Palin's "Biggest Project" As Mayor: A Hockey Rink With Legal Troubles

[Joanne98]

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."

Read the whole story here.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/07/palins-biggest-project-as_n_124596.html

[calimary]

1. "Hockey mom" and the legal mess she left for her hometown.

[bobd0]

2. Not to mention leaving the small town of Wasilla $20 MILLION in debt!

I find this worth repeating.

Mayoral performance. Palin, who portrays herself as a fiscal conservative, racked up nearly $20 million in long-term debt as mayor of the tiny town of Wasilla — that amounts to $3,000 per resident. She argues that the debt was needed to fund improvements.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12987.html

[Ian David]

4. Closing the 42 meth labs would have been an improvement.

Might have been a better use of town resources than going after private poker games in peoples' basements.

[Ian David]

3. If I had a dollar for every time *I* tried to build something on someone else's property...

I'd have enough change to call someone to post bail for me?

[Booster]

5. Doing business like this, I'm surprised Bush hasn't appointed

Palin to a cabinet position in his administration. She's perfect.