French, Gara Collect Signatures for SB21 Repeal
Senator Hollis French, and Rep. Les Gara will be gathering signatures on the “Repeal the Oil Wealth Giveaway” referendum Friday, May 10th from 12-1pm at the Barnes and Noble on Northern Lights Blvd in Anchorage. “Reversing the $1-2 billion giveaway will give us the chance to write a better law. Alaskans want a law that encourages production and does not take Alaska off the fiscal cliff,” said Representative Gara. Democratic Legislators offered a tax solution that would have required investment in Alaska, and increased production from companies to qualify for tax breaks. The Republicans’ idea, SB 21, gives billions…
SB21 Repeal Referendum Certified!
After taking the maximum allowable time under the law (go figure), Lt. Governor Mead Treadwell certified the application for a referendum petition filed last week by Vote Yes – Repeal the Giveaway, a grassroots Alaskan group formed to challenge the controversial new law known as Senate Bill 21. The certification allows a signature drive to move forward to put this oil wealth giveaway to a vote of the people in 2014. The group is now waiting for petition booklets from the state. SB 21 dramatically lowers Alaskans’ oil income, transferring billions of dollars from resource owners to multinational oil companies. It…
Bill Walker to Run for Governor
Republican Bill Walker announced today that he is making another run for governor of Alaska in 2014. Known for his founding and continuing role in the Backbone Group, Walker has advocated strongly for an all-Alaska natural gas pipeline, and a fair and reasonable tax on oil development in the state. Backbone has held rallies across Alaska and has been vocal in its disapproval of current Governor Sean Parnell’s plan, supported by the majority of Republicans in the legislature, which would give billions in no-strings-attached money to oil companies. Former mayor of Valdez, Walker made an unsuccessful attempt to secure the…
Alaska’s Founding Father on Big Oil
On Thursday, rallies were held across the state to protest the legislature’s impending giveaway of billions of dollars from Alaska’s coffers to the wealthiest corporations in history with no strings attached. Speeches were given by many people, but perhaps the most important was that of Vic Fischer, one of Alaska’s original Constitutional delegates. Having Vic Fischer here is like being able to ask Thomas Jefferson or John Adams about the Constitution. He addressed a large crowd in the chill of downtown Anchorage, in front of the Legislative Information Office. He was asked if he was freezing to death in the…
“Stop the Giveaway!” Backbone Rally Photos
This just in from Juneau: Last night, under the cover of darkness, the House Resources Committee made the Governor’s oil wealth giveaway an even BIGGER giveaway. Just after 2:00a.m. the House Resources Committee amended the bill, reducing the tax rate from 35 to 33 percent, giving away an additional $300-$400 million dollars a year. This rate applies to all oil, whether it is already in production or not. Today, hundreds of Alaskans all across the state showed up for a “day of resistance” to stop the oil wealth giveaway.There were rallies in Juneau, Fairbanks, Sitka, Homer, Dillingham, Soldotna, Sterling and Anchorage. Today,…