Rep. Gara Calls for Better Alternative to Gov’s Oil Bill; Alternative requires new Alaska exploration and production
January 23, 2012
Today Democratic Representative Les Gara called for a hearing on his oil tax legislation. Unlike the governor’s bill which gives away revenue for nothing in return, Rep. Gara’s “Alaska Oil Production Enhancement Act” (HB 231) requires oil companies to make new investments in Alaska before receiving incentives.
“Alaska is a sovereign state. We should act like one. The Governor’s bill gives companies the option to take $1.8 billion a year outside Alaska. Our bill requires that companies invest in Alaska, on development projects, that will open new fields and heavy oil to production to qualify for the incentives we offer,” said Gara.
Read More →
Democrats Introduce Accountability Measures for Oil Tax Credits
January 13, 2012
JUNEAU – Today, House Democratic Whip Berta Gardner (D-Anchorage) introduced two pre-filed bills designed to provide Alaskans more information on the State’s North Slope investments. The bills will help Alaskans know if our massive investment is meeting our twin goals of more oil in the pipeline and more jobs for Alaskans.
Read More →
Monday, Noon: Gara To Tell Anchorage Chamber Guv’s Oil Giveaway Must Give Way To Better Plan That Will Work.
January 6, 2012
On Monday Rep. Les Gara will present to an audience that hasn’t heard the other side of the story on Governor Parnell’s oil tax bill: That it gives away billions, with no tangible benefit to Alaskans. The presentation at the Chamber’s Make it Monday forum will be at noon at the Dena’ina Convention Center in Anchorage.
“Last time we lowered taxes on oil companies, we had declining production, companies took their profits out of state, and we had 40% less investment and 40% percent fewer jobs. The Governor’s plan is more of the same corporate welfare. Rather than tell companies they can take his $1.8 billion in tax reductions out of state, which his plan allows, we should allow tax credits only if companies spend in Alaska on new exploration and new production,” said Gara, whose HB 231 includes those provisions.
Read More →
[slides & audio] Rep. Gara’s UAA Oil Tax Debate PowerPoint - Smarter Ways To Go than Giving Away $1.8 Billion a Year With No Commitments for New Exploration or Production
November 15, 2011
Link to the Powerpoint Slides in PDF format: http://www.akdemocrats.org/gara/111411_Max_AK_Share_PP.pdf
Read More →
Rep. Gara Exposes Oil Giveaway Shortcomings at UAA Debate
November 14, 2011
Giving oil revenue away for nothing didn’t work before and won’t work now
Today, Representative Les Gara articulated why giving away billions of dollars of Alaska’s oil revenue as the governor proposes will not increase development on the North Slope but will instead wipe out the $15 billion in savings Alaska has achieved under the current law, putting Alaska’s economy, now and into the future, at great risk. Rep. Gara made his case in a debate on the governor’s proposed multi-billion dollar oil giveaway hosted by the Union of Students (USUAA) student government at the University of Alaska Anchorage.
Read More →
