by Tanta on 7/20/2007 10:20:00 AM

There appears to be some questions about Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski's recent real estate deal. (Stunning? Surprising? On tenterhooks yet?) It seems the parcel traded at the assessed value, not the appraised value. So?

SOLDOTNA -- U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski is drawing criticism this week over Kenai River property she bought late last year from real estate developer and political supporter Bob Penney. . . .

After two days of criticism online and on talk radio, both Penney and a spokesman for Murkowski described the deal as a fair trade between people who chose to become neighbors on the river.

They said Murkowski, R-Alaska, and husband Verne Martell paid Penney the amount of the Kenai Peninsula Borough's most recent assessment on the 1.27 acres: $179,400. Murkowski's spokesman said there was nothing improper about the sale.

This year's borough assessment, completed after the sale, is for $214,900. . . .

Penney said he was surprised that the assessed value was as high as it was -- and that the family agreed to the price. The assessed value the year before the sale was $120,300, and Penney said he didn't know it had changed in 2006.

"Word of honor, I did not know what the assessed value was," he said. "I thought it was still $120,000."

The 2005 assessment was up only about $11,000 from 2004, compared to the $59,000 increase last year and $36,000 this year.

"Who the hell would ever think it would jump like that?" Penney said.

Who the hell would ever think it would jump like that? How about everybody in the universe?