NEWS: Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition Ready for the Gasline Special Session
October 21, 2015
ANCHORAGE – The third Special Session of the 29th Alaska Legislature is scheduled to start Saturday morning with House and Senate floor sessions. Governor Bill Walker has scheduled a briefing for all lawmakers Saturday afternoon to outline the details of the three pieces of legislation that will be under consideration. The members of the Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition (AIDC) are looking forward to the Governor’s detailed briefing but are dismayed by today’s announcement from the Senate President and the Speaker of the House that members of the House Finance and Senate Resources Committee’s will be encouraged to skip the briefing in favor of committee hearings on the same subjects at the same exact time as the Governor’s briefing.
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NEWS: New Report Questions Wisdom of Large Oil and Gas Tax Credits
July 10, 2015
ANCHORAGE – A new report from the Alaska Department of Revenue shows a substantial negative effect on the finances of the State of Alaska from large oil and gas tax credits. The report concludes that North Slope oil and gas production tax credits may be an inferior investment for Alaska compared to investing in the Constitutional Budget Reserve Fund.
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NEWS: GOP Ignoring Oil Tax Credit Spending Cap
May 27, 2015
ANCHORAGE – Today, the Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition released a memo from the Alaska Department of Revenue showing the Republican-proposed budget spends $600 million more on oil tax credits than provided for under Alaska’s statutory cap on credit payments.
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Note from Rep. Gara: Massive School Cuts; Massive Oil Company Gifts?
April 6, 2015
Last week the Senate passed additional major cuts to public school teachers, job counselors and education staff. Last year I and others tried to amend a three-year “education” plan that required educator cuts in many districts, and that was made worse last month when the Republican-led House Majority passed a budget deleting $32 million in promised education funds. Things got worse Friday when the Republican-led Senate hit schools with yet an additional $47 million in cuts. I believe in smart budget cuts, but not cuts with a bludgeon, or cuts that harm educational opportunity for the next generation.
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NEWS: Fiscal Crisis Prompts Common Sense Solution
March 31, 2015
JUNEAU— In the next fiscal year, the State of Alaska will be required to pay out $700 million in oil company tax credits while the state is projected to only take in $300 million in production taxes. That will result in a net loss of $400 million to the public. Senator Bill Wielechowski (D-Anchorage) and Representative Les Gara (D-Anchorage) have sponsored legislation to protect Alaska in times of depressed oil prices by adjusting the current production tax floor from 4% to 12.5%.
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