Rural Alaska legislator billed state more than $20,000 to ship appliances, piano

State Sen. Donny Olson billed the state more than $20,000 over two years to ship appliances and a shop and studio's worth of equipment from his Juneau residence to his home in Golovin, near Nome.

Among the 7,381 pounds of stuff that went from Juneau to Golovin in 2015 and 2016, but not the other way around: a washer and a dryer, a piano, four air compressors, building supplies, enlarger parts, a band saw, a basketball backboard, lawn chairs, four weight benches, three fans and three vacuums, according to Olson's shipping inventories.

"It is egregious to bill the Legislative Affairs Agency for three air compressors in one year," wrote Pam Varni, executive director of the Legislative Affairs Agency in a Nov. 30 letter to Olson. "You also stated the wood was for your woodworking hobby. Your hobby is not a legitimate business purpose.

Varni accused him of violating the Legislature's moving policy, though she also acknowledged that it's more expensive to move a big family between Juneau and Golovin.

Read more: https://www.adn.com/politics/2017/01/22/rural-alaska-legislator-billed-state-more-than-20000-in-two-years-to-ship-appliances-piano/