Spending rose in Palin's Alaska administrations

WASHINGTON -- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin calls herself a fiscal conservative who wants to "rein in government spending." She says she "reformed the abuses of earmarks in our state." Republican John McCain said during the last debate that his running mate has "cut the size of government."

But Palin didn't cut the size of government as mayor of Wasilla, and she hasn't done so as Alaska's governor, city and state budget records show. Spending in fast-growing Wasilla increased by 55% during her tenure from 1996-2002, records show. In nearly two years as governor, she has presided over a 31% spending hike by a state government that sought earmarks from Washington even as it reaped billions from higher oil prices and Palin-backed tax increases on oil companies.

Bill McAllister, a governor's office spokesman in Alaska, said the state lived through painful budget cuts in the 1990s when low oil prices restricted revenue. "There's an element of catch-up here," he said.

Palin tried to restrain legislative spending, pare back earmark requests and steer money into reserve funds, he said. He acknowledged, however, that Palin had to sign off on numerous pet projects in legislative districts.

"Sure, there are some political realities," McAllister said.

Palin used her line-item veto power to strike nearly half a billion dollars in spending items in 2007 and 2008. Yet she signed bills that included hundreds of millions for local projects inserted by state lawmakers, similar to those McCain has regularly ridiculed as pork in the U.S. Senate, spending records show.

As governor, Palin has signed off on $402,000 to study the arctic fox; $154,000 for renovations to three gun clubs and $125,000 for the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum, state records show. Her budgets have funded $44,500 to spruce up a ski resort, $75,000 for the Arctic Thunder Air Show and $50,000 to improve a Little League field in the Mat-Su Valley near her hometown of Wasilla.

The Palin administration asked Washington for $197 million in earmarks this year, down from $254 million the year before, according to the state budget office. Appearing last month on ABC's The View, McCain incorrectly said Palin had not sought any earmarks as governor. Earmarks are spending items inserted into bills by legislators.