Oil Tax Breaks
Dear Editor: On Friday, your paper had a headline that said, “Conoco Phillips Posts High Alaska Earnings.” In other papers last week, I saw headlines saying that same oil corporation is pushing hard on the Alaska Legislature for tax breaks on their oil profits.
I am confused why we would give tax breaks to oil companies when they are making record profits. Those profits should not be for just the oil companies, who are taking a resource that belongs to the people of Alaska as defined by the constitution. The oil companies signed on to a deal that put a “progressivity measure” in place so they would get tax breaks for investments but Alaskans would share the profits when oil prices increased. Now oil prices are up, but oil companies don’t want to follow through on the deal they signed.
As citizens of Alaska, we should be concerned. Tax revenues from oil resources should be invested in our state for our future. These investments should be put towards education to provide Alaskan youths with skills the state will need in the future and renewable energy infrastructure so we have an energy source for our state when the oil is gone.
Oil companies have been making their own investments. In the last elections, they invested in the campaigns of candidates who would vote for a bill to decrease oil taxes. They strategically invested in candidates who would break up a bi-partisan coalition that was more interested in finding solutions for the people of Alaska than partisan fighting. It is almost like the oil companies saw Alaska as a colony or a developing country where they can buy the government to do their bidding.
The people of Alaska need to keep an eye on the Legislature, and our governor, who previously worked as an oil industry lobbyist. We need to help and encourage Sen. Bert Stedman and Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins to oppose oil tax give-aways and make sure the benefits of Alaska’s resources aren’t carried out of the state, but rather stay here for the Alaskan people.
Andrew Thoms, Sitka
Volunteer Award
Dear Editor: Wherever I travel in Alaska, I meet volunteers with big hearts and helping hands. I know you see their positive impact in your community. Please take time to nominate an outstanding volunteer for the First Lady’s Volunteer of the Year Awards. Nominations are due by March 1, 2013. Details and a link to the nomination form are available at gov.alaska.gov. Thanks to all our volunteers for making a difference across our great state!
Sandy Parnell,
First Lady of Alaska
