NEWS: Giveaway changes: More Money, More Power to Oil Companies
Late Night meeting increased size of giveaway, repeats past mistakes
JUNEAU – Just after 2:00 a.m. this morning, the House Resources Committee voted to give away more of Alaska’s oil wealth with no guarantee of new production and to make the state rely on oil company statements instead of actual receipts when auditing deductions for tax breaks. The committee also tried to undo hard-won provisions that allow the oil companies that own the Trans Alaska Pipeline (TAPS) to charge the state and other companies for all of their expenses, not just the “reasonable” expenses allowed under current law.
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NEWS: Democrats Push Permanent Fund Dividend Protection In Light Of Oil Giveaway
JUNEAU - Today eight Democratic legislators filed legislation to protect the Permanent Fund Dividend by placing the current dividend formula in the Alaska Constitution. With GOP leaders pushing an oil giveaway that is likely to cost Alaskans upwards of $1 billion or more a year, future legislators are likely to start cutting the Dividend to fund state revenue. To protect against attempts to spend the Dividend in tight economic times, former Governor Jay Hammond proposed an initiative in 2002 that would have enshrined the Dividend in the Constitution, but Lt. Governor Loren Leman rejected it as not able to be done by initiative.
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NEWS: Democrats Offer Improvements to Small Gasline Legislation
Amendments would ensure low-cost gas, add accountability, provide maximum benefit to Alaskans
JUNEAU - Tonight, in an effort to add much needed accountability and assurances Alaskans will get low-cost gas and the maximum benefit from a small diameter gasline, Democratic legislators in the Alaska House of Representatives offered a series of amendments to the gasline’s enabling legislation.
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Rep. Guttenberg’s Legislative Report: “It’s Our Oil” Rally
With the clock ticking down to the final weeks, the legislature has to decide which bills will pass this session and which will wait until January 2014. With the big issues blocking up House Resources, House Finance, and Senate Finance, small legislation is on hold until the log jam breaks.
I want to say thank you to all the people who have called in to testify, written e-mails, POMs, and made phone calls to me and my colleagues. Your voices really do make a difference in bills and budgets.
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Rep. Guttenberg’s Legislative Report: Save Our Schools, Senate Operating Budget Public Testimony Tomorrow and Saturday
I want to take this opportunity to tell you about upcoming opportunities to affect the budget and policy moving through the Legislature.
S.O.S- Save Our Schools
This legislative session has seen numerous education policy bills that would significantly change our public education system. Couple this with a lack of basic funding and we are in danger of doing significant harm to our families, students, teachers and staff.
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Rep Guttenberg’s Legislative Report: March 8th, 2013
Friends and Neighbors,
The Legislature is well over the half way mark and we are in a sprint to the finish. There is still a lot to do before we adjourn April 14th. Oil taxes, a gas line, LNG trucking and the capital budget will probably steal the show at the end.
The Operating Budget will be on the House Floor this next week and I am preparing amendments that focus on education and health and social services.
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