Like other conservative Republican governors with national ambitions, Alaska's Sarah Palin initially made a very big deal out of her plan to reject almost half of the federal dollars directed to her state in the stimulus package. Now, however, she's singing a different tune, and will accept roughly $900 million of the $930 million available.
Palin's main objection to the money she said she'd reject was that it came with too many strings attached, and would create unsustainable burdens on the state government once the federal money ran out. But, the Associated Press reports, that's not how the state legislature -- which has been at odds with the governor -- saw things:
Alaska's Legislature conducted more than 20 public hearings on the federal stimulus package, and legislative leaders said they couldn't find any of the strings attached to the funds that Palin had warned about.
The only money Palin will turn away, an aide told the AP, is $29 million for a State Energy Program -- again, the governor says the funding's coming with unacceptable strings attached.
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