Oil companies unfazed by taxes
While watching a legislative hearing on TV last Monday, I heard a representative of BP tell legislators that any change in oil taxes would "discourage new companies from exploring for oil" in Alaska. This from a company that has done only one new exploration — Mukluk — on the North Slope for more than 40 years.
Immediately after the Prudhoe discovery in the late 1960s, then BP CEO John Brown, said the discovery of oil on the North Slope would be treated by his company as a "development" project. And that's what it's been for the past 40 years. Telling Alaska's lawmakers that any change in oil taxes will discourage new companies from exploring for oil in Alaska is simply a shameful scam.
New companies will explore for oil in Alaska to find new oil, and taxes will play a very small part in their decision to explore. Incidentally, BP was one of the best explorers for oil in Alaska during the 1950s and '60s, but it should not now give advice to new companies whether to explore in Alaska. There's much more new oil to be found on the Slope.
— Jack Roderick
Anchorage
Why we support Murkowski
As the GOP (Ohio Dan included) continues its attacks on Planned Parenthood by repealing a measure in Title X that would protect funding for Planned Parenthood, Sen. Lisa Murkowski needs to be recognized for her efforts to protect women's right to make their own decisions about their health care. While I don't agree with every decision she makes, by voting no and protecting Planned Parenthood, Murkowski reminded me and many others why we voted for her and why we continue to support her.
— Christopher Frost
Anchorage
Gospels reveal our true culture
I appreciate David Lewis' trenchant challenge on the question of the historical Jesus. ("Mankind's biggest misconception is that Jesus existed at all," April 16). It is true that there are no independent contemporaneous textual witnesses to the existence of Jesus. This however does not mean that we shouldn't believe the gospels. Fictional or not, the Gospels reveal things about us and our cultures that we would not see without them.
For example, Lewis knows, along with the rest of us, that Jesus was innocent. Jesus' innocence (either fictional or historical) has given us our modern sympathy for victims and scapegoats. Ironically, writers like Lewis try to scapegoat the source of their moral insight about scapegoats.
— Rev. Britton Johnston
Anchorage
Protect salmon, support HB 199
The members of the House Fisheries Committee should support House Bill 199.
More than ever before, it is time for people to speak out. Our country has suffered so many natural resource disasters. It is only a matter of time for Alaska unless we proactively take a stance now. I want my family and their future families to know the Alaska that I know, far into the future. I support HB 199 for this very reason.
I want Alaskans to have a say in how we protect our precious resources. We must update current language in our laws so we can avoid mismanagement that may lead to destructive salmon runs. If we don't protect our fish now, it will only become more difficult in the future.
Please support HB 199 to make sure salmon runs keep returning for future generations and to give Alaskans a voice in the public process.
— Johanna Grasso
Anchorage
House, Senate: Work together
It was nice to open this morning paper and see both commentaries and letters critical of the state Senate's handling of the financial situation for all Alaskans.
And, as I keep saying, it would be so greatly improved by the reinstatement of a personal income tax.
Please let the politicians, particularly the Senate leaders, know to try to work with the House coalition to come to a complete fiscal solution, instead of Band-Aids and partial solutions that just postpone the problem.
— Orin Seybert
Anchorage
Time to grow up, tax ourselves
In a perfect world the accomplished and highly skilled graduates of Alaska educational institutions become business owners, skilled craftsmen and involved community members who make Alaska their home. These Alaskans value what they have, partly because they have helped pay for it through taxing themselves. And, they are willing to continue to contribute to ensure a similar if not better future for their children.
In our not-so-perfect reality, Alaskans receive money from a government we don't respect while annually nickel-and-diming our educational institutions to the extent educators spend more time lobbying than growing our next generation.
It's time to shore up the foundation of our education system that has been tasked with growing our future. Let's provide adequate, consistent funding for our kids that is outside the vagaries of the price of oil. Let's tax ourselves as most of the rest of the world does. It's time to grow up.
— Patricia Linville
Seward
Jesus is a real historical person
In last Sunday's Easter edition of the Alaska Dispatch News, David H. Lewis offered his opinion that Jesus Christ was a mythical figure. This popular view is often referred to as Jesus mysticism. As a consequence of this belief, all Christianity is thus based upon a false assumption. While I do not doubt Lewis' sincerity, his scholarship is lacking.
The following are nonbiblical sources referring to a historical Jesus:
Thallus, a Greek historian wrote around A.D. 55 was quoted by a third-century Christian writer named Julius Africanus.
Jesus is mentioned in a letter dated about A.D. 112 by the Roman governor Pliny the Younger.
Another source is Roman historian Cornelius Tacitus in Annals, about A.D. 116.
Finally, there is a reference to Jesus by Roman historian Suetonius in Lives of the Caesars, about A.D. 120.
It is also compelling that hundreds of followers of Jesus died horrific deaths in loyalty and praise to someone who never existed.
Sadly, many moderns rely on the Discovery Channel for their (mis)information about the historical certainty of Jesus Christ.
— Ken Smith
Anchorage
Hold the line: No income tax
I'm writing to express my deep frustration as a working Alaskan with the proposal that our state start an income tax.
By all accounts our state has over $57 billion dollars in Permanent Fund accounts, with another $4 billion in the Constitutional Budget Reserve — our state's savings. We've already had our Permanent Fund dividends cut in half by our governor! Good God — how much more money does any state need?
Clearly the answer to this so-called "budget crisis" is to do a fairly minor restructuring of PFD resources to provide extra operating funds for our state's services. Having the government dip its greedy hands into our collective pockets with an income tax, that we all know will never go away, and only get larger over time, is not the answer!
I strongly urge our state Senate to hold the line against this fiscal insanity. Our state has more money than many independent nations do. To take income from working Alaskans in a time of recession, when we have money both "in the bank" and in investment funds as well, is despicable.
— Tom Anderson
Anchorage
The views expressed here are the writers' own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a letter under 200 words for consideration, email letters@alaskadispatch.com, or click here to submit via any web browser. Submitting a letter to the editor constitutes granting permission for it to be edited for clarity, accuracy and brevity. Send longer works of opinion to commentary@alaskadispatch.com.