Gubernatorial candidate Sarah Palin breezed through Kodiak on the campaign trail Monday, touching on issues ranging from a gas pipeline contract to fish rationalization and ethics in government.

Palin, sporting her traditional red apparel, came to Kodiak to meet with its elected officials, fishery representatives on both sides of the fence, senior citizens and teachers. She also did some fundraising with supporters and fellow Republicans.

Palin met with media at the Kodiak Daily Mirror before heading to the high school to meet with teachers.

The race for governor will be decided in the general election Nov. 7.

Palin said Alaskans want change in government, a primary plank in her platform.

Democrate opponent Tony Knowles on the other hand, is running on his experience as a former two-term governor.

“Much of my support comes from by ability to maintain some independence,” she said.

Palin said some Republicans within the party have broken away from her, but they are “the money-making machinery of the party.”

“I am not surprised, but I also am not scared,” she said. “I have independent support, plus I am expecting to receive votes from those who supported John Binkley,” who lost to Palin in the August primary.

Palin also noted there is now a shift taking place in Anchorage, a longtime power center in the state.

“The power center is moving away from Anchorage,” she said, expecting to gain support in communities such as Juneau, Fairbanks and Kodiak.

The 42-year-old Palin said she would favor calling a moratorium on fish rationalization to allow some breathing room in sifting through a complex issue.

“This has to be about fairness. It is overwhelming in its complexity,” she said. “We need to bring as much of our fisheries resource ashore as possible and revitalize our fishing opportunities.

“I do not support individual processor shares,” she said.

“I don’t think there are a whole lot people that think what has taken place up until now is fair,” Palin said. “There are crewmembers that don’t have a job.

“The state needs to stand up and exert its influence. We cannot allow Alaska to be denied its resources,” she said.

Palin said while she would support a moratorium on fish rationalization, an idea proposed originally by Knowles, “That is not to say we will not have some kind of rationalization policy.”

Ultimately, “One day your neighbor is your adversary, the next day he will be needed as an ally,” she said.

“Right now there is atmosphere of distrust. No wonder people are emotional about this issue, and some scared,” Palin said.

Palin pointed out the governor has the power of appointments to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and can recommend who will sit on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.

She said she has received input in Kodiak from throughout the industry on rationalization issues.

“My policy is to avoid conflicts of interests on this issue,” Palin said.

On the pipeline, Palin said Alaska needs to separate itself from the Stranded Gas Act in any pipeline contract to allow others to have a shot at a deal other than the big three, Exxon, Conoco-Phillips and British Petroleum.

She said a 22.5 percent gas tax recently adopted by the Alaska House and Senate should not now be tampered with.

“The difference between Knowles and our plan on the pipeline is to sever the state from the Stranded Gas Act,” she said.

“We should not have to make concessions and we should be able to allow others such as independents to come in,” she said.

Under the Stranded Gas Act as proposed in the Murkowski plan, Alaska would be locked in on tax rates for a period of 35 years.

“One of the difficulties with the deal is that it would lock in a tax rate for decades,” she said.

Palin said Murkowski’s request to call the Legislature into a third session is unnecessary, and that there is “a fear the governor would ultimately seal a deal by signing off on it before he leaves office.”

Palin said she would break into the entire process as it now stands by allowing others such as independents to negotiate and introduce a law to lay out what we want to see in a pipeline contract without the confidentiality that has previously existed.

“Alaskans have a right to be involved in the entire process.”

“In the end, we need a pipeline that will prove to be the most economic for all Alaska,” Palin said.

Palin favors pumping more money into the Public Employees Retirement System and Teacher Retirement System “to frontload the system” while paying down the now $6.6 billion in unpaid balance.

She said the state needs to continue to fund the system while it has a budget surplus.

“That $1.6 billion surplus we just blew through, we should have put some of that toward PERS and TERS liability,” she said referring to spending during the Murkowski administration.

“This is a huge issue and not one that Alaska faces alone. It is a national problem,” Palin said.

Palin said part of a strong PERS/TERS program is to make sure public employees and teachers have incentives to stay in their jobs.

Palin said she favors the state filing a lawsuit against its former actuarial company, Mercer, to recover some $600 million its current actuarial firm, Buck, said was miscalculated in health benefits.

“If we would win that suit, it would be additional monies municipalities could use,” she said.

“I would also take a look at the 8.5 percent interest fee cap on amounts charged municipalities on the unpaid balance,” she said.

“Two years ago I spoke with a legislator about this and was told that the problem could be put off. It can’t be put off any longer,” Palin said.

Palin said she would want to reopen SB 141, a law that created a new retirement Tier 4 for new employees in which they participate in a 401(k) defined contribution system.

“We need to make the law fit with IRS guidelines and see how other states have been successful with hybrid plans so that we can retain teachers and public employees,” she said.

On state revenue sharing, state money granted to municipalities and school districts that were cut to the bone under the Murkowski administration, Palin said she would work with the Legislature to reinstate the funding.

“We need to make sure public safety and education, those things constitutionally mandated, are funded,” she said.

On ethics in government, Palin wants a law to prohibit legislators from taking consulting jobs that conflict with legislation before the House or Senate.

“We need to do whatever we can to build trust in government,” Palin said.

Palin also seeks to strengthen the Alaska Public Offices Commission by increasing its funding for a full-time investigator and additional positions to enable it to carry outs its mission as a watchdog and reporting agency.

“The spirit of the law should be adhered to.”

On subsistence, Palin said all Alaskans should be able to share in its resources.

“In times of shortage, those who need resources the most should have the right to harvest first.

“It’s in Alaska’s human nature not to create differences in classes of people, and we don’t have to change the Constitution for this,” Palin said, also pointing out subsistence will become more of an issue as the campaign moves on.

Another issue continuing to swelter in the state is development of the Pebble Mine in the Bristol Bay area, where Palin has family and fishing interests.

But she said she wants to wait until Northern Dynasty Mine Inc. comes forth with its development proposals.

“We don’t want to risk one resource over another,” she said describing mining interests versus salmon interests.

She said there is a split within her own family over the controversy.

“I hear it from both sides.”

Just prior to her arrival, Palin-Parnell signs could be seen going up on city streets and neighborhoods. Sean Parnell is a candidate for lieutenant governor running on the Republican ticket alongside Palin. He served in the state House from 1992 to 1996 and the Senate from 1996 to 2000.

Palin said she had been in Fairbanks over the weekend and in Talkeetna before arriving in Kodiak, almost two weeks to the day after Knowles campaigned here

Mirror writer Bryan Martin can be reached via e-mail at bmartin@kodiakdailymirror.com.