The Alaska legislature met for a one-day special session in
Anchorage. Heading into the vote, Rep. Mike Hawker, who voted in
support of finally accepting the stimulus funds, anticipated a close
decision, coming down to a couple of votes either way.
“I think it's tight,” the Anchorage Republican said before the vote.
A veto override in Alaska requires a three-fourths majority of the
entire legislature.
Palin rejected the Department of Energy money in May and continues to defend the controversial move.
"As Governor, I did my utmost to warn our legislators that accepting
stimulus funds will further tie Alaska to the federal government and
chip away at Alaska's right to chart its own course," Palin wrote on
her Facebook page Sunday. "Enforcing the federal building code
requirements, which Governor Parnell and future governors will be
forced to adopt in order to accept these energy funds, will eventually
cost the state more than it receives."
"There are clear ropes attached, and Alaskans will soon find
themselves tied down by codes which will dictate how we build and
renovate homes and businesses. The state has hundreds of millions of
dollars already budgeted for conservation, weatherization and renewable
energy development. Legislators don't need to play politics as usual
and accept these funds and the ropes that come with them."
State lawmakers dispute Palin's objections to the stimulus money. In
a letter to Alaska House Finance Committee Co-Chair Rep. Mike Hawker
and obtained by CNN, the Department of Energy wrote that the Alaska
legislature "does not need to adopt, impose and enforce a statewide
building code" in order to qualify for the energy funds.
Palin originally threatened to reject more than $400 million of the
state's $930 million share of the stimulus package. Eventually Palin
signed off on all but the three percent under consideration Monday by
state lawmakers.