A History of Palin Accomplishments: Part 1, Wasilla City Council 1992

Nicole Coulter, previously known as Recovering Democrat, published an excellent piece discussing Governor Palin's qualifications versus that of the previous crop of US Presidents:

I think it's worth delving into some detail what Palin has accomplished in her early years. One of the stark differences between Palin and Obama is that her early record is open for all the world the see. Contrastingly, Obama's history is obfuscated by the sealing of his records. The first part of this history is about Palin and her time on the Wasilla City Council.

Wasilla City Council 1992 – 1996

Photo H/T Joe Silva

Sarah Palin’s political career began at Seat E, Wasilla City Council, where she served two three-year terms. In the building which housed her second grade classroom, and the office where she would later serve as Mayor, then Councilwoman Palin’s innate Reagan conservatism went to work. She saw the key functions of local government as: infrastructure development and fiscal responsibility (Palin, 2009, p. 67).

Councilwoman Palin focused on reducing property taxes and redefining the city government’s role (Palin, 2009, p. 64).
Supported 2% sales tax with a corresponding reduction in property taxes. The sales tax was fairer and more optional, and kept reduced government control over what Wasilla residents owned (Palin, 2009, p. 65).
Opposed master-planned community type zoning regulations and favored retaining a do-it-yourself approach (Palin, 2009, p. 65-66).
Opposed development plan that would have required residents of new sub-divisions to pay for weekly garbage removal – by a company owned by city council member Nick Carney (Palin, 2009, p. 66).
Voted against mayoral pay raise (Palin, 2009, p. 66).
Personally read, reviewed, and understood every line item in city budgets, every word of proposed regulations, and ordinances, and took time to know her constituents’ concerns.
Councilwoman Palin took constituent calls to her home at all hours of the night, including holidays and weekends (Palin, 2009, p. 68).

“In local politics, your constituents are your neighbors, family, friends, and sometimes, even your enemies. You see them as the grocery store, the post office, and the hockey rink. Often politicians who make it to state and national office forget that those good people – the gas station mechanic, the local farmer, the scores of mom-and-pop shop owners who form the backbone of our economy – put them into office, and they are the ones who should be at the forefront of our minds” (Palin, 2009, p. 68).
Photo H/T Joe Silva

Other Aspects Unique to Sarah Palin:

Grassroots campaigning.
Carried daughter Willow in a car seat to work; nursed Willow in a Snugli as she worked on a radio ad for a local politician.

Photo courtesy of Judy Patrick as published in Going Rogue: An American Life

“After serving my first term on the City Council, I was reelected in 1995 to serve another term, before I ran for mayor. It was a pleasure serving my hometown, and I wouldn’t trade the experience for much of anything.”

References:

City of Wasilla Document Central – Budget Documents

Budget Documents FY 1992 – 1997 cover the period when Sarah Palin was Councilwoman.

Palin, S. L. H. (2009). Going Rogue: An American Life. (New York: Harper). pp. 64-68.

I always find it not a great sign when the stature of someone alone, doesn't radiate off more or less, they are capable of leading. That they are qualified to lead. Touting someones City Council experience as if it even matters in terms of being POTUS/CinC is just as odd and pathetic as the current man in office touting his role as a community organizer being of any weight.

I agree with 90% of Mrs. Palin's politics....but she just radiates off her, "not ready" to be POTUS/CinC to me. And we are learning right now how the office of POTUS/CinC is not the place to get on the job experience or to grow into the role of leadership.

There was quite a bit to the sales tax proposal. Palin's idea was to use the sales tax to lower property taxes; dollar for dollar. Wasilla is a strip mall community; Alaskans come there to shop from more rural & residential areas rather than drive 50 more miles into Anchorage. So there was money to be made with a small sales tax and everybody wanted prop tax relief.

From what I remember, the local people didn't trust the other council members as they figured if a new sales tax came about, then there would not be any prop tax cuts anyway; the council would push Sarah aside and keep both taxes. Palin promised the people that she wouldn't let that occur and her word was good. People then started paying attention to her.

Why is it so hard for politicals to understand that all the populace wants is honesty & good government? Palin really did so much for the state of Alaska. Alaskans would take her back in a minute because they trust what they hear when she speaks. Her record stands on it's own; no joke.

The Indians in many of the villages had their annual AFN conference about a month back. Lisa made a big push to get their vote, they normally vote for the dem. She promised them all the gold they could eat and reminded them that Miller wanted to cut spending. Their leadership organized and in many villages of 2-3 hundred Indians; it was 100% Murkowski. I mean many instances where one person filled out all the ballots, (write in name was same exact hand writing)and it was allowed by our election people. Murkowski has all the judges & Repub network in her pocket. Same thing happened to Palin back in 2000-2002; when Frank went after Sarah. Anyway, there are 150-200 thousand Indians in Alaska, surprised Lisa only won by 10,000 votes.

Separate cultures in Ak. In our community, we have an Indian Village of about 30 Natives and a White town of 100 people. Many of the Indians voted for Miller as they understand the dire problems our Nation faces. In most rural villages, there isn't any economy. All money comes from govt and it is a system and Indians figure that's just how it works. They all voted for Lisa. No different than when 96% of blacks voted for Obama; they don't see the evil he is perpetuating on them; same with the Indians.

If you ever been around Indians, you would know how the alcohol destroys them as a people. In most villages, half the kids die before age of 25, die drunk in house fires, beat each other to death with various objects, shoot up the village drunk,and just from alcohol related problems, suicide, child abuse, on and on; kinda sad; but White Man can't solve the problem we created, they must. Our govt just continues the genocide with money to the villages which pays for the booze.

Wife and I have taught in villages where 90% of the kids were FAS, over half were sexually abused, and 11 year olds were having babies and their close relatives were the father; can you just imagine how it is killing them as a people.

Indians are great people, just going extinct. I once had an Indian boy tell me that White People come in take over, buy up the land, sell booze to the Indians, and pretty quick surround the village and they disappear as a people, complete truth too. They don't know how to stop the process either.

I know Indians who quit the booze for good. I know many more who are dying from it. I actually prefer living near Indians than most rural Whites. Us Whites are awful greedy, dog eat dog. The Indians are better people in many respects; no joke. You got to be the only White Boy in nativeland for a year as the hated, ugly, no good White teacher to begin to understand and respect them for the good they do have. Otherwise, you go into Anchorage and see all the Indians begging money for booze, homeless, and really hate them all.

If they would have voted for the dem as they usually do, Miller would have won big time. Look at all the foolish Americans who voted for Obama, no different and I would have never believed so many would have voted for that black socialist; have to wonder about all those people in the lower 48?

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