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Some legislators fear Gov. Sarah Palin is more interested in winning kudos from national Republicans for her anti-stimulus spending stance. Others, however, are taking a more conciliatory tone, saying that as long as they can get as much money as possible for Alaska, they don't care who gets the credit.

"This is not a confrontation between us and the governor," said Senate President Gary Stevens.

Palin first drew concerns - and some praise - when she announced last week she would only accept a portion of the nearly $1 billion in stimulus money allocated for Alaska.

While she said she would not be accepting $288 million of that, she didn't say she would actively block the money, and would be willing to participate in a discussion with the Legislature about what they would accept.

The federal stimulus bill, known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, specifically allowed not only governors but also state legislatures acting independently to accept the money.

This week the Alaska Legislature began hearings in both the House and Senate on doing just that.

Some legislators say they need to go around Palin and accept money that she may not accept in order to further national ambitions.

Rep. Woodie Salmon, D-Chalkyitsik, said he had schools in his Interior district that desperately need money Palin is rejecting.

"Lately, she's not with the program," he told the Fairbanks News-Miner. "I don't know where her mind is at - I think she's trying to be president, but I hate for us to suffer in the process."

Palin denied during her announcement that she was playing to a national audience.

"It doesn't matter to me what on a national level people are saying about our reaction here to what the feds are doing," she said. "My concern is serving Alaskans."

In addition, Palin declined to accept $28.5 million in energy assistance, saying it came with strings attached that would force Alaska to adopt a statewide building code that some Alaskans fear would interfere with their personal freedom.

Views against government regulation are particularly strong in the Mat-Su Borough, which includes Palin's hometown of Wasilla.

At one point she asked a reporter questioning the fear of adding building code requirements, "How long have you lived in Alaska?"

Alaskans, she said, want their independence and opportunities to build.

"They don't want universal, big government telling them how to do it," she said.

"Out in the area I represent, this is a pretty sensitive subject matter," said Bill Stoltze, R-Chugiak.

Democrat Les Gara of Anchorage said the "strings" that Palin said the energy money came with mostly weren't there. The few that do exist require the state to do things it is already doing, or likely to adopt on its own.

"I think the governor is seeing strings that don't exist," he said, but blamed Palin's advisors and speechwriters for giving her bad information.

Rep. Mike Hawker, R-Anchorage, co-chairs the House Finance Committee with Stoltze.

"I'm a little bit concerned there has been a myth perpetrated upon folks who are now using it," he said. "It fit on a bumper sticker pretty nicely, and it's become conventional wisdom and frankly it's just not true."

Karen Rehfeld, director of Palin's Office of Management and Budget, said the governor's comments last week, which many observers took to mean she was rejecting stimulus money, was not that at all.

"The governor has not rejected any funds," she said.

The administration is open to discussing with the Legislature any money it wants to accept on its own, she said.

Stevens said he expected that despite Palin's action, the funds would wind up in Alaska.

"I think you will see the Legislature move ahead and apply for any funds that the governor does not apply for, " he said.

• Contact reporter Pat Forgey at 523-2250.