Alaska News

Point-Counterpoint: Senate candidate Roses on oil taxes, Pebble and education

OIL TAXES

I have put forth a plan to address oil taxes in a way that protects Alaska's share of revenue while also incentivizing increased production. It is simple. As production increases, we subtract an offset tax from ACES' progressivity tax. If no increase in oil production occurs, then there is no change to ACES. The more oil they produce, the lower the tax. The oil producers only get a reduction in taxes if they increase production.

The tax offset in the progressivity rate would be calculated at .05 percent per 1,000 barrel per day increase. For example, if increases were 125,000 barrels per day, the offset would be (.0005)(125) = .0625 or 6.25 percent. There would be a floor placed on the deduction — no matter how much more oil was produced, the progressivity rate couldn't fall below 10 percent over the 25 percent base rate.

Bill Wielechowski has continued to fight against any decreases in taxes. He has stated that oil production and the oil pipeline are not in jeopardy. He has publicly offered no plan to address the issue. He simply states, "Give us a guarantee of more oil and we will consider it."

My concern is if we buy into Bill Wielechowski's thinking, we may face a financial disaster. Under my plan we can't make a financial mistake. No increase in production, no reduction in taxes.

PEBBLE

I am still undecided whether I support or oppose the Pebble mine project. While I am a very staunch advocate for resource development, we should never sacrifice one resource for another. Having a strong background in math and science makes me want to follow the science on this issue before deciding. Sound, safe, scientifically supported methods must be considered as an integral part of any proposals.

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CANDIDATE'S CHOICE

As a strong advocate for public education and as an award-winning teacher, I have worked to adequately fund education. One of the critical needs is for early or forward funding, which I was proud to have secured as part of the Education Funding Task Force.

In a letter that can be viewed in its entirety on my website at www.bobroses.com, former Anchorage School District Superintendent Carol Comeau stated:

"[Bob Roses] was an outstanding and tenacious advocate for increased funding for education as both the President of the Anchorage Education Association from 2000-2004 and as a state legislator from 2006-2008. He was very helpful in assisting his fellow legislators to better understand the impact of late annual funding for school districts rather than multi-year funding, and especially, the impact of inadequate special education funding for intensive needs students."

Thanks to my training as a teacher and mediator, I have been successful at working across party lines to reach understanding and compromise, as witnessed by Comeau:

"Bob was well-respected by leaders of both political parties, and the decisions made by that Task Force made a large impact on every district in the state for the three years the funding was in place … I very much appreciated Bob Roses' work as a legislator during his time in office, and if elected, I have no reason to believe he would not continue to advocate for forward and multi-year funding, along with necessary accountability, in the legislature."

I will continue to advocate for students and teachers as I have done since 1971. Forward funding allows school districts to build a budget on actual levels of revenue rather than speculation. All school districts and municipalities will benefit from forward funding.

I ask for your vote Nov. 6.

Bob Roses, a former state representative, teacher and teachers union president, is the Republican candidate for Senate District G in East Anchorage, including parts of Muldoon, Boniface and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

By BOB ROSES

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