Palin's Hockey Rink Leads To Legal Trouble in Town She Led

[RamboLiberal]

Source: Wall Street Journal

WASILLA, Alaska -- The biggest project that Sarah Palin undertook as mayor of this small town was an indoor sports complex, where locals played hockey, soccer, and basketball, especially during the long, dark Alaskan winters.

The only catch was that the city began building roads and installing utilities for the project before it had unchallenged title to the land. The misstep led to years of litigation and at least $1.3 million in extra costs for a small municipality with a small budget. What was to be Ms. Palin's legacy has turned into a financial mess that continues to plague Wasilla.

"It's too bad that the city of Wasilla didn't do their homework and secure the land before they began construction," said Kathy Wells, a longtime activist here. "She was not your ceremonial mayor; she was in charge of running the city. So it was her job to make sure things were done correctly."

Ms. Palin, now Alaska's governor and Republican Sen. John McCain's running mate, has pointed to her two terms as Wasilla's mayor, from 1996 to 2002, as evidence that she has enough executive experience to take on the presidency, should the need arise -- more than Democratic Sen. Barack Obama, who touts his own background as a community organizer in Chicago.



Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122065537792905483.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

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I found this to be an interesting passage in the story. Hockey is much loved in Wasilla, and Ms. Palin, whose son was a star player, wanted to build an indoor rink, with a track, basketball courts and soccer field.

I also find it obnoxious that though Palin wasn't mayor at the time that Wasilla grabbed the land for the rink through eminient domain. There may be times eminient domain needs to be used, but it is also very often abused to grab private property for private concerns.

[leftrightwingnut]

1. Her "experience" speaks for itself: How will she perform?

What was to be Ms. Palin's legacy has turned into a financial mess that continues to plague Wasilla.

Ms. Palin ... has pointed to her two terms as Wasilla's mayor ... as evidence that she has enough executive experience to take on the presidency...

[roguevalley]

10. if memory serves me, the owner offered it earlier at a good price

but she didn't take it. when they did, the city paid through the nose.

[SpiralHawk]

2. She's a typical republicon: All about Fail.

Republicon = fail, and then lies to cover up the fail.

[mwb970]

3. She seems to see government as an extension of her personal life.

...and her personal life is one holy mess.

[BeFree]

4. Pure, adultered socialism

Now, public facilities like that are a great form of socialism. But what Saracudda did was commit adultery with the public and that thing is her bastard child.

[Buns_of_Fire]

7. "Saracuda" -- love it!

:thumbsup: (Although I've now got an earworm that, I'm afraid, isn't going to go away for a while...)

[BeFree]

8. I owe it to DU.

Glad you liked it.

Did I ever tell you about Alabama and how it sounds like it must be a Muslim state?

[kevinmc]

5. Fix for the WSJ -- Palin's Bad Judgement Leads To Legal Trouble in Town She Led

that is what the headline should have been.

[Ghost Dog]

6. "Barack Obama, who touts his own background as a community organizer in Chicago."

Nope. I call WSJ bullshit right there. Y'all can better than me explain why.


Tout. who's the fuckin' poncy tout.

[rainbow4321]

9. The eminent domain case has cost Wasilla a shitload of $$

Is this leftover from Palin's time as their mayor??

http://www.frontiersman.com/articles/2008/02/01/local_news/doc47a2c7bcdf210495927316.txt



Wasilla City Council has approved an initial plan to provide the funds to cover a shortfall at the city library and costs associated with a recent settlement of an eminent domain case. The plan includes postponing some less-important fiscal year 2008 capital improvement projects and using balances left over from 2007 projects.

<snip>

Along with the library shortfall, Wasilla is moving money to pay attorney fees associated with an eminent domain case — a case that settles a dispute over the land where the Wasilla Multi-Use Sports Complex is located. The city is responsible for paying about $300,000 of former landowner Gary Lungren’s attorney fees.

With about $372,000 needed, the council targeted 11 capital improvement projects and their combined $402,596 in expected expenses. Projects selected for postponement include updating the city Web site, implementing an annexation study and a comprehensive plan update.

[RedLetterRev]

11. Reminds me of another republicon mayor

Carol Keeton McClellan Strayhorn. Y'know, Scotty McClellan's mom. I lived in Austin a-way-back-when she was "Mayor of All Austin" and good buddy of that equally-crooked repuke governor Bill Clements. She often used imminent domain as a means of running poor people off land she wanted to offer to wealthy donors to build more hotels and complexes on, to crowd downtown Austin with shit it didn't need. It was her version of "urban removal". It lined her coffers well and got her cozy with the BushCo mafia. Screwing poor folks with imminent domain isn't anything new with the repuke crowd, nor is failing to wait to get clear title, nor is lining their pockets with the offerings of complicit donors.

Small world, idnit.