Parnell: Plenty of time to pass his bills

Gov. Sean Parnell, in his first legislative session as governor, met with the Capitol press on Wednesday morning, a few minutes after a press conference by Denali announcing its pipeline open season filing, and an hour after a grim legislative hearing detailing the state's failure to educate rural students.

For the first time, he presented a list of six bills as a "economic growth package," and handed out copies of a letter he sent to legislative leadership Thursday morning pressing for passage.

Among those:

-- Millions in operating funds to cover the administration's work furthering an AGIA pipeline and instate gas pipeline plans. The House Finance Committee pulled most of the money pending the outcome of an open season scheduled this summer; the Senate Finance Committee reinstated some. The budget is before a six-member conference committee to reconcile the versions passed by each body.

-- Tax credits for the oil industry. Parnell's plan is more moderate than far-ranging bills to make the oil tax a far sweeter deal for companies, but some lawmakers still don't like it. A number of Republicans say it doesn't go far enough to boost a troubled industry, while others say it makes no sense to put incentives on in-field operations that would take place regardless. The bill is being heard today in a House committee, while a Senate version had its very first hearing of the session earlier this week.

-- A reduction in taxes assessed on cruise ship passengers, and more money for marketing, with the hope of settling a lawsuit by the industry against the state. Lawmakers seem to have a real range of ideas of what's an appropriate boost to the industry, and whether something should be done at all. House Finance spent hours hearing the measure earlier this week.

-- Suspending the tax Alaskans pay at the pump on gasoline. Yes, Parnell is still plugging this one, despite little to no legislative support. Sen. Bettye Davis, D-Anchorage, is one who does support the plan.

-- A reasonable capital budget. Parnell wouldn't get specific about what "reasonable" means, but earlier this year said he expected lawmakers to add as little as $100 million to his outlay. They flinched and are generally thought to be disregarding that instruction. A capital budget is expected any minute this afternoon, and then we'll know just how much lawmakers feel secure spending on projects they say would stimulate the economy.

-- Merit-based scholarships for graduates of Alaska's high schools. This one is a mess. Again, lawmakers are all over the board -- some want the Governor's Performance Scholarships renamed. Some want needs-based instead of merit, while others want a combination. No one seems to have a good formula to fund them. Gaining the most traction is a move to simply table the bill, appoint an interim task force and come up with a plan everyone can buy into. But Parnell said that's not going to cut it, although he'd be open to interim talks on how to foot the bill.

The governor repeated several times that with 11 days to go in this session, there's plenty of time.

"I think there is disagreement on certain pieces of the package, but I am still working to bring a package forward to grow our economy," Parnell acknowledged.

How far is he willing to push?

"I think that jobs and opportunities for Alaskans are always worth working hard on, regardless of how much time it takes," Parnell said. "This is a time in the legislative session when real work gets done."

That may be so, but veteran Capitol reporter Bob Tkacz made a good point after the press conference. A piece of legislation -- even a couple of bills -- could make it through in as little as three days, but the governor's proposals still on the table, cumulatively, are stacked against a tough wall to break through.