Issues

Practical Affordable Energy

Practical energy supply for all Alaskans, at the lowest possible cost, using both established approaches (oil, natural gas, coal and hydro-electric) and innovative approaches (wind, coal gassification, tidal, solar, geothermal, and others).

Our energy resources, including traditional hydrocarbon sources (like oil, gas and coal) and innovative sources (like geothermal, wind, solar, and tidal) should be developed for the maximum benefit of Alaskans. I applaud the private entrepreneurs and Native Corporations who are investing in hydroelectric and coal gassification projects. Although some projects may require partnership with the State, energy development is primarily a function of private enterprise.

Companies developing our oil and gas reserves have a right to profit for risking their investment. As a lifelong Alaskan, I believe we are justified in negotiating contracts that provide a fair return for generations of Alaskans. I look forward to re-evaluating our oil tax structure (ACES). The legislation that modifies our petroleum tax structure has passed the House and is now in the Senate. The bill is Labor & Commerce presently, one of the committees I serve on. While I am concerned about Alaskans filling our petroleum industry jobs, my primary concern is increased oil production and oil being put into TAPS.

Strong diversified Alaska economy that will create sustainable, productive jobs in the private sector.

Since Gold Rush days, Alaska has experienced multiple cycles of economic boom and bust. Currently we are very dependent on the oil industry and government, and I expect that relationship to continue.

As those of us who were here before the pipeline can attest, oil development has dramatically improved the lifestyle of Alaskans.

Currently our State addresses economic planning just one year at a time. That horizon is too short to adequately address long-term constitutional mandates such as education and healthcare obligations. For budgeting and resource development we need to extend our planning vision. The Legislature also needs to take a hard look at what services are within the State's role and what are best provided by the private sector.

Economic stability and sustainability can be fostered with a more diverse economy, as well as ongoing development of our natural resources. The best way to promote value-added manufacturing is to encourage entrepreneurs. Some states, notably Wyoming, have successfully fostered new business start-ups by creating business, research and education partnerships between government and private enterprise. Other partnerships provide mentoring opportunities that capture the imagination and productivity of students. I favor a similar approach that encourages innovation and fosters business diversity, the sparkplugs of a sustainable economic engine.

Reasonable Responsible Resource Development

Our Constitution and laws provide careful oversight and balance between preserving our environment and using the resources to create jobs and viable communities. Resource development jobs sustain individual's and communities in both urban and rural Alaska.

Alaska has not had unemployment rates as high as the 9.8% seen nationally... yet. But at 7.6% unemployment, Alaskans should be concerned. Resource development jobs are a critical part of our economy and job creation. North Dakota, which has very business-friendly policies, has unemployment about 3%.

A Job Brings Hope of a Bright Future

Employment in Alaska's resource development industries brings the hope of a productive future to areas of Alaska that offer few employment opportunities.

Although the cost of living in rural Alaska is high, there are few good paying jobs in most remote communities. There are some teachers, a postal agent or airline agent, but, in Kotzebue, a high school graduate working in the grocery store makes about $10/hour. That is not enough to become self-reliant when food and fuel are costly.

At nearby Red Dog Mine, a high school graduate can expect to start at nearly $60,000/year, and more skilled jobs pay $100,000/year or more. These are good paying jobs that allow rural citizens to support themselves, raise a family, and still choose a rural lifestyle of hunting and fishing.

Without the jobs that resource development brings to rural Alaska, many face discouragement and the hopelessness that contribute to a life of chemical dependency and, for too many, suicide.

Employment in our resource development industries brings the bright promise of a productive future to remote and rural Alaskans.

Alaskans making decisions about things like their healthcare and children's education, rather than bureaucrats making those decisions.

I am a cosponsor of SB 106 "K-12 Scholarship Program", which would allow State funding for each child's education to be managed by that child and his parents. This would permit families to choose the education format that best meets that child's educational needs. The House version of the bill is HB 145.

All options must continue to be available to parents, including traditional public schools, optional school programs, private schools and home school. Home school in Alaska must continue to be parent-driven.

