Questions

My emphasis, when elected, is going to be getting Alaska's economy back on track, with focus on productive private-sector jobs and economic long-term planning. I want to see us plan further out that the 2-year cycle we have been in. Simultaneously, I will continue to support core values of family, freedom and personal responsibility.

ACES (the tax structure) needs to be revisited and its merits objectively evaluated.

AGIA - I am convinced, after observing Denali Gas Pipeline disclose insufficient gas commitments, and TransCanada remaining silent on their commitments from shippers, that AGIA is a dead process. I agree with Representative Chenault that we need to explore how to end the agreement.

I think a more pressing question is what about an in-state gas pipeline? We, the citizens of Alaska, need natural gas to fuel our homes and businesses. I look forward to the report to be delivered on July 5 by Dan Fauske, on the In-State Gas Line. I am an optimistic, life-long Alaskan. I believe the commercial users will become evident if the energy resource is a reality. Alaska has a bright future - if we choose to more towards it.

Last week, significant leases were won by Apache Petroleum, in the Cook Inlet. We have one jack-up rig, owned by Buccaneer Energy, in Cook Inlet, drilling now. New reports indicate there remains significant natural gas in Cook Inlet.

I am encouraged to see the innovation being explored by CIRI for coal gassification.

ENSTAR and Chugach Electric are pursuing storage capability.

Then there are renewable energy sources like Watana (Susitna) hydroelectric project.

I fundamentally care about our whole state's energy needs. Yes, half of our population lives in southcentral, and that is where half Alaska's population lives. But I believe a Senator must have a vision for all of our citizens. I am concerned about heating the homes of Alaskans in the Interior, remote rural, all corners of this great state.

I am working to see ACES (petroleum tax structure) changed. The progressivity of the tax makes the cost to producers over 50% of the profit margin at high oil prices. No business would function under such an onerous tax.

Governor Parnell proposed reducing the progressivity and bracketing the tax structure, just like the IRS tax structure on private citizens. This is a much more fair tax structure, allowing sufficient revenue for the State and sufficient profits for the producers.

The ACES reform bill is HB 110. It passed the House and is in the Senate. It has 3 committees of referral in the Senate: Labor and Commerce, Resources and Finance. I serve on Labor and Commerce, where HB 110 is right now. It is in that committee under the premise that Alaska jobs and workforce need to be assessed.

What has become evident in the two L&C meetings is that the Department of Labor doesn't collect reliable or relevant data on petroleum industry workforce. This has been greatly disappointing and has muddied the jobs issue. I attempted to move HB110 out of L&C, on to Resources, but my motion failed 3-2.

The REAL issue is production! I believe to continue to hold the bill in L&C only delays action and continues to cost Alaska continued investment. This will definately result in a decrease in production jobs and more oil in the TAPS.

As a lifelong Alaskan, I know first-hand that entrepreneurs and risk-takers built this State. While I do not favor giving away our resources, I believe that "profit" is not a bad word. "Profit" is the element that allows employment, innovation, building of the economy and infrastructure. I value my childhood in Fairbanks in the 50-60s, but I have no desire to reduce our population and economic base back to those meager days.

Hello from Barrow, where I am right now, Ryan. Thanks for the two questions.

Low cost energy:

I am a lifelong Alaska whose father flew passengers and supplies around rural Alaska. I had the privilege, as a child, to occasionally flying with him on these trips. Today I provide healthcare services in some remote areas of our beautiful state, accessible only by air, with gravel landing strips.

Alaskans were independent, self-sufficient, “can do” people who understood that the person they could depend upon for their well-being was…themselves. I have great respect for Alaskans who choose to live and work in the more remote areas of our state, then and now.

You ask what I will do to supply rural Alaska with “low cost energy”. As I lifelong Alaskan, I have never known energy, in our arctic environment, to ever be “low cost”. It is the nature of the place you and I have chosen to live. “Low cost” is not part of the equation.

Alaska is an energy rich state. I support opening up those resources for development by private sector companies, and making the resources available to our residents, the rest of the US and the world. There are a lot of renewable energy sources that have great promise and, over time, may be less costly. I support exploring the feasibility of all those potential energy sources.

There are better and new ways to use the resources we have. Alaskans have already taken resources in their rural areas and created improved power sources from them. I am thinking of Bethel where a furnace burning waste cardboard provides heat, and Chena Hot Springs where geothermal heat replaces heating oil. Government did not come up with those solutions – the people who live there were in innovators.

The Alaska Energy Authority was established by the Legislature to explore energy solutions and help bring them to reality. Check out their information-rich website at http://www.akenergyauthority.org. They are having a conference, New Energy for Sustainable Communities, in Fairbanks this week, April 27-29. It would be a good place to get involved.

