Today in the House Finance Committee, there will be public testimony for the PFD bill, SB 128. You can go to the Anchorage Legislative Information Office building located at 716 W. 4th Avenue, or call in at 844-586-9085, before 4:30 if you want to testify. Please limit your testimony to 2 minutes. You can also view the Finance Committee meeting, and listen in on Gavel to Gavel.
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On Monday, the Conference Committee passed a new version of HB 247, an oil and gas subsidy reform bill that impacts how much progress we can make in trying to close Alaska’s deficit gap. I was a member of the Conference Committee and was the lone no vote on this bad version of HB 247.
Read More →Juneau – Today, the Conference Committee created to work out the differences between the House and Senate versions of House Bill 247 advanced a new version that continues unsustainable subsidies to the oil and gas industry that will cost Alaska hundreds of millions of dollars a year. The only member of the Minority on the Conference Committee is Representative Geran Tarr (D-Anchorage). She objected to the new version of HB 247 and voted no on advancing the bill out of the committee.
Read More →Juneau – The members of the Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition (AIDC) have consistently insisted that any plan to address Alaska’s ongoing fiscal crisis be comprehensive in nature and include reform to our flawed oil and gas subsidy system that is costing the state hundreds of millions of dollars. House Bill 247 remains the linchpin to a successful fiscal plan, yet the Conference Committee has not met during the 4th Special Session of the 29th Alaska Legislature. House Resources Committee member Representative Geran Tarr (D-Anchorage) represents the AIDC on the Conference Committee and is the only member of the conference committee that originally voted yes on the compromise House bill that passed with bipartisan support.
Read More →JUNEAU — Today, members of the Alaska Senate Democrats and the Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition sent a letter to Laura Eskenazi, the Vice Chairman and Executive in Charge of the Board of Veterans Appeals, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, requesting immediate in-person proceedings in Alaska by the Board of Veterans Appeals.
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