Former First Lady Smacks Down Gov’s Oil Tax Plan
Today former Governor Jay Hammond’s widow Bella and his daughter Heidi Hammond have called for a TV ad from a group calling themselves “Resource Full Alaska” exploiting Jay Hammond to be stopped immediately. The ad has the brass cojones to compare Jay Hammond, arguably Alaska’s most popular former governor, to its current oil shill CEO Sean Parnell. The ad calls on the legislature to pass Parnell’s oil tax plan which would drain the state’s coffers to the tune of $2 billion a year. “I was never consulted about this television ad,” said the former First Lady. “Jay Hammond never would…
Legislature Takes Dump on Alaska
Despite massive public outcry, and good efforts by Democratic lawmakers, the legislature has voted to pass a bill that will loosen restrictions on the cruise industry, and lower water quality standards for coastal waters. HB80 now heads to the Governor’s desk. None of the Democratic amendments which would have required dumping at least 3 miles offshore, not next to marine parks or game refuges, public notification of the location of dump sites, and water monitoring passed. The bill was voted through as it was, and zipped through the senate with a vote of 16-4. The yes votes included Democratic Senator…
Sunday Pizza & Petroleum
By Rep. Les Gara This Sunday from Noon until 2:00, Senator Ellis and I will be in Anchorage if you’d like to hear a legislative update, and share your thoughts and concerns. Or you can pretend that’s why you’re coming, bring your kids, and eat free pizza. We’d be honored if you came for any of the above reasons, and be honored to feed your kids and grandkids. Here is the low cost – like free – video invite Johnny and I put together. It’s amazing. No, it’s actually just OK. But we’re almost proud of it. Please share it…
Parnell Pees in the Pool
The critical vote on a controversial bill involving the dumping of cruise ship waste in Alaska waters has been put off until next week. This is good news. Your outrage, and contacts with your legislators are having an impact. The cruise ship dumping legislation favored by Governor Sean Parnell would kill key provisions of a 2006 citizen’s initiative, voted in by the people, that required cruise ships to meet clean water standards at the point of discharge by the 2016 cruise season, instead of allowing them to release sewage, heavy metals, and other waste into “mixing zones.” Mixing zones are…
Parnell Dumps Citizens’ Initiative Overboard
This just in from the Alaska Democratic Party. Republicans overthrowing the will of the people to serve their own self-interest and that of their corporate donors? I’m shocked. Shocked, I say. Today House Republicans passed Gov. Parnell’s bill to allow discharge of sewage and untreated wastewater in Alaska waters, repealing a provision of the 2006 citizen initiative that protected Alaskans’ health and state fisheries. Parnell’s bill would allow the release approximately 1,064,448,000 gallons of sewage and wastewater into Alaska state waters every year. Republicans rejected Democratic amendments which would have required disclosure of the location of sewage discharges and protected…
Senator Micciche: Delusions Of Grandeur
Last Sunday, in my Anchorage Daily News column, I wrote about the conflict of interest of newly minted Senator Peter Micciche. A Republican from Soldotna, Mr. Micciche works for Conoco Phillips and has for decades. He now sits on the Resource Committee — one of the most powerful in the Senate, and not only is he a member, he’s vice-chairman of the special sub-committee reviewing the bill to slash oil taxes. I was hoping the Senator would realize, because of the conflict of his employer, he wouldn’t be allowed on a jury or as a judge. How does he not…
Right Wing Political Theater
Last week, before being sworn into office, my representative to the state House, Lindsey Holmes, decided she’s really a Republican — this after running and winning multiple times as a Democrat. Why more Democratic women aren’t defecting to the party of trans-vaginal probes is beyond me. I suppose I’d be more upset if I thought the Democrats were losing a hard worker who did more than run up her Alaska Airlines mileage on legislative junkets. Lindsey “found herself” for a committee assignment – making Vic Kohring look like a bargaining savant. Her dishonesty with voters and misrepresentation to donors was…
Let’s Play Decode that BS!
Oh, look! Governor Parnell has just tweeted, boys and girls! You know what that means, right? That’s right. Everyone playing along, get out your super duper Captain Zero decoder rings! Ready? OK. Now, remember Captain Zero is talking about how much money the oil companies should be able to get from our piggy bank in exchange for our oil. Let’s see what we get when we decode the tweet… Democratic legislators think Alaskans deserve wine and flowers. (spins ring) The Alaska Oil and Gas Association thinks you should get water boarded. (spins ring again) That lends credibility to the…
2012 Parting Shots
If you live in the Lower 48, you may be under the illusion that your state knows how to do “trashy” and “no way—that’s not for real!” It doesn’t. Not compared to Alaska. So sit back with some popcorn and check out the pros. Parenting Fail If you’re going to engage your own son in LSD-fueled hand-to-hand combat in the street over a woman (!), at least don’t do it in the nude. In Spenard, that makes you such a cliché. Poor Kids Get Baked Speaking of excessive nudity, House Finance Co-Chair Bill Stoltze refused to allow a vote on…
Parnell Pounds the Table
There’s an old saying, “When the facts are on your side, pound the facts. When the law is on your side, pound the law. When neither is on your side, pound the table.” But in Alaska, when it comes to cutting oil taxes, that strategy really isn’t a winner. With all-time high levels of employment and investment on the North Slope, and the oil companies raking in record profits, the facts are definitely not on the side of the Big Oil Tax Giveaway. With a constitution that requires Alaska to reap the maximum benefit for our natural resources, the law…