Development crowd reserved with Palin, Begich

Posted by Alaska_Politics

Posted: November 19, 2008 - 1:20 pm

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From Wesley Loy in Anchorage –

Two of Alaska’s hottest political celebrities, Gov. Sarah Palin and Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, turned up this morning at the Resource Development Council’s annual conference downtown, but they hardly received a rock star reception.

Palin, of course, is fresh off her unsuccessful run for vice president. And Begich yesterday learned he’ll take over for Ted Stevens in the U.S. Senate.

About 600 people involved with Alaska’s oil, mining and other industries greeted the two guests with polite applause as they rose to deliver short speeches to kick off the two-day conference.

For many, Palin’s push last year to hike oil taxes is still a painful memory. And doubtless some industry players are uneasy seeing Begich, a Democrat, supplant an old friend in Republican Stevens.

Palin, still sounding as though she was on the campaign trail, talked of Alaska’s natural resource bounty and repeated her catchphrase, “Drill, baby, drill.”

She mentioned the recent drop in oil prices but said state tax credits could help companies keep drilling.

“I’ll defend those credits vigorously,” Palin said, noting state budgets will tighten with less oil revenue.

Palin also joked about her experiences as a national candidate, saying, “I briefly got to expand my wardrobe.” That line drew at least some reaction – faint laughter – from the otherwise stoic crowd.

Without mentioning his name, Palin alluded to the pending departure of Stevens by noting Alaska can expect less federal “largess” but should see it as a chance to “grow up” as a state.

Outside the giant meeting room in the new Dena’ina Civic & Convention Center – which Begich bragged came in on budget and on time during his terms as mayor – Palin took a few questions from us reporters.

North Slope oil prices have plunged to below $50 a barrel from the July peak of $144, and Palin said that’s “a wakeup call” for a state government so dependent on oil revenue.

She said she’s working now on her budget proposal to state lawmakers.

She danced around the question of whether we’ll see any reduction in the state operating budget. She did say, however, that any growth in the budget will be less than increases seen in prior administrations.

And despite tighter revenue, Palin said she’ll offer a capital budget, though she wouldn’t cite any specific pet projects she might include in her spending plan.

“We’ll roll it out in the next couple of weeks,” she said.

Might the governor, and potential presidential candidate in 2012, be planning more trips Outside anytime soon?

She said the only plane ticket she has at present is for an early December open house in Juneau.

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