Palin's hometown offers insight into views

Retail crush in Wasilla
The retail crush finally cost the city its biggest attraction this year, when officials permanently moved the start of the Iditarod sled dog race to a more rural setting, citing Wasilla's "less desirable" development.

"It could have been such a nice city," LoRusso said. "We didn't have to grow this way. Now we're stuck with it."

Garvan Bucaria, a retired Forest Service biologist who has called for more stringent environmental codes in Wasilla, does not blame Palin for the sprawl. She was not the first pro-development mayor, or the last, in what he calls a "rubber stamp" town.

His take on Palin: "There was no vision."

Environmentalists lobbed similar criticism when, as governor, Palin proposed giving every Alaskan $1,200 from state oil proceeds to help cover higher energy costs. Critics called it shortsighted, said it did nothing to promote conservation and said some money should be spent to reduce consumption.

At the Republican convention, supporters chanted "drill, baby, drill!" Palin has questioned whether humans have played a role in global warming and has said it is not important to know the cause. That latter point has puzzled even some of the people her administration has asked to advise her climate change committee.

"If it's all just a natural, cyclical thing, maybe we should just all go home and read a book," said Kathie Wasserman, an adviser to Palin's climate change committee.

Restricted use of two-stroke engines
Palin resists regulations that will hurt average citizens, said Larry Hartig, Palin's environmental commissioner. But she will make a tough call if it is the right one, he said. Faced with increasing pollution, Palin restricted the use of old two-stroke engines on the Kenai River. Fishermen strongly opposed the limitations but Hartig recalls the governor telling aides: "This is what we need to do, but people are not going to like it."

The independent Kenai Watershed Forum credits the decision with reducing oil pollution by 66 percent in one year.

"The constituency that she plays well to, Joe Six-Pack or whatever, this was a decision that negatively affected the average person," said Robert Ruffner, the watershed group's director.

Early in her term, Palin invited environmental groups to her office. But Troll, an adviser to the climate change committee, has been disappointed. Palin brought the pro-business mind-set with her from Wasilla to the governor's office, Troll said.

If Palin makes energy an issue in the White House, like Vice President Dick Cheney has, Troll expects that mind-set to continue.

"She errs on the side of development," Troll said. "Would she carry that forward to being vice president? Yes, more than likely. She is who she is."

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