Washington Post distortions on Federal dollars for Wasilla

The Washington Post is reporting that while Sarah Palin served as mayor of Wasilla, she helped secure [cue sinister music] earmarks for her fair city. According to the report, this undermines McCain's message of cleaning up pork barrel spending.

In fiscal year 2002, Wasilla took in $6.1 million in earmarks -- about $1,000 in federal money for every resident. By contrast, Boise, Idaho -- which has more than 190,000 residents -- received $6.9 million in earmarks in fiscal 2008

So let's examine the Post's comparison. Wasilla's population from 2000 to 2007 grew from 5469 to 7100 indicated almost 30% growth rate, while Boise's population growth from 2000 to 2007 went from 185,787 to 203,600 or 9.5% growth. What nefarious deeds did your hard-earned tax dollars go for?

• $1.9 million for the Wasilla Intermodal Transit Project, to realign rail and bus routes to increase use of public transit in the region.
• $500,000 for Kids Are People Inc., an emergency shelter for youths transitioning out of juvenile detention facilities.
• $15 million for a rail project to connect Wasilla with Girdwood.
• $1.75 million to upgrade emergency communications between authorities at the Wasilla dispatch center.
• $600,000 to upgrade bus stations.
• $900,000 to upgrade water and sewer facilities.

Imagine! We put trust in our elected officials and they use it to improve transportation, bring efficiency to first responders, and rehabilitate juvenile delinquents? FOR SHAME!!! So the money that went to Wasilla was meant for one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country and provide public transportation between Anchorage's suburbs. And the monetary figure used by the Post is an Olympian reach, because sizable chunks of their $6.9 million are shared with neighboring communities. Not pork by any measure. Oink oink, indeed.