Sarah Palin’s SUV, which she drove when she was mayor of Wasilla, has caused a stir in the small Alaskan town after it sold on eBay for a huge $10,300, which is $8,000 more than the book price.
The SUV, a 1999 Ford Expedition with just under 75,000 miles on the speedometer, isn’t much to look at, nor is it much to drive. Nevertheless, a ‘lucky’ woman from Fairbanks won the car on eBay with a bid of $10,300.
The current mayor of the city, Verne Rupright, admitted that the sale of the Palin SUV was intended to fill the city’s vehicle replacement fund with cash. They figured why not cash in on the little bit of fame Palin brought to the city.
There was some argument though in the ranks of the Mayor’s office as Deputy Mayor Colleen Sullivan-Leonard wanted the funds raised to go towards restocking the food shelves at work.
When her proposal was refused, she said: ”I feel like it’s unfortunate the mayor would try to capitalize on Sarah Palin’s fame and her reputation. Down the line, maybe the mayor’s got some tables and chairs that Sarah Palin used he wants to put on eBay?” she said.
But Mayor Rupright remained adamant that there was nothing wrong with cashing on the city’s former Mayor’s fame. He spoke to reporters for a telephone interview while he was sitting on a chair which Sarah Palin once used:
”It’s getting a little old and dirty. They might get $10 for it at a secondhand store, or a Palin fan might pay $200 for it because she once sat in it. Somebody might find some value in it. If you can get some dollars back for it, you should try, in my mind. That’s just business.”
Archie Giddings, the city’s public works director said about the unidentified woman who bought the Palin SUV : ”She’s just a Palin fan, and she does have a small collection of cars. It’s a good fit for her.”