About 7,000 vehicles a day cross Chesapeake's Jordan Bridge, which city officials say they must close by the end of the year because it's unsafe. A replacement isn't likely, they say, because the project would cost $300 million, and there's no readily available source of local, state or federal funding.
As it happens, about 7,000 people live in Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's hometown of Wasilla, Alaska. And, as it happens, planning is under way for a $600 million bridge and highway linking Wasilla and other small communities to the state's largest city, Anchorage, and adjacent military bases.
Scrounging up money for that project wasn't especially difficult. Alaskan officials simply turned, as they frequently do, to taxpayers in the nation's other 49 states for funding.
The bridge - officially known as "Don Young's Way," in honor of the congressman adroit at rolling pork barrels all the way from Washington, D.C., to Alaska - was one of two controversial crossings that received $454.4 million worth of earmarks in a 2005 highway spending bill.
When government watchdog groups zeroed in on the earmarks, Sen. John McCain joined a chorus denouncing them as wasteful. McCain, as The Associated Press recently noted, called Young's finagling a "monstrosity" and "terrifying in its fiscal consequences."
The most notorious of Young's earmarks, dubbed the Bridge to Nowhere, has been the subject of heated debate since McCain chose Palin as his running mate. Palin, who initially supported that bridge, later turned against it as public outrage rose over the $223 million federal handout for it.
But the $231 million in federal money for the other bridge, Don Young's Way, hasn't garnered as much attention. It's still in the works; Palin has long supported it, as Wasilla mayor and as governor, although she's recently questioned it as some cost estimates have risen to $1 billion.
The project's supporters say it'll help ease traffic congestion in and around Wasilla, which they describe as fast-growing. The crossing is also likely to help development partnerships that own land nearby - including one involving Rep. Young's son-in-law, a former aide to Alaska's other pork potentate, Sen. Ted Stevens.
Alaska has benefited from federal largesse for years. As The Economist recently reported, per-capita federal spending in the state rose from 38 percent above the national average in 1996 to 71 percent above the national average in 2006.
The state government, meanwhile, boasts a budget surplus of about $5 billion - thanks in part to a "windfall profits" tax increase on oil companies that was championed by Gov. Palin. The extra money enabled Alaska to add $1,200 to the $2,100 checks that every resident receives in annual rebates from oil revenues.
As Congress debates offshore drilling, lawmakers in Virginia and other states are pondering the prospect of using their share of revenues - assuming final legislation even provides a cut of the proceeds to the states - to help fund a backlog of unfunded transportation projects. Like the Jordan Bridge. And an estimated $785 million for bridge repairs in the Hampton Roads region alone.
If Palin and McCain truly want to be mavericks, perhaps they should suggest that Alaska ease up on handing out big checks to every man, woman and child in the state - and use more of that money to pay for their own roads and bridges.
If Alaska stopped drilling so deeply into the U.S. Treasury, there would be more money available for the country's many other needs.
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Alaska Journal of Commerce
has an editorial about Palin that is interesting reading. But this paragraph is kind of telling for those who feel she is a maverick reformer about reducing the impact of government in our lives:
"Our governor also balanced the budget and lowered taxes? In her current role, we are hard pressed to agree with the latter, and the former is the result of a new tax on the oil industry that is as stratospheric as the price of a barrel of oil."
To be fair, she did send everyone a check. Omigosh…is that, is that social,
social, socialism? No, must be equity capitalism.
Read Alaskans' opinion of Palin
She's an unknown to most of us that we're trying to decipher. Take a look at the Alaska papers for which I could find links - news stories and opinions. Decide for yourself but I'm guessing that 80% approval rating is a thing of the past - tho I'm sure the fundamentals are still sound! ;-)
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/ (Anchorage)
http://www.alaskajournal.com/
http://www.alaskastar.com/
http://www.anchoragepress.com/
http://newsminer.com/ (Fairbanks)
http://www.juneauempire.com/
http://www.ketchikandailynews.com/
http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/
http://www.nomenugget.net/
http://www.petroleumnews.com/
http://www.frontiersman.com/ (Wasilla)
Facts about the "Don Young Way" bridge
Following up on my original comments on this editorial:
For an objective overview re the facts about the "Don Young Way" bridge,
see http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080916/ap_on_el_pr/palin_bridge_to_wasilla
The bridge proposal a) had its origins in an earmark obtained by Rep. Don Young (R-AK), b) would indeed link Wasilla with Anchorage, c) was opposed at one point in the past by John McCain, but d) has been supported by Sarah Palin as Governor of Alaska. The last point is not surprising in that it benefits Alaska. But it is very hypocritical of the McCain campaign to portray Gov. Palin as a "reformer" opposing earmarks when she's clearly not opposing this large earmark for her own state. And Alaska does by far receive the largest per capita share of Federal spending of any state.
