Palin cuts veteran cemetery money

FAIRBANKS - A Fairbanks lawmaker is upset after Gov. Sarah Palin cut promised funding for a veterans cemetery in the Interior.

Sen. Joe Thomas, a Democrat, said he thought the project was finally moving forward after floundering a few years. But then the promised $250,000 was among the cuts Palin made this week.

Thomas said he appreciates the financial situation the state is in, but didn't understand some other projects - such as warm storage buildings - which weren't cut.

Palin's budget director Karen Rehfeld said the governor supports the project, but thought the funding could wait a year.

The state has planned to spend $250,000 a year over the next three years. That money has to be committed before the federal Veterans Administration will free up the other 90 percent of the project costs.