Letters..
Today (4/21/06), I was very proud to be an Alaskan after hearing
the testimony by various individuals speaking out about Bill
316, sponsored by Mr. Ralph Seekins. The Bill designed to block
some of the material used in Mr. Corbus's evaluation from being
reviewed by our legislators. The Bill that would prevent exposure
of Mr. Corbus's methods of evaluation.
I saw Mr. Ralph Seekins attempting to conceal his actions. During
Mr. Seekin's rebuttal to some of the testimony offered by the
public, I noticed he went all around the focal point of the
individuals who testified, and did not address their concerns.
The very concerns I mentioned above relating to concealment
of portions of the evalualtion that was done. Mr. Seekins only
assured the Public he was not trying to block judicial review,
but seemed to leave out the part pertaining to the actual impacts
his bill would have, and I emphasize "would" have
on what the judicial review would actually get to see.
Is what Mr. Seekins doing in our best interest at this point?
No. He is creating an unfair advantage over other potential
builder/owners who have bids in for a Gas Pipeline by preventing
access to information potentially beneficial to these individuals.
It's creating unfair competition in business, benefiting whoever
it is he represents.
Mark L. Kline
Fairbanks
Dear Editor:
I am surprised by the second rate treatment the Frontiersman
gave Sarah Palin in its treatment of her candidacy in Tuesday’s
paper. Yes, John Binkley has raised the most money. Apparently,
that fact also bought him the prominent spot on the front page.
However, where did Mr. Binkley go for his first fundraiser in
the Anchorage area? The Petroleum Club.
The front page contained a centered quote in large type from
Mr. Binkley. His article was definitely prioritized by placement.
His picture was forward facing while Sarah’s was a side
shot. Sarah’s article was relegated to the remaining, narrow
vertical column space on the edge of the front page. One cannot
look at that arrangement and not know immediately who the paper
gave prominence.
If the intent of that placement was to paint Sarah Palin and
her candidacy in the light of a “fringe” candidacy,
I would say the psychology of the layout would allow one to
draw that inference. However, those who know Sarah, know better.
Mr. Binkley served 6 years in the legislature in a fairly unremarkable
tenure. One term in the House, one term in the Senate. Period.
Mr. Binkley’s article contained many favorable comments
from those who should have opposed Binkley, given his republican
credentials.
All of the non-partisan hyperbole from Sheffield and other
dems says to me that Mr. Binkley is more interested in being
a centrist who will not express any point of view beyond the
most recent poll. If the intent was to show his leadership potential,
the reporter failed. The republicans have a word for guys like
Binkley: RINO.
Sarah Palin’s article contained prominent comments from
detractors. She was termed “partisan” in her politics.
I certainly hope so!
Her uncompromising ethics, her fiscal conservatism, her pro-life
and Christian belief, her strong family values, her all-Alaska
pipeline preference, and her Alaska and Alaskan’s first
position on resource development all set her far above her competition.
I know where Sarah Palin stands. I have no doubt about her ability
to do the job of governor of the State of Alaska.
Where does John Binkley stand on a pipeline route, on resource
development, on the administration’s ethical issues, and
on the legislature’s and the governor’s unbridled
spending spree?
This state needs leadership, not a chameleon who changes colors
with the political winds.
If there is not an all-Alaska pipeline or a “bullet line”
built to south central within the next five years, we will be
burning our copies of the Frontiersman to keep warm.
What your candidate supports is everything in this campaign.
If your candidate is silent on a pipeline choice, then consider
Sarah Palin. Her choice has been stated to the public.
We can no longer afford the status quo represented by Binkley’s
campaign.
Go Sarah!
Best regards,
Larry Wood, Palmer
Working Folks left out….
The $1.2-billion windfall is just the beginning for the Governor
and Legislature.
Where is our benefit?
$400-million toward State ownership of the new gas pipeline.
ABSOLUTELY NOT!! Private ownership through a publicly traded
corporation makes more sense. Can anybody name just one successful,
state-sponsored business …Delta Barley? Seward Dimensional
Lumber Mill? Anchorage Fish Plant? Healy Coal-Electric Project?
Others!
$565-Million to forward-fund the k-12 schools. Public education
has too much money and not enough educatin’. $565-million
for parent-controlled school vouchers.
$86-million plus $30-million for major highway and big city
transportation. WELL, MAYBE. But, no studies, no Knik Arm Bridge
and no Gravina Island Bridge.
Repay the $5.6-Billion borrowed from the Constitutional Budget
Reserve Fund as mandated by the Alaska Constitution. The Permanent
Fund and its dividends are very most important to regular Alaska
citizens.
PERS/TRS and government worker health-care. The shortfall is
over $6-billion. Health-cost reports are not yet complete. Ford
and GM are merely indicators. State and Municipal plans are
twice as generous and twice as unsustainable.
$22-Million for a national advertising campaign to improve Alaska’s
image so ANWR passes. NO!! Alaska has the very highest per capita
tax revenue and expenditure rates (as reported at http://www.census.gov/govs/state/03rank.html
).
The Alaska Municipal League (AML) shall NOT find more revenues.
Municipalities must CUT SPENDING, reduce staff, privatize and
re-negotiate contracts to lower PERS/TRS and health-care costs.
Help me stop these guys.
Fred Sturman
Soldotna
Tell It Like It Is!
I believe that wherever there is secrecy, there is always deception.
I applaud the “Magnificent Seven” and also Governor
candidate Sara Palin, who led by refusing to accept secrecy
and deception as a way to govern our great state of Alaska.
