Have kids, will travel.

Oh my, is it really true that Palin's new improved plan involves asking if the "Fam' is invited?? Please tell me where I can see that in Palin's own words- because it's just too absurd to be true. (Not that many of Palin's views, comments, actions aren't too absurd- it's just that she just keeps giving so many new ones.) Ahem..Palin- or anyone who cares to inform her that ethics is not that difficult to get. The problem was clearly not that your children might have needed an invitation-at least not with anyone outside of the events. The issue is obviously who is paying for it. Still confused? Perhaps this will help- the answer is not the taxpayers. Not quite sure what to make of that? Pay for your own family members! GEEEE Believer in Truth, Integrity and Ethics

IMO this merely shows how incredibly stupid she is. What on earth did she think being governor entailed? Smiling and waving? Getting a new outfit? Sorry, it's the top elected position and that means travel to contingencies, and (as even she knows) it's a big state. To whine about having to compromise family time to *serve* those who elected her is just an indication about how unrealistic and Barbie-doll her vision is. Welcome to the real world, Sarah. Where REAL WOMEN with REAL JOBS make HARD CHOICES about their families to have that job. How on earth did you miss the last forty years of the women's movement? You really are as clueless and narcissistic as they come.

"First Family" travel documents (not including Todd's) which was paid by the state and not taxed may be found here: http://media.adn.com/smedia/2009/02/25/16/Travel_Authorizations.source.prod_affiliate.7.pdf

Thousands of ordinary, working Americans are required to travel on business every week, and none of them would expect their employer to pay for their kids to come along. What conservative would then argue that the government should start paying for families to travel along (or is it Palin's position that only she should be able to have her family travel with her)? ..... Palin, who finds it ideologically impure for government to help Alaskan natives who are running out of food and fuel due to record gas prices and a collapse of their fishing stocks, has no trouble with government jumping in to bail out her high school buddies when they go broke trying to run a dairy in Mat-Su. .... Palin may have conservative social beliefs, but she is not a conservative governor. The sooner that Republicans start recognizing Palin and other opportunists for what they are, the sooner they will start digging themselves out of their current negative spiral.

The IRS has a whistleblower program, with rewards of up to 15% to people “who provide specific and credible information to the IRS if the information results in the collection of taxes, penalties, interest or other amounts from the noncompliant taxpayer.” http://www.irs.gov/compliance/article/0,,id=180171,00.html On the unreported family travel income it should be easy money for anyone interested, given: 1. her belated payment of taxes on per diem, after having her staff deny that it was taxable for months after the media disclosed the payments. 2. her belated payment (maybe) of taxes on her state vehicle. Do you think Kreitzer and the gang calculated the value based upon an arms-length fairmarket value as required by the IRS? Or did they improperly use the "commuter" calculation, since that's the one Kreitzer referred to (and which does not apply to a Suburban due to its value)? One wonders if she paid taxes on her Wasilla vehicle benefit, a Suburban, also. 3. her statement that she does not plan to have this "audited." The IRS will especially love the $700 per night hotel room in New York City that Bristol and her mom shared for 4 nights at state expense. And while you are at it, don't forget the "nanny?" Think they have paid the taxes there, also, too?

Maybe in SP's mind they aren't actually "children". It's more like they are props to help portray her super-person image. So maybe the solution is to tag them correctly as props, ship them as baggage and pay the extra $50 out of pocket. Problem solved.

Whether Palin's "first family" is invited or not to political/state functions, isn't the problem. Palin could take her family with her anywhere she wants. However, don't ask the taxpayers to pay for it. When my children were younger, I always took them on business trips with me. However, I never expected a client to reimburse me for any of their expenses. It appears, from her continuous whining, that Palin is having problems balancing her job and her family at the same time. It looks like she may have bit off more than she could chew by becoming governor, and maybe she should reconsider running in any future elections until after her children are grown and out of her nest. Furthermore, Palin criticized Hillary for one whine; Does Palin ever stop to listen to herself? Whine! Whine! Whine! Whine! Whine! If she can't take the heat - she needs to get out of Juneau - or, Anchorage - or, Wasilla! Where in the heck is the governor's office nowadays, anyway?

In a nutshell the state is paying her to mother her own children? Where do I sign up???

Hmmm. She criticizes Hilary Clinton for her complaints but sarah plain ups the ante by complaining more and then demanding that the state pay for her children to accompany her on state visits. This does not pass the smell test and Alaskans have a right to be angry. The governor should have been up front Before the election and told people she intended to take her family with her on state trips. Then they, the people, could have decided if they wanted the extra expense. Or, Sarah Palin could have run for governor when she felt more comfortable leaving her family to do state business Her arrogance is amazing and it is sad that Alaskans put up with it. It makes one wonder what else she is doing behind closed doors. This is NOT and open and transparent government.

One interesting point is that the AG opinion was based upon an interpretation of the Executive Branch Ethics Act; the Department of Law clearly found that the Ethics Act restricted how the state paid for family travel. The Department noted: AS 39.52.120(a) provides in pertinent part: “A public officer may not...intentionally secure or grant unwarranted benefits or treatment for any person.” So despite Petumenos' opinion that the governor is exempt from the Personnel Act's limits on travel, it is clear she is not exempt from the restrictions on travel imposed by the Ethics Act. PS Who is the First Family? Is it all generations of the Palin/Heaths?

When those of us in private industry travel on business (and some of us travel a lot), family seldom comes along. But if they do, that's a personal choice and there's absolutely NO WAY the company picks up the tab. These personal family expenses are paid out of personal bank accounts. As an extreme example, just think if slope workers (like Todd) tried to pull this stunt during their 2 week shift! When she's on the road for the State, the purpose is WORK not State-paid family time. Travel to all areas of our state is part of the gov's JOB - that's why we pay HER the big bucks. Implying she won't attend events if the State or organization won't pick up the tab for her relatives to attend is unprofessional. This is what she signed up for when she pursued the big chair - and now she's whining about it. No-one's standing in the way of her personal obligations to her family. But the taxpayers are in no way obligated to PAY for her personal obligations to her family. Palin brings this scrutiny upon herself by taking actions that INVITE it. Whiner.

Governor Palin's double standards demonstrate her character. It is disappointing to see that, in many areas, she appears more corrupt than those she has crticized. If this is the alternative, I'll take the good'ol boys anytime - or a different female. I believe her political future is more limited with each passing day. While I did not vote for her to become my governor, my prayers and hopes have been for her and Alaska. To date, she has only mortgaged my children's future and put the state in a desparate situation leading into this economic obama-enhanced decline. At least she can't print money like our president. He is beyond disappointment - barack is approaching the status of economic terrorist.

Petumenos wrote there was, "insufficient guidance to an independent counsel, or a governor’s office, as to what state reimbursed travel is appropriate for members of the first family.".... Yet somehow this memo wasn't all that hard to find. Petumenos is either lying to benefit Palin or the worst lawyer in the world. Either way the Personal Board shouldn't believe a word this guy says but they should have known that before by reading his Troopergate report.

Why is it, repubs such as GINO tell the villages in NEED, don't expect government to help, yet she herself expects the government to subsidize her & "first family's" travel???? I have a wonderful idea for gov. GRIFTER! Step down! then you can spend all the time with your family and notlet little things like being a gov. in name only get in the way!!!

I can depend on government to subsidize me but you CAN'T!!!