Wasilla's new mayor says she plans to take a pay cut, cut local property taxes in half and scrutinize the city's funding of museums and other arts. City Council member Sarah Palin, who scored an upset victory over longtime Mayor John Stein, was among a large number of conservatives elected Tuesday in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. She will take office Oct. 14.
''A big part of my agenda is cutting out things that are not necessary,'' Palin said Wednesday. ''What I'm going to be known for is getting the basic necessities, the bare bones that Wasilla has needed for years and years.'' That means more funding for roads and perhaps less for the local museum, she said. Property taxes in Wasilla are now 2 mills, or $ 2 for each $ 1,000 in assessed value. The mayor's job now pays $ 68,000 a year.
Palin's victory was seen as a major upset. Stein has been mayor since 1987 and was seeking his fourth term. He lost by more than 200 votes, with a final tally of 616-413.
Palin, 32, said her candidacy tapped into the same anti-incumbency feelings that helped throw out longtime legislative leaders Sen. Jay Kerttula and Rep. Ron Larson in 1994.
She said she applied the same drive she acquired as co-captain of the 1982 Wasilla high school basketball team that won the state championships.
''This really sounds hokey, but that was a turning point in my life,'' she said. ''We were supposed to be the underdogs big time. You see firsthand anything is possible and learn it takes tenacity, hard work and guts.''
Palin said she knocked on the door of every registered voter in the city -- save a few with vicious-looking dogs -- and sent handwritten letters to what she called ''supervoters,'' those who had regularly voted in the last four years.
Stein said Wednesday he was disappointed voters rejected his years of experience as city mayor. He said he thought residents were influenced by issues such as gun control and abortion that aren't decided at the local level.
Palin will preside over a city council with few returning members and may face a rocky transition because several city department heads, including the police chief, publicly supported Stein during the campaign.
In other races in the borough, Jay Nolfi retained her seat on the Borough Assembly by easily beating write-in candidate Melinda Brooks 408-88. Wasilla City Council member John Hartrick defeated Pat Marley and Lee Wyatt to take the seat vacated by Scott Sterling. Sterling, a Democrat, left to challenge Rep. Vic Kohring, R-Wasilla.
On the Mat-Su School Board, retired U.S. Army Col. Charles Huggins beat registered nurse John Fairfield by 1,976-1,421 while public health nurse Darlene Reed, who was running unopposed, retained her seat. Several city council posts also were filled.
In Wasilla, Norman Fuller and Judy Patrick narrowly defeated opponents Philip Lockwood and Pat Hjellen for two seats on the council. Dave Chappel retained his seat by fighting off write-in candidate Melinda Overstreet.
In Palmer, Edna DeVries, Keith Armstrong and Steve Carrington ran unopposed, while Marilyn Sellick beat Butch Fondahn and Dan Phillips to retain her council seat.
In Houston, Ruth Blanchard beat Cliff Moore to win a council seat, and Joe McMahill, Steven Totten, and Jerry Nelsen ran unopposed.
Also in Houston, residents shot down a proposal to allow the City Council to levy a property tax of up to 1.5 mills in order to pay for the Houston Fire Department. The final vote was 53 in favor and 90 against.
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