Answer to status quo is to run for office
Alaska’s Legislative Research Services recently revealed that ConocoPhillips’ Alaska operations are far more profitable than any of their other operations worldwide. Why? Because Alaskans have been tricked and bullied into picking up the tab for most of the expense of drilling the state’s oil wells yet we only begin receiving our rightful share of oil production taxes as the wells enter their final years. In other words, when it comes to oil production, we are shouldering most of the risk and receiving very little benefit. They get the gold mine. We get the shaft.
Who in the world would make such a lousy deal with the oil companies? How about Senator Peter Micciche, who provided the tie-breaking vote on SB 21, the Great Oil Giveaway?
Senator Micciche advances the myth that what’s good for ConocoPhillips is good for the peninsula’s small businesses and local families. Nothing could be further from the truth. Because the vast majority of North Slope oil profits are flowing to stockholders in London, Texas and elsewhere, this money leaves Alaska, bankrupting small business owners and wrecking the finances of your local friends and neighbors as they to make ends meet in this bleak economy.
The only thing that’s prevented a complete financial meltdown was the approximately $15 billion we saved in our Constitutional Budget Reserve under Sarah Palin’s tax program, ACES. Thanks to the efforts of Senator Micciche and his compadres, under SB 21, we probably won’t be able to save up enough money to help us through the next oil downturn.
So if you are content with receiving a fraction of the PFD you are entitled to and if you don’t mind eventually paying lots of state income taxes then sit back and allow Senator Micciche to “serve” us for another four years. On the other hand, if you believe in Wally Hickel’s philosophy that the state’s mineral resources were meant to benefit Alaskans first and foremost, then consider running against Senator Micciche in the upcoming election.
We are at a crossroads. Two important new North Slope oil discoveries could give us one last chance to create an endowment to fund future state spending and to allow us to receive our full PFD checks. But this will only happen if Alaskans grow a spine and elect lawmakers who will say “no” to this disgraceful corporate welfare. Could you be one of those lawmakers? You have until the end of the month to throw your hat in the ring.
You don’t have to be a genius or a saint to be elected to the state legislature. You just need to understand the issues and you need a bit of courage to stand up against some pretty powerful forces. There are plenty of people around who can help you get started. Message me through Facebook and I can help you get going.
Be a genuine Alaskan patriot and hero and please consider running! You’ll make lots of new friends and you’ll feel proud of yourself for standing up to power and for trying to safeguard our oil resources for our children.
Eric Treider,
Soldotna