Palin's per diem and taxes

This from unbossed.com.

We've written before about how the ethically-challenged Sarah Palin charged the state of Alaska per diem while living in her own home, many miles from the state capital of Juneau.

Palin conned Alaska out of $17,000 in per diem for 312 nights she spent at her own home, supposedly "working" on state business. While this may be legal, there's something slimy about forgoing the governor's mansion, where she is supposed to live and work, in favor taking up residence in her home far from "home." 312 nights???

Why would she do that? To care for her children? To keep an eye on her hubby? To avoid the Juneau press corps? To write private e-mails regarding state business far from prying eyes?

If Juneau is too far for Palin, perhaps she could resign and allow another governor to reign, one who wouldn't mind actually living in the state capitol.


The situation takes on another flavor, however, when we are informed that Palin, the "reformer," neglected to pay taxes on those same per diem payments. A McCain-Palin spokesperson claims that if she works out of the capital she is authorized to charge the state. Furthermore, the spokesperson said that the per diem was not taxable.

Well, that's not true. A former IRS commissioner said Alaska can pay Palin per diem but those payments are taxable. "One has nothing to do with the other."


Other information has come to light since Palin released her tax returns for 2006 and 2007. Here's how unbossed.com puts it:

"The revelations about per diems suggest that Palin plays fast and loose with rules in order to enrich herself. The same impression is given by the AP's analysis of Palin's tax returns. She and her husband have managed to take so many deductions, some seemingly dubious, that they've avoided paying taxes on much of their income.

"For the 2007 tax year, Todd Palin's self-employment brought him $66,893 in gross receipts--$49,893 from fishing and $17,000 from snowmachine racing. But, the returns show, he claimed so many deductions that he reported on $15,513 net profit from the fishing operation and claimed a $9,639 loss from his racing, leaving him with an overall net income of only $5,874."


Okay. Go take your Pepcid. Then your can read the entire article here.