The Alaska Legislature passed several bills related to energy. The most important might prove to be the State Energy Policy, emphasizing renewable, sustainable energy (HB 306).

Energy for Alaskans to heat their homes and operate their businesses is a priority issue. I support ongoing efforts and innovations to achieve energy sources at the lowest possible cost.

You also asked about Rural Fire Departments:

Fire departments are important public safety services that citizens collectively provide. The State of Alaska provides community revenue sharing funds from the general fund. Lots of information and applications can be found at http://www.commerce.state.ak.us/dca.

But state government does not pay for all services. Here in Anchorage, voters recently agreed to require taxpaying property owners pay additional taxes to buy a new ambulance and two new fire trucks, and to pay for the maintenance and operation of them. I live on a street that is not part of the Anchorage municipal or state road systems; my neighbors and I pay several hundred dollars each year into an account that pays for yearly maintenance and improvement of the road, in addition to the taxes we pay to maintain the other roads in Anchorage.

The present level of state spending is not sustainable. Ninety percent of the state government revenue comes from petroleum resource development. That resource development is declining. Revenue sharing must decline accordingly, unless the Legislature makes appropriate changes to turn that around. I will actively work to create opportunity for private sector investment and job creation in our state.

Specifically, I want to adjust the progressivity of the petroleum tax structure to a more reasonable level. I would support the Economic Development organizations in our state, as they promote Alaska as a business location.

The Anchorage School District BSA is $5,680 per student, equating to approximately $290 million for FY 2010-11. Of the total ASD budget, the BSA makes up 42% of it.

There has never been a direct correlation between per student spending and student performance. My commitment to Alaska's children goes beyond money.

1. Enact School Choice, which would allow State funding for education to be attributed to the student. Families would then be empowered to choose the best education option for their student.

2.Enhance Career and Technical Education (CTE) opportunities

3. Expand the definition of "credits" beyond time spent sitting in a classroom

4. Hold parents accountable for student truance

5. Enhance integration of K-12 education to career education, either college or CTE

All state projects need to be open to all bidders.

1. As I lifelong Alaskan, I grew up playing on the UAF campus, a short distance from my home. My master's degree was earned at UAA. My youngest son earned his bachelor's and master's degrees at UAF.

That said, I believe there needs to be a business model, with a long-term strategic plan, that guides the University as a whole. The budget needs to be managed with best practices in accounting and business management.

I am exceedingly distressed to hear reports that credits don't transfer between the various campuses around the state. And, there needs to be a nimble response to the workforce needs of our states.

I would like to see a more coordinated collaboration between the K-12 education programs and the university. The university is being burdened with remediation of our high school graduates.

2. I will support budget increases only after credible assurances that the money is currently being managed well. I am always concerned about top heavy administration, which is wasted money in most cases.

3. See answer to #2. Responsible, sustainable - these are key lenses to view any capital funding requests. Housing, classrooms, for engineering or health programs - these sound very relevant to the University's mission. Sports facilities should be partnerships with private sector interested parties and facility users.

I am a fiscal conservative. Our petroleum resources are diminishing, and that funds all these amenities. The UAAFSA would do well to get behind efforts to incentivize resource development. I was here before statehood and Prudhoe - the university was a great deal smaller then. We could return to those days, if we continue to lack leadership.

My husband is an experienced, Alaska certified high school math and science teacher. I have watched him work very hard as a teacher, genuinely dedicated to helping all his students succeed. This, I believe, is the heart of a vast majority of our teachers.

I have also seen the frustration experienced by teachers when students and their parents only want the easiest route. When parents are not supporting teachers' efforts to educate, the entire process is undermined and the student loses out.

Accountability lies with parents and the students themselves.

I have had several people suggest a return to the Alaska Student Loan that we used to have. Personally, I love the idea! I had that loan when I went out-of-state for my bachelor degree. In those days there was a forgiveness of 10% for each year you worked in Alaska after graduation, up to 50% forgiveness.

I did not need any encouragement to come back home, as I would never live anywhere but Alaska. But it provides that incentive. I really enjoyed watching each 10% drop off, as the 5 years went by.

I was diligent to pay back the remaining balance, as my parents raised me to be responsible. But, sadly, I understand that a majority of my peers did not pay back their loans. The State did not have an effective collection mechanism, and, as I understand it, the program went under for that reason.

I would like to see the Student Loan Program reinstituted. In fact, I would rather see loans than scholarships have low thresholds to qualify. I believe we value what we have worked for. Education is the same.