The second part of my original comment made the point that we need a dedicated source of funding for maintaining our crumbling transportation infrastructure. A few pennies added to Federal and/or state gasoline taxes - where the money is dedicated to such maintenance - would accomplish that purpose relatively painlessly and fairly as a transportation user fee. I'd really like to hear from bo
Ira, I am not bashing Palin just because she takes money
because as you say, she should look out for her state as governor. What concerns me is a that she continues to lie about it. She was apparently quite proud of big earmarks for both Wasilla and Alaska, and, possibly justifiably so. Can she not say, or perhaps be allowed to say, I did my best for Alaska, but now, I have shifted my priorities to follow the McCain campaign against the government profligacy. But she, instead, keeps on lying over and over and over at every campaign stop. For that reason she is no breath of fresh air, just another opportunist who happens to keep on lying.
Out of context
You cannot compare the other states to AK. What is funny(since you are trying) is that some of you are bashing Palin for doing a good job. You take every dime you can from the feds. In goverment you have to know your side of the fence. Your trying to pretend it is a logical system. Years from now several of you will look back on your comments and fell silly.
Pure fiction and trash
This is the most pitiful excuse for journalism I have ever encountered. The writer is certainly entitled to his or her opinion but not to present outright incorrect information as truthful facts. If any sixth grade student presented such a poorly researched and written paper it would be either rejected or given a failing grade. If it were a post High school student they would probably have to face an honors committee for plagiarism of a website. Come on PILOT can’t you at least insure that your editorials are factually and not pure partisan political smear jobs?
The Alaska Permanent Fund
can be parsed anyway you want it. It is money that goes to the State of Alaska paid by the oil companies and redistributed as annual checks to the residents. Government money from private enterprise to individuals. How is that not a socialistic tax? When that was increased to take advantage of the higher prices of oil, how is that not a windfall profits tax? Good, bad? Depends on your view, but it is income redistribution, period. If it is written in the Alaska constitution, how does that change it from a tax? Palin grew up on the dole and campaigns on the dole, how is that woman going to "change" Washington?
re:we dropped the ball
"I want my VP to be someone who can get stuff done."
Then you must love Dick Cheney. I do hope you know the "stuff he got done" has cost this country billions, and thousands of lives. Definately a role model!
What they failed to tell
What they failed to tell you, is the Jordan Bridge is owned by the city of Chesapeake, therefore NOT eligible for federal funding!!
With all respect, Dead Head
Were you watching the Gov. Palin's interview with Charles Gibson? Or her avoidance answering questions about her foreign policy chops at the Town Meeting the night before last?
Were you watching Larry King when even her party's strategists' only response to the Town Meeting debacle was to try to change the subject?
Are you aware that journalists are not allowed to ask her questions except those she's trained to answer.
I'm sorry, but she's not ready for prime time. Even Alaskan hockey moms refer to her as the "Alaska Disasta" and the "Northern Extremist."
By the way, perhaps you weren't aware that until recently, Gov. Palin was on the record for being proud that it looked like Alaska would go for Obama. Just another one of her flips-flops.
CJACKCITY
What your fail to address is that Palin's running mate... whats his name... whats his name.... John McCain.... has labelled these bridge projects some of the most egregious examples of pork he's seen. The horrific price tag for these projects that service a paultry number of people gives it that pork odor. And Palin has backed these porkers. She continues to back the $600 million 'Don Young Way'. And she continues to lie about her backing of the BTN. All the while claiming to be a new breed anti-pork crusader (no pun intended). And now the newly minted Palin faithful, unable to recognize what her running mate called uber-pork, are giving her atta boys for bringing home the bacon. It has the Bush apologista quality to it.
To
write an article of factual info, isn't an attack on Sarah Palin. It is what it is; a factual article.
We dropped the ball
Our representatives in Washington, dropped the ball. They should have been pushing for bridge money for us. The "editorial" is trying to smear Palin and make it seem like she stole our bridge money. But in reality if she was able to be part of the group that lobbied the money for the bridge, good for her. I want my VP to be someone who can get stuff done.