What Alaska needs now is to trade in those, who would apply
secrecy as a tool to govern. We must restore faith and trust
within our government.
I would like to see ex-Commissioner Sara Palin and Tom Irwin,
and those of the “Magnificent Seven” replace those
who are now governing. We must demand that honest, ethical public
servants negotiate the future of Alaska, for the people of Alaska
and for our children. I’ll bet the terms would be different
and our future brighter than the terms presently being considered.
The people of Alaska need to be heard and informed on these
important issues. Otherwise, we may as well be governed by a
dictator. That’s not what America is about. I’ve served
my country, state, and community. I strongly believe in, “Of
the people, by the people, for the people.” I do not believe
in deception. Alaskans must do better than that.
Ed Martin, Sr.
Dear Editor:
Having lived in the Butte area most of my life, I find it interesting
that we out here do not seem to warrant the road improvements
that occur on a seemingly regular basis elsewhere in the valley.
In 2000, we were promised by Rep. Bill Stoltze and then Sen.
Scott Ogan that the Old Glenn Highway was up for a major reconstruction.
That after all these years of neglect, we were going to get
a new roadway upgraded to a 1974 Rural Interstate standard like
the Parks Highway and so many secondary roads west of Palmer.
The existing Old Glenn Highway is of a 1955 Rural Interstate
standard with narrow shoulders.
Construction was started a couple of years ago, and, lo and
behold, it looked for awhile that we might have finally joined
the rest of south central Alaska in achieving a ’74 Rural
Interstate standard. However, once the dust settled, we have
nothing more than the old roadway with new pavement. Moreover,
only the first stage of a two stage project was completed. There
was no construction activity this summer at all. Meaning, the
money went elsewhere. Once again, it looks like east side of
the Matanuska River was shortchanged.
Given the ever increasing real estate development on this side
of the river, something has to give. And, it will. More accidents,
more deaths, more complaints to the state about our lack of
a suitable roadway for traffic conditions, and the failure to
provide bike paths funded with any new roadway construction
these days. The bike path that exists is a defacto ATV trail.
Any who walk it, or dare ride a bike is in danger of some idiot’s
12 year old on a 400cc ATV doing 60 mph. Pardon me, but my parents
insisted that I learn to ride a bike and propel my own butt
around, and that I be at least 16 before they turned me loose
with something where my adolescent lack of judgment could get
myself or somebody else killed.
Where is the rest of the new pavement that should have been
applied this year, since the state lied and gave us only the
old roadway with no other improvement besides new pavement last
year?
Best regards,
Larry Wood
Palmer
Mukowski’s Jet
Gov. Frank Murkowski finally has his jet. A Westavia Westwind
II manufactured in Israel. He could not even buy a Cessna built
in the U.S. Granted, the airplane is used, and only cost us
$2.7 million. The operating cost will probably fall into the
>$2,000/hr category, not counting maintenance and hanger
fees. I assume the Dept. Of Public Safety, who openly supported
our governor’s desire for a status machine, kept both of
the existing turbo prop aircraft that were just too slow for
our governor in the fast lane. However, the number of airfields
accessible by this expensive machine are considerably fewer
than are accessible by DPS’s turboprop aircraft. The justification
for the jet was the distances in Alaska, availability, and .
. . prisoner transport.
Prisoner transport? In an executive jet?!
I guess the old 206, 207, Caravan, and any number of other
“commercial” aviation aircraft that serve our communities
were . . . what? Too plebeian in terms of comfort for prisoners?
I wonder how the air taxi operators feel about the state expanding
its air force?
$2.7 million. That’s at least 28 years worth of trooper
time on the street at $8,000 per month with a rough guess at
benefits and salary. If the airplane flies a minimum of 20 hours
per month, that’s another $40,000 per month, or an additional
5 troopers per month on the street. Not to mention, maintenance
and hanger fees would probably cover a DA or two and another
district court judge. (Note the figures above are merely rough
estimates, but close enough for the purpose of discussion.)
This governor achieved office on the promise of smaller government.
He did not tell those of us who voted for him that the had a
thing about having to keep up with the “Joneses”.
The promise of smaller government went by the wayside early
on. The number of state employees his first year of office increased
by over 100. Since then, the size of his administration has
continued to increase. The increased price of oil has been been
met with ever increasing budgets. Gov. Murkowski seems to forget
that he is not in Washington, D.C. anymore, and that Alaska’s
oil revenues are limited.
If this purchase were justified on a cost efficiency basis,
we would have been informed. That would be touting government’s
judicious use of our money. However, this purchase falls under
the category of having to seek justification after the fact.
The legislature refused to agree the first go around. What changed?
Last I heard, our legislature was opposed to this purchase.
What happened? What was the payoff politically to buy the legislature’s
support? Could it be that with the recent increase in per diem,
the Legislature decided tit for tat? Otherwise, there is silence
on the part of the legislature. And, glee on the part of DPS
and Murkowski. They have a new toy!
The various departments of the state have little to say in
the matter of efficiency versus increasing costs. Therefore,
the legislature should not have given in on the jet until Gov.
Murkowski did something about the growth in spending and inefficiency.
Why, there is so much largess because of the oil prices, that
incompetence goes unremarked. DMVA loses $600,000 in SATCOM
gear because of mismanagement by ADES and nothing is said. The
Division of Forestry acquired a DeHaviland Beaver that was extensively
modified. The cost of the airplane with modifications to you
and me, $500,000. To DOF, over $700,000, because the purchase
