Single Page
Alaska Senate president kills governor-backed oil tax billAlaska Senate President Gary Stevens said Thursday that the Senate will soon hold a hearing on its own oil-tax reform bill, essentially declaring dead House Bill 110, legislation passed last year by the state House and fervently backed by Gov. Sean Parnell. Parnell's bill "will not be the vehicle" for oil-tax legislation this session, Stevens, R-Kodiak, said, according to a KTUU-Channel 2 article. Opponents of HB 110 -- including many in the Senate Majority Bipartisan Working Group, which governs that chamber -- have called it a giveaway to the oil companies. Some estimates indicate the bill would have cost Alaska up to $2 billion a year, while guaranteeing no additional investment in return. Parnell has countered that the bill would spark additional oil patch investment because it would help companies overcome the high costs they associate with operating on Alaska's North Slope. Stevens expects a Senate oil tax bill will be heard by the Resources Committee in about two weeks, KTUU reports, adding that he wants the bill to the House with at least a month left in the regular session. That means it would need to arrive by mid-March. The Associated Press reports that Sen. Joe Paskvan, a Democrat who chairs the Senate Resources, would not say what the draft bill might contain. It's currently being reviewed by lawyers. Issues of concern are the "progressive surcharge now triggered when a company's net profits hit $30 a barrel," as well as tax credits and heavy oil, the AP article noted.
Contact Alex DeMarban at alex(at)alaskadispatch.com Thanks Gary...Kodiak rocks Parnell is also in hot water for not doing his homework. Both Nine Towns in SE Alaska and many players in state politics asked him for data upon which he based an important letter. The Governor could not provide the data, because the state never had the data, but the Governor's position was that they had well formed opinions concerning whether Sealaska's selections inside the box were economical to log. The Governor claimed they were not, based on a lot of proding from Sealaska. See Tongass Low Down on the web for the letter to the Governor. It ends, Governor when are you going to do your homework instead of pandering to Sealaska Corporation. Senator Stevens is distinguishing himself as a true Alaskan with the courage and fortitude to look toward the future of our State. Others would do well to follow his lead Don’t be giving the farm away. . Conoco’s last quarter’s profits were up 60%. Oil companies that are invested in Alaska are doing better than oil companies just invested in the South 48 and elsewhere. Here's an inconvenient truth that is really an inconvenient truth: http://www.alyeska-pipe.com/pipelinefacts/Throughput.html Now for the editorial part: We have to do something quite different. There is no disputing the fact that throughout for our only meaningful source of cash is on a significant decline. There is also no disputing that other states are not experiencing a similar decline, even those with oil industries much older than ours. We have a Governor who is a really nice, well-intentioned guy but probably not the best person to honcho a deal through. Time will tell. We have legislature comprised of two types: Pro-resource development and those that aren't. The pro forces aren't very capable overall. Those that are not pro-resource development are generally more capable. The oil companies are the best in the world at the game and in the overall scheme we are no greater than a pawn. The pipeline will probably not go cold soon but the more desperate we become the worse terms we'll get. The oil guys aren't going to give us a better deal because they feel sorry for us or because they like of care about Alaska. Good for senator Stevens. If oil taxes actually need to be tweaked, the State should do it in a way that is best for Alaska. The Good Senator from Kodiak has delivered the best news I have heard since the CBC legislators were hauled off to prison. They too were caught trying to sell us out. Which one of you would buy a car by signing a blank document to be filled in by the seller? Fill in the blanks with the terms and we might sign it if it is in the "Best Interest of Alaskans." The current Governor is not acting in our interest by submitting blank sheets of paper as bills with "meaningful reform". Don't worry Governor your oil constituency will not cut their contributions, but Alaskans voters have long memories. And let us not forget, some of the CBC are still in the Legislature, and are pushing hard for a giveaway to the oil companies. Thank you senator Stevens for standing up for Alaskans and Alaska!!! The industry is "playing" backwoods moron legislators like they do third world governments. It is good to see a few standing for Alaska. These corporations are not going anywhere. It's embarrassing to have ignorant politicians acting like uneducated leaders in 3rd world countries lining their pockets and working more for the industry than their own people!! |
Comments