Alaskans Picked Up the Tab for Palin’s Nights at Home
As governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin is entitled to bill the state for certain expenses she incurs on the job, such as travel (for herself and her family), food and lodging. That said, The Washington Post has delved into her records and discovered that Palin "billed taxpayers for 312 nights spent in her own home during her first 19 months in office," charging per diem expenses intended to cover costs related to travel.
As governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin is entitled to bill the state for certain expenses she incurs on the job, such as travel (for herself and her family), food and lodging. That said, The Washington Post has delved into her records and discovered that Palin “billed taxpayers for 312 nights spent in her own home during her first 19 months in office,” charging per diem expenses intended to cover costs related to travel.
WAIT BEFORE YOU GO...The Washington Post:
The governor also has charged the state for travel expenses to take her children on official out-of-town missions. And her husband, Todd, has billed the state for expenses and a daily allowance for trips he makes on official business for his wife.
Palin, who earns $125,000 a year, claimed and received $16,951 as her allowance, which officials say was permitted because her official “duty station” is Juneau, according to an analysis of her travel documents by The Washington Post.
The governor’s daughters and husband charged the state $43,490 to travel, and many of the trips were between their house in Wasilla and Juneau, the capital city 600 miles away, the documents show.
Gubernatorial spokeswoman Sharon Leighow said Monday that Palin’s expenses are not unusual and that, under state policy, the first family could have claimed per diem expenses for each child taken on official business but has not done so.
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