#Palin Official Press Release

Click here. (PDF file)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE       No. 09-167
 
 
GOVERNOR PALIN ANNOUNCES NO SECOND TERM
 
NO LAME DUCK SESSION EITHER

 

July 3, 2009, Anchorage, Alaska – Governor Sarah Palin announced today that she
will not seek a second term as Governor of the State of Alaska and will relegate the
power of governor to Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell in order to serve Alaska’s
best interests.  Lieutenant General Craig Campbell will move into Parnell’s current
role.

“People who know me know that besides faith and family, nothing's more important
to me than our beloved Alaska,” said Governor Palin.  “Serving her people is the
greatest honor I could imagine.”

Standing outside her home in Wasilla, Alaska, Governor Palin reflected upon some of
the administration’s accomplishments for Alaska as she approaches her final year in
office.

“I am determined to take the right path for Alaska even though it is not the easiest
path,” said Governor Palin after the announcement.  “Once I decided not to run for
re-election, I also felt that to embrace the conventional ‘Lame Duck’ status in this
particular climate would just be another dose of ‘politics as usual,’ something I
campaigned against and will always oppose.  It is my duty to always protect our
great state.  With that in mind, my family and I determined that it is best to make a
difference this summer, and I am willing to change things, so that this
administration, with its positive agenda, its accomplishments, and its successful road
to an incredible future, can continue without interruption and with great
administrative and legislative success.  I look forward to helping others – to fight for
our state and our country, and campaign for those who believe in smaller
government, free enterprise, strong national security, support for our troops, and
energy independence.”

The transfer of power will occur following the Governor’s picnic in Fairbanks on July
26.  At that point in time, Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell will be sworn in and
Lieutenant General Craig Campbell will assume his role as Lieutenant Governor.

Governor Palin will spend July 4th in Juneau.

###

Selected Accomplishments of the Palin Administration

General
·         Transferred more control of public issues to the local level
Natural Resources
·         Created the Petroleum Systems Integrity Office to oversee responsible
development
·         Held the line for Alaskans on Point Thomson that encouraged drilling
·         Restructured the state’s oil taxes to create a clear and equitable valuation
formula for our oil and gas
·         Initiated and implemented the largest energy project in the world through the
Alaska Gasline Inducement Act 
·         Removed government from the dairy business and put it back into private-
sector hands
Ethics
·         Ushered in ethics reform
·         Cleaned up previously accepted unethical actions affecting development
Fiscal Notes
·         Slowed the rate of government growth
·         Worked with the Legislature to place billions of dollars in savings
·         Vetoed hundreds of millions of dollars in capital budget line items
·         Reduced Alaska’s dependence on federal earmarks by nearly 85%
·         Eliminated state-funded personal luxuries like the jet, the chef, and junkets
·         Refused a pay raise, along with the Lieutenant Governor
Education
·         Provided unprecedented support for education initiatives
Public Safety
·         Filled long-vacant public safety positions over the last year
Corrections
·         Broke ground on the new state prison
Fish and Game
·         Maintained biologically-sound wildlife management for abundance
Environment
·         Established first sub-Cabinet on climate change
Legal
·         State’s rights protected in two recent victories handed down by the U.S.
Supreme Court