Call me nostalgic, if you will. I was reminiscing about the good old days when they took a small sum every year as a school tax from every Alaskan who earned a paycheck big enough to pay taxes on. Minimum wage was $2.10 per hour and gasoline was about 76 cents per gallon. Those were truly good times, without the yearly promise of a Permanent Fund dividend. Education was fully funded and the corporate oil company lobbyists would have to have a bake sale to buy themselves a governor or legislator.
I find it hypocritical that those who are opposed to any sort of welfare for people who earned a paycheck are not opposed to welfare for the corporate person who only takes from the infrastructure that supports it. They’re willing to privatize the profits and socialize losses across all of society; this is not a sustainable plan. Please get involved. Step up to do your fair share. The future of our state and country depend on your actions.
— T. Frank Box
Anchorage
Have something on your mind? Send to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser. Letters under 200 words have the best chance of being published. Writers should disclose any personal or professional connections with the subjects of their letters. Letters are edited for accuracy, clarity and length.