Thanks for asking!

The "Right to Work" is stated in our Declaration of Independence - "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

The ability to work, support our families, produce wealth, change our jobs or professions at will... all these are fundamental rights of people.

I am encouraged that NEA-Alaska is aware of the unfunded liabilities and is willing to discuss them. I work to ensure that all Alaskans are treated fairly.

The return to Defined Benefit for State employees is before my Senate Labor and Commerce committee now. (SB 121)

Alaska has, conservatively estimated, an $11 Billion unfunded liability in our State retirement program. Recently the oldest retiree passed away at 101 years old. A new hire, at age 25, is an expected minimum 50 year commitment, on the part of the State, to provide retirement benefits.

How can we do this, with petroleum production diminishing yearly? Answer - we cannot.

The Declaration of Independence recognized that we "are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

The pursuit of Happiness refers to, in part, the ability to own property. This can only happen if there is freedom to work. Paying for permission to work at a job is the opposite of being free to work at a job of one's qualifications and choice.

1. Keep the Defined Contribution pension plan in place. Do not return to Defined Benefit.

2. Continue to pay the $11 Billion unfunded liability down each year.

3. Improve the accounting practices to calculate the liabilities.

4. Stop hiring back retirees into State jobs.

5. I would not favor selling bonds to fund the liability, which is, essentially borrowing to pay a debt. This is not responsible fiscal management.

You have asked an important question. Anyone can choose the "Republican" box on a voter registration form. But how will they live out the values represented by the Alaska Republican Party platform?

No words that I say will really answer that question. You could review my legislative work.

I am proud to be the only Senator to receive a grade of A+ in the 2011 Midterm Grades from the Alaska Business Report Card, a scoring by four large, statewide business groups.

I will be voting YES on Prop 2!

My husband and I assisted in gathering signatures to get this issue on the August 24 ballot. APOC records our financial contribution to the effort to pass Prop 2

My name is listed as an endorser on the Alaskans for Parental Rights website.

As a Nurse Practitioner, I cannot even perform a sports physical (a well-person examination) without permission from the parent or guardian. In fact, healthcare facilities will not even allow a minor person (under age 18) to sign in for their appointment without a parent present.

Abortion is a surgical procedure with significant risks and ramifications for the female person. A minor, while they believe themselves to be all-knowing, are really unprepared to make such a significant decision that will have life-long impact. They are not prepared to give the "informed consent" that is ethically and legally required for such a procedure. It has been my experience that teens are usually unable to articulate their own health history, including allergies or other conditions.

Hi Greg

Our veterans deserve our respect and thanks. The Federal government, of course, provides lifelong benefits. I have cared for many veterans in my role as a nurse practitioner. Eagle River, a portion of which is in Senate District P, is home to about 25% of Alaska's approximately 75,000 active duty and retired military.

Disabled veterans, as a particular group, have additional needs, as you have pointed out in our conversations. "Disability" is a very large term and can mean quite a variety of things.

I would need more specific examples of what you are meaning when you say "disabled". Each example would need to be evaluated.

I absolutely support the concept of assuring that only legal citizens or legal aliens of Alaska receive the PFD. (It is my understanding that non-citizens can receive the PDF but they must be here in the US legally.) I support the idea that only persons here in the US legally are eligible for employment in our state.

E-Verify is a database that could be queried to verify a person's immigration status. There are employers in all the states and several territories that use it to verify legal immigration status.

The Driver's License aspect is a bit tricky. Presently, once a person gets a driver's license, they can renew it without further proof of their legal status. So, even if their visa or green card has expired, they simply renew their driver's license and are then viewed as "legally" here.

To address this, Representative Bob Lynn has a bill (HB 3), which I support, that would mandate that a legal alien's driver's license would expire simultaneously with expiration of their green card or visa. This bill is presently in House Rules committee, before going to the Senate. Cosponsors are Hawker, Chenault, Stoltz, Ramras and Johnson.

Thank you for the question.

Fire Departments are important public safety services that citizens collectively provide through government. The State of Alaska provides community revenue sharing funds from the general fund. Lots of information and applications can be found at http://www.commerce.state.ak.us/dca.

But state government does not pay for all services. Here in Anchorage, voters just agreed to require taxpaying property owners pay additional taxes to buy a new ambulance and two new fire trucks, and to pay for the maintenance and operation of them. I live on a street that is not part of the Anchorage municipal or the state road system; my neighbors and I pay several hundred dollars each year into an account that pays for yearly maintenance and improvement of the road, in addition to the taxes we pay to maintain the other roads in Anchorage.