Palin resigns from commission

ANCHORAGE -- In a letter sent to Gov. Frank Murkowski and Chief of Staff Jim Clark Friday afternoon, Alaska Oil and Gas Commissioner Sarah Palin resigned from her position as commission chair.

The resignation, formally accepted by Murkowski that afternoon, generated a spike in speculation that Palin may make a bid for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Lisa Murkowski. But Palin said there's little chance she'll be running for the office.

"I'm not leaning toward running. It would take a major shift in my thinking, and in a support base. Lisa already has raised $1.5 million," Palin said. "I'm not going to discount it, because I don't want to ever discount anything in life, but I'm not leaning toward it."

Part of the reason behind the resignation, she said, was frustration over not being able to discuss recent events related to the commission openly.

"There has been quite a lot of questions surrounding AOGCC's credibility and/or integrity, and it would be wonderful to have the freedom to let the public know some information -- that Alaskans are seeking, and I believe deserve to have -- to reassure them that the commission is credible," Palin said.

She explained that state law prohibited her, as the ethics chair and chair of the commission, from talking publicly about controversies relating to the commission.

Palin's resignation leaves just one commissioner on board -- Dan Seamount, appointed for his strong background in geology. Without the requisite two-commissioner quorum needed to conduct business, Palin said the state has the option of appointing an interim commissioner. She added that she agreed to fill in if necessary, but that she planned to vacate her office Tuesday.

Although she resigned, Palin said she let state administrators know she's willing to be part of a discussion to reorganize the commission.

"They're still looking at cost-cutting measures on the commission," Palin said. "I look forward to being able to make changes."

One primary change she would make, Palin said, is lowering the salary of the public seat on the commission. Palin said she was embarrassed that her salary was $122,400, with benefits that brought it to a total of $170,000.

"And it was job security till 2009," Palin said. "I'm recommending to the administration that the salary be reduced. I offered to do the job for a lot less, and I think Alaskans all over the state -- many, many of them -- would be willing to do so."