Governor sends thanks
The annual Governor's Family Picnic at the Delaney Park Strip on July 12 was a wonderful event. Sandy and I had a great time meeting new friends and catching up with many Alaskans in Anchorage. We send our thanks to the picnic organizers, the dozens of volunteers, and especially to the many businesses and organizations whose generous contributions made this event possible.
Our thanks to the thousands of friends who came up to celebrate a beautiful Alaska summer day with great food and fun activities.
Thank you, Anchorage.
— Gov. Sean Parnell
Sharon Leighow, Press Secretary
Anchorage
Big business is anti-government
At first I thought a preponderance of Republicans wanted us to vote "No on 1" because they love big business. But there's more to it than that. They also want smaller government, and the way to get that is by cutting government income.
What will happen when business booms, the oil flows freely, but our tax take drops rapidly? Government services like adequately maintained roads and quality education will disappear. You think big business will appreciate that?
Vote "yes" on Ballot Measure 1 and let the Legislature refine the progressivity of ACES. We don't need to keep the regressive SB 21.
— Jon Sharpe
Anchorage
Hopes voters elect Hummel
Recently Laurie Hummel submitted an article concerning a complex issue most citizens don't fully understand. Why Enstar was allowed a steep rate hike because of future price speculation. Laurie explained the complex situation well and proposed fixes that would better protect us as ratepayers from sudden price spikes.
I am not in the district that the retired colonel is running for state house in but I sure hope the voters elect her. I believe she will stand up for all Alaskans who want a government that works for the citizens and not special interests.
— Brian Whittle
Anchorage
Vote yes and redesign law
OK, some business owners are making more profits right now — small, large, and union activity. But in the long run, if we let the oil taxes get reduced to next to nothing, these same companies will be getting taxed to make up for the deficit caused by SB 21. I agree, vote yes and go back to the drawing board and work out something fair to both sides. As for the female commentary with our female lawmakers, next election, I'm voting no.
— Terry Wolf
Anchorage
Big Oil in fine print of ad
Regardless of how you feel about Ballot Measure 1, you have to love the chutzpah of a full-page ADN ad that starts in large font with "Some say this is about big oil. It's Not." followed by tiny type at the bottom that says "Top contributors are BP … ConocoPhillips … ExxonMobil."
— Bruce Welkovich
Anchorage
Be David to oils Goliath
Like many Alaskans, I've been following the debate between supporters of vote yes and vote no on Ballot Measure 1.
If ever there were a "David vs. Goliath" battle, it's this one. The powerful interests in the state are lined up with the oil companies on the no side: the governor, legislature, leadership of the unions, business community and Native corporations. All that's missing for the oil companies to have complete control of Alaska is us — the ordinary citizen.
At critical times in our nation's history, leaders such as Teddy Roosevelt and Dwight D. Eisenhower warned us that it was dangerous to let giant corporations have too much power. More recently, Jay Hammond, Wally Hickel and Sarah Palin stood up to the oil companies and put Alaska's interests first.
Right now all the powerful interests in the state are looking out for the oil companies. Who's looking out for us?
As you think about how you will vote, please remember that the interests of the oil companies and the interests of Alaskans are not the same. Sometimes a win for them is not a win for us.
The millions of dollars spent on advertising by the oil companies — all the signs, fliers, TV, radio and newspaper ads — show me that power in our state has become dangerously unbalanced. Our country's founding fathers knew that too much power in the hands of the few leads to corruption. It's a lesson we cannot afford to forget.
In the David vs. Goliath battle of Ballot Measure 1, we have one little but very powerful weapon: our vote.
Please cast it as a yes.
— Debbie Tilsworth
Fairbanks
Parnell shouldnt pander
Relying on a report from something called the Breitbart News Network, the governor has tweeted his concern with the possibility that 5 of the 50,000 children-refugees have been flown to Alaska.
The candidate filing deadline has come and gone. The Republican nomination for governor will be his in weeks. If he wins, it will likely be his last term as governor. No one is running from his right. No one could. And yet Gov. Parnell is concerned with 5 suffering kids. One option would have been to show some decency, humanity and leadership. These are, truly, easy decisions and simple choices.
The governor should consider doing what is right and not constantly pandering to the extremes of his party. It'll turn out all right. I promise. People might even be impressed.
— Rep. Andrew Josephson
Anchorage
Vote and get it over with
Enough already. I'm tired of the TV commercials. I'm tired of the radio ads. I'm tired of the yard signs. I'm tired of the bumper stickers. I'm tired of the telephone polls and I'm especially tired of the nonstop, over — coverage of the issue in this paper's letters to the editor and opinion sections. Regarding the upcoming vote on the oil tax issue. Aug. 19 can't get here soon enough. I'm not going to opine about how I'm going to vote or suggest how anyone else should vote. Just vote and get it over with. Then shut up about the results. And get ready for November (sigh).
— Eric Olenick
Anchorage
ACES is long-term loser
ACES was bad law. I will vote no on Ballot Measure 1. SB 21, a better law, should be retained. ACES was legalized theft at high oil prices. While in force it took $8 billion "at the point of a gun" in taxes that rightfully belonged to the shareholders of our major oil producers. Under ACES, oil producers wisely chose to invest elsewhere. Yes, on Ballot Measure 1 is a vote to reinstitute ACES. Then Alaska's future might look a lot like Detroit where businesses got tired of being robbed by government, and left.
ACES was an unethical law. Even its name was a lie. "Equitable," really? My mom taught equity this way, "One person cuts the apple in two; the other gets first pick." ACES was doomed to failure when the marginal tax rates were not bracketed (the progressively higher tax rate at higher oil prices applied to the whole price). As prices rose after its enactment, Alaska took more and oil producers got less for their effort.
A basic tenet of economics is "the more you tax something, the less of it you get." ACES was a short-term tax windfall, but a long-term loser. Let's not go there again. Vote no on Ballot Measure 1.
— Jess T. Ellis
Anchorage
The views expressed here are the writer's own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary(at)alaskadispatch.com.