State oversight of education should be minimal. Control of schools needs to be at the local community level. Standardized, one-size-fits-all programs do not make sense.

Our high school graduation rates are around 67%. We are failing to engage too many of our young people with the existing approach to education.

I enthusiastically support Career and Technical Education (CTE). I believe that CTE opportunities must be made more available for both our high school students as well as adults seeking a change in careers.

Education assistance for Alaska's students

I support assisting students who attend Alaska colleges and technical schools. The goal is to develop and retain a well-prepared workforce for Alaska.

I supported the Governor's Performance Scholarship, for students choosing traditional college or technical school. [p]To assure a return on this workforce investment, I would advocate for a state loan program that would include a provision for loan forgiveness, up to 50%, for at least 5 years employment in Alaska after graduation.

Alaskans making decisions about things like their healthcare and children's education, rather than bureaucrats making those decisions.

Wise consumers use insurance to help offset risks that they could not afford to bear on their own. No one can afford to be insured for every possible risk in life, but we should be free to buy whatever type of insurance we determine that we need. Rules that force us to buy insurance plans that are bloated with government mandates are unfair and costly. In fact, requirements that we purchase health insurance are also unfair.

National Healthcare and Alaska

Farm bills are not about "carrots" and the Washington healthcare bill is not about "health". Both are about money and power. Taking and controlling more money and power. Some in Wahsington are now trying to impose what health you may have and how it will be taxed.

For Alaskans, this will mean less control over what healthcare we can choose and when we can receive it. Alaska Senate District P has citizens from all walks of life - seniors on fixed incomes to wealthy executives in multi-million dollar homes.

It will be the duty of every elected Alaskan to protect and defend against this assault on our freedom and liberty.

I understand this and plan to defend your freedoms.

The US Supreme Court has agreed to consider the national legislation to determine its constitutionality. I applaud Governor Parnell for joining with more than 25 other states in a lawsuit challenging the national healthcare insurance mandate.

Healthcare mandate and increase in National Debt

Just after passing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (HR3490), the US Congress continues to increase our national debt ceiling to $15 trillion. Cost projections for the PPACA legislation are about $1.05 trillion for the House version and $871 billion for the Senate version.

The bill contains 12 new taxes and 6 tax increases that will be taken from us all...at least the people who actually pay taxes.

The increase in the national debt ceiling is not even enough to cover the massive cost of the "Healthcare" legislation. So there will be significant cuts in Medicare benefits, as one cost cutting measure. This will put our Medicare beneficiaries in Alaska even further away from the healthcare they need.

A Rasmussen national survey shows that 55% of Americans were opposed to this "healthcare" legislation. In Alaska, Dittman Research found that 57% of Alaskans opposed the legislation. Among healthcare providers, Dittman found that 90% opposed passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Those who praise this legislation as beneficial to Alaskans must think we are really uninformed and unintelligent.

I support strict interpretation of the U.S. Constitution and Alaska Constitution

Specific Constitutional topics:

U.S. Constitution:

Second Amendment - I support the right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear firearms.

Tenth Amendment - I support the authority of the individual States to determine issues not specifically delegated to the Federal government.

Alaska Constitution:

I support the individual's right to keep and bear arms

I support our State's definition of Marriage

Article I, section 1, Inherent rights, including a natural right to life. I support the right to life, from conception to natural death.

Restrained State Spending

We must control our state spending. Throughput of oil through the TransAlaska Pipeline (TAPS), and subsequent State oil revenue, is decreasing at a rate of more than 6% per year.

With about 90% of our budget coming from petroleum tax revenues, we have to face the facts.

As our state budget grows, so do the "formula driven" programs, such as education and medicaid; these two items alone make up 55% of our annual State budget. As our state government grows, so does payroll, benefits and retirement costs.

Somewhere, sometime soon, hard decisions are going to have to be made. Choices: state income tax, state sales tax... or reduce spending to match our income.

I support reducing our spending to match our income AND correcting the factors that are curtailing development of our vast resources and our under-developed private sector!