that will truly stimulate the economy and create jobs, and against increased federal programs that will become a state's unfunded mandate to continue funding for generations.”
Senate President Gary Stevens agreed. “We need the funding but not more federal programs to maintain,” he said. “We need to make wise use of limited state funds.”
House Speaker Mike Chenault added, “The letter addressed to members of Congress and the Alaska Delegation basically tells those members where Alaska sits on the issues of the stimulus package and how it will affect Alaska as far as a funding formula goes. So it just gives them a little bit clearer picture on what the needs are for the state of Alaska in comparison with the rest of the nation.”
Governor Palin and the legislative leadership also highlighted the conventional fuels that Alaska has to offer and the need to find ways the federal government can help bring the state’s clean burning natural gas through a pipeline to the midwest.
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