Wasillly
An expected liberal media jab at Governor Sarah Palin. The Pilot Editorial Staff is on board the crowded liberal media bandwagon trying their very best to pull the rug out from under McCain/Palin. Here's the problem, Governor Palin was doing her job. Her job is to look out for Alaskan's, and that is what she has accomplished. Your attack on Governor Palin is misguided at best. Perhaps instead of blaming Republican Governor Sarah Palin and more appropriately the Alaskan representatives for having the ability to secure Federal Government monies for Alaskan projects, blame the Democratic Governor of Virginia for not taking care of Virginia's needs.
Not as smart, or...
..not as "rich"? Alaska is like a member of OPEC in that it get a HUGE portion of oil profits before the oil even leaves the state. Alaska has an almost unlimited supply of revenue as compared to Virginia. I guarantee that Alaska doesn't need the Federal money, the earmarks that Sarah Palin hasn't turned away (and lobbied for while mayor) and the increase in taxes that she put in to place can fund projects in the state. If Virginia had half the money of Alaska we wouldn't need federal money either. Alaska's budget and those of the other 49 states are NOTHING ALIKE!
Ira Ira Ira
I know what a bridge is, thank you very little. Again, what exactly is inaccurate in this article? And are you defending AK Rep Don Young (R) (under federal investigation) and AK Sen Ted Stevens (R) (indicted)?
Palin had supported the Bridge To Nowhere. She still supports the $600 million second bridge.. or "Don Young's Way". Uber-partisan John McCain called it "wasteful spending" and asked Stevens to trim that pork. McCain even tied the Minneapolis bridge collapse disaster to it. "Maybe the 200,000 people who cross that bridge every day would have been safer than spending 233 million of your tax dollars on a bridge in Alaska on an island with 50 people on it" he said, heatedly. "What do you think we could have done with that $233 million that we spent to go to the bridge to nowhere"
McCain has also weighed in on the Gravina Island Bridge. In advertisements, McCain labeled the bridge as wasteful spending. [40] and in an August 2007 townhall speech recorded on video[41] and quoted again on April 30, 2008,[42] he blamed the tragedy of the Minneapolis I-35 bridge collapse on the Bridge to Nowhere.
"Apparently, pork aint a bad thing when AK & Sarah are involved. Waffler
Maybe if our locale leaders
Maybe if our locale leaders were as astute as Palin and others in Alaska we would have the money to repair and build new bridges that our area needs insted od wasting money on silly progects like ligt rail that takes riders to no place they want to go.
I like it
"Apparently, pork aint a bad thing when AK & Sarah are involved. Wafflers!
What exactly is inaccurate in this article?"
Bridges are not pork TR. They are needed to ensure future prosperity. Your real complaint should that Virginia's leaders are not as smart as Alaskas. If they were you might have a bridge.
Here's your pork test: If the federal goverment gives money to replace the bridge on Dominion to the state; is that pork?
Your such a fraud. Anything to push your politcal agenda.
cFrederick
She has explained herself, and there have been several unaffiliated sources that have shown most of these accusations to be either completely baseless, or at least much less one-sided that the liberal media has been proposing. You go ahead and applaud all you want to – like a seal in the circus, waiting for a fish.
In what respect do you mean Charlie
In what respect do you mean Charlie? But Charlie, I shot a moose and I can see Russia through my window Charlie. I mean, Charlie the world needs our help and I love ice cream and apple pie and well, Charlie you know that I was totally against accepting any money when the public saw that it was a scam Charlie. But Charlie you have to understand that McCain is a fine man and a hero Charlie and would never hire a lobbist Charlie. Charlie, I support Senator MeCains new economic plan whatever it is and I will be a great vice President once I find out what a Vice President does Charlie.
JWB
Pork....
Given we are in the land of Pork (i.e., Smithfield Foods) - can we leverage that moniker and get some pork dollars down here for the Jordan?
TR, here you go
TR Asks: "What exactly is inaccurate in this article?"
1. The bridge may cost $600M, but Alaska didn't get the total amount from the feds.
2. Wasilla isn't getting $600M.
3. The bridge isn't in Wasilla. It doesn't 'link' to Wasilla.
4. Alaska residents don't get annual rebates from oil revenues.
Not to mention: Palin wasn't in office when the bridge was approved, Palin didn't create the Alaska Permanent Fund, and Permanent Fund Dividends must be paid per the state constitution (which maybe I'm wrong but I don't think the Governor has the power to make pen-and-ink changes to). I also see nothing in this article, save the title, that connects Jordan Bridge funding to Alaska Bridge funding. Instead of blaming our infrastructure problems on Alaska's governor, maybe we should look a little closer to home.
