This coming year Alaska will pay more to oil companies in “tax credits” than we receive in oil production taxes — for the third year in a row. It gets worse. The Department of Revenue forecasts that tax loopholes will provide Alaskans with no oil production tax revenue for the next decade — from any future oil fields, and from any fields that started after 2002. That’s a great deal if you can get it.
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Juneau — The Alaska Legislature’s legal department has confirmed that the Senate Finance Committee bill to end the Alaska Performance Scholarship program also ends the Alaska Education Grant program, which offers needs-based financial aid for college and job training. House Finance Committee member Rep. Les Gara (D-Anchorage) worked to help start a two year needs-based aid effort several years before the current aid plan was passed.
Read More →Juneau – Today, the Alaska House of Representatives passed House Bill 273 to simplify, speed up, and lower the cost of vehicle transfers on death. HB 273 will allow a vehicle owner to file an application with the Alaska Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to designate a beneficiary to take title of a vehicle upon the death of the owner.
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I’ve been buried in work. Which, of those things you can be buried by, isn’t all that bad I guess. But it’s kept me from getting you an update (Sen. Ellis and I did provide a legislative update in Fairview last week).
Read More →Mar. 18, 2016 House Floor - Rep. Gara introduces foster youth from Facing Foster Care
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Juneau – Two Democrats in the Alaska House of Representatives are sending a positive message to those who live with disabilities that will lose significant help under the budget passed last week. Representatives Les Gara (D-Anchorage) and Ivy Spohnholz (D-Anchorage) are encouraging Alaskans with disabilities and others to share their stories with lawmakers and to not give up hope that the harmful cuts, to help they rely on, can be reversed.
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