Letters to the editor (5/3/11)

I'm a veteran and am proud of America. God bless our president, the 9/11 first responders, all who lost lives and family on that infamous day.

Thanks most of all to our troops who are serving and who have served: dead, wounded, and living. Thanks to your families for all of your sacrifices. Thanks to all on the front and those who served in support.

I realize that this event of eliminating bin Laden is not the end of terrorism, but hopefully a refreshing start into a new era and a better decade to come.

Maybe today's event can draw us all closer, no matter what political affiliation or religious beliefs, and move us all forward into a decade of progress and prosperity.

-- Bud Blakemore

Anchorage

Let's see miners build fish stream

Fishing interests say the spawning streams will be destroyed by mining and cannot be restored. The mining interests say they can make spawning streams outside of the area being mined. This can be made into a demonstrated project: Have the mining interests construct spawning streams outside and adjacent to the proposed mines before mining starts. If successful, we would have a continuing fishery industry, a new mining industry and the technology for making additional spawning streams.

-- Robert Leach

Anchorage

Show a new way to raise revenue

I would like to ask how we can continue to run our city with the same services we have now without raising property taxes. Every day I read letters from property owners -- I am one -- who don't like the rise in the mill rate.

If I understand correctly, many readers believe that they should never see any rise in their rate. Do they expect the cost of city government to never go up? When they bought their houses, were the homes worth the same as they are worth now? Did gas cost the same? I'm sure we can all answer these questions easily enough.

The real question is how to pay for city government without creation of new revenue. I'm not smart enough to figure this out alone. However, anyone who is ready to complain about property taxes should at the very least propose some new source of revenue. Telling me that my daughter's education and future in Anchorage isn't their problem is not an answer. I await the readers' response.

-- Brian Kari

Anchorage

Name calling and lies aren't going to solve anything in the economy

Paul Jenkins ("For Alaska, North Dakota a better example than Norway," May 1) and Dave Cuddy ("Politicians provide only knee-jerk policies," May 2) both perpetuate a lie that government spending is socialist.

Jenkins attacked legislators traveling to Norway to study a government that successfully balances the needs of its citizens with the demands of the oil industry. Jenkins misstated that "Norway is a socialist welfare nation with a mixed economy and heavy state ownership in strategic sectors." King Harald V of Norway would disagree. Any fifth-grader knows that China, Cuba, Laos and Vietnam are the only socialist countries.

Cuddy declared that "our nation is now in bankruptcy." He claimed our nation's "socialist" philosophy has created a country where "half of American voters now pay no federal income tax, and so, have no motivation to keep spending and taxing down." He's half right. The wealthiest Americans (and corporations) shelter their income, paying minimal or no taxes.

Can we learn from Norway? Does Dave Cuddy pay any taxes? Government spending built the Matanuska Colony. Is Palmer socialist?

Quit using the lie of socialism and let's find solutions that work.

-- Christopher Constant

Anchorage

Citizens need to act to base state predator control more on science

In 2004, wolf reduction efforts began in Unit 16B to increase moose populations.

In 2007, bear regulations in 16B were liberalized for the same purpose.

In 2009, the Board of Game authorized a baiting/snaring program for black bears in 16B.

Now the board has authorized a baiting/snaring program for brown bears too -- even though nonresident moose hunting is allowed in 16B. This is the first time since statehood that baiting brown bears, including sows and cubs, has been allowed. This escalation is alarming.

Regional Fish and Game supervisor Bruce Dale calls the brown bear baiting/snaring program "experimental."

The "experiment" is to see if Alaskans will support yet another, even more extreme, method of unnecessary predator control in 16B. Will we?

This "experiment" defies science, common sense and decency. And, one hopes, it is un-Alaskan. Contact Commissioner Cora Campbell, Director Corey Rossi, board members (www.adfg.alaska.gov), legislators and Gov. Sean Parnell (http://gov.alaska.gov/parnell/contact/email-the-governor.html): Tell them you will not tolerate "experimenting" with Alaska's wildlife.

-- Tina M. Brown

president,

Alaska Wildlife Alliance

Juneau

Everyone should join to create climate to maximize oil profits

Re ACES, a few thoughts:

• Taxation beyond constitutional requirements is legalized extortion -- a legalized protection racket -- if you don't pay your taxes, the government seizes your assets and throws you in jail.

• Progressive taxation is, at least, immoral.

• The oil companies are in business to maximize profits to the benefit of shareholders -- not to fill state coffers. In fact, the producers have a fiduciary duty to their shareholders and the responsibility to operate in areas where profits are greatest.

• The word "producers" has real meaning. The companies produce a valuable product while the Legislature produces nothing but paperwork, restrictive regulation and obstructions to production.

• The Permanent Fund, pension funds, etc. are large oil company stockholders. The government should minimize taxes, applaud high profits and generous dividends.

• The liberals should join the conservatives to create a business climate where the producers would clamor to produce.

-- Don Rogers

Anchorage

Norway has the proper equation

Paul Jenkins wrote in his Sunday column ("For Alaska, North Dakota a better example than Norway," May 1):

"Alaska is a sovereign state in a free republic. Norway is a socialist welfare nation with a mixed economy and heavy state ownership in strategic sectors."

No, Paul, it's much simpler than that.

In Norway, the government owns the oil industry. In Alaska, the oil industry owns the government.

--Tom Bucceri

Anchorage