Democrats Push for Hearing on Oil Tax Credit Accountability
February 3, 2012
“Alaskans need to know what we got for our four billion dollar North Slope investment”
JUNEAU – Today, House Democratic Whip Berta Gardner (D-Anchorage) called for a hearing on two bills designed to provide Alaskans more information on the State’s North Slope investments. The bills will help Alaskans know if our massive investments are meeting our twin goals of more oil in the pipeline and more jobs for Alaskans. Recent testimony puts the state’s investment at over $4 billion over the last five years.
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Rep. Gara to State: Permit Cannot Ignore Destruction of Salmon Stream
February 3, 2012
Gara calls on state to scrap flawed ruling that salmon and trout stream can be “rebuilt”
Today, Representative Les Gara called on the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to reverse its ruling that concluded the proposed Chuitna coal project is consistent with the state’s “Unsuitable Lands” law.
“Their proposal states they will completely remove at least 11 miles of wild salmon spawning and rearing habitat for a period of 25 years; digging down at least 300 feet below the streambed, thereby destroying not only the streambed but also the underlying functions that support a salmon stream and permanently impacting the water quality for all downstream reaches of the Chuitna,” said Rep. Gara, an avid fisherman and fishing writer.
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House Bill 272 “Student Loan Interest Reductions”
February 2, 2012
Currently Alaskans pay interest rates of roughly 7% and 8% for outstanding and new student loans. In contrast, used car loans are currently being issued by some lenders at 3% and less. Many Alaskans are struggling and Alaska has a history of losing those who obtain higher education degrees and job training to jobs outside of Alaska…
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House Bill 244 “Corporations Not ‘Persons’ in Elections”
February 2, 2012
“An Act providing that for-profit corporations and limited liability companies organized in this state are not persons for purposes of influencing the outcomes of public office elections, initiatives, referendums, or recalls.”
House Bill 244 will prohibit corporations from contributing to elections. This bill will amend state law that allows corporations to be recognized as persons and therefore contribute to campaigns with unlimited financial contributions…
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Note from Rep. Gara: Attempting a 99 Yard Touchdown Pass- Time to Push a Constitutional Amendment To $top Unlimited Campaign Contribution$ By Corporation$ & Billionaire$
February 1, 2012
This election season has been dominated by millions of dollars from unregulated “Super-PACS” – funded by billionaires and corporations because, well, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled they can now make unlimited contributions.
Well, this might be crazy, but I think ideas – and not massive wealth by those corporations and billionaires who want to drown out your voice – should decide elections. Unfortunately, given a series of U.S. Supreme Court decisions, today the wealthiest people in the nation, corporations, and unions can now make unlimited contributions to support or defeat candidates.
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