This editorial is rife with implication and inaccuracy. By the title alone I believe that it's intentionally misleading. As I said before, why can't we talk about actual issues? There are plenty to go around, we don't have to make stuff up.
Prioritize, Use Common Sense
Thank your for reporting this. I think what some are failing to see is the bias of transportation federal allocations. This isn't about party lines. This is about common sense approach to prioritizing federal allocations towards our nation's infrastracture.
How can one justify the prioritization of the Don Young Way's Bridge serving Anchorage Alaska over any much-needed bridge in a much larger metropolitan area such as Hampton Roads? According to the 2007 Census, Anchorage metro area population is 362,340. Hampton Roads is 1,658,754. The numbers speak volumes. The quality of life is diminishing just as quickly as our infrastructure.
To me, my greatest worry is, should we need to evacuate due to a terrorist act on one of our many regional military bases or from a natural disaster... to simply put it - we won't be able to successfully do it with our current infrastrusture. For the federal govt to fail to see how important this is, is astounding. Moreover, for those of you who are so blind by simply forming opinions based on party lines and not on actual substance further compounds the problem. We need to become better informed voters and advocates of better managed
cfrederick
Applaud away, I have no problem with the VP editorial board discussing issues relating to Palin or anybody else in this race. I simply ask that they do it on an actual issue.
The Knik River bridge project has absolutely nothing to do with Palin. So, this appears to be an opportunistic smear. Do you applaud that as well?
I will continue to applaud the V-P editorial page
Until Gov. Palin actually answers a question with something other than evasion, and explains her vindictive management style--even McCain's top business leader supporter says Palin isn't qualified to run a business--I will continue to applaud the Virginian-Pilot and any other journalists who continue to press Gov. Palin to explain herself, explain the contradictions in her words and behavior, and generally tell the truth.
Less than half way through her term as governor, she's racked up an embarrassing array of scandals and investigations. Now she's attempting to place her husband and supporters above the law by refusing to cooperate with the investigation she herself welcomed! Talk about flip-flopping! This would be comical if she and her running mate weren't all over the record for having contradicted themselves, sometimes multiple times in the same day!
By the way, Pierre, last time I checked Gov. Palin is still just a vice presidential candidate.
Wow! People get the vapors when reporting on AK / Palin pork
Apparently, pork aint a bad thing when AK & Sarah are involved. Wafflers!
What exactly is inaccurate in this article?
Disinformation and shoddy sources
Can any editor of the pilot read the quote at the top of the editorial page and not feel shame. And you wonder why newspapers are going out of business. Just like those stubborn stockbrokers that refused to see the party was over, these newspaper editors are going to run their publications into the ground, and will still be trying to defend themselves and victims to any Wal-Mart shopper that’s willing to chat with a greeter.
Questions I have . . .
1) Are all Pilot editorials between now and November going to include a cheap shot at Sarah Palin?
2) Isn't asking the federal government to give money to Virginia for offshore drilling rights kind of the same thing as the Alaska oil money, which the state elects to return to its citizens in the form of a check every year? Why is it okay to ask for money for Virginia, but not okay to accept money in Alaska?
3) Doesn't the Alaska oil fund have a basis in promising the Aleuts and other native peoples eons ago that they would have a permanent stake in the development of the state's infrastructure and industry? Isn't that state, like Hawaii, unique in that native people far outnumbered whites at Statehood so some special agreements were signed?
4) Wasilla is becoming a suburb of Anchorage. Isn't public transport necessary there at this point? Cheers, MGM
Whaaaaa
If our Governor had secured enough federal funding to rebuild our bridges AND provide a tax rebate for VA citizens, would be Pilot still be crying?
this is SO disingenious
Too bad the VP Editorial Board didn't have time to do some research. Saying this is a "bridge to Wasilla" is like saying the Jordan is a bridge to Elizabeth City, NC. It is a bridge from Point McKenzie to Anchorage. Could one drive from Wasilla to Anchorage via this bridge? Yes, but why would one when there is a more direct, faster, and shorter route today? Go look for yourself, and stop regurgitating the DailyKos's talking points -- http://www.knikbridgefacts.org/faqs.html This is a site opposed(/strong> to building this bridge, and even they say the purpose isn't to reduce travel time from Wasilla to Anchorage. For the VP to repeat this left wing urban myth about Gov. Palin is no surprise -- "she tried to ban books", "her baby is really her daughter's", etc. etc. etc. So much for fact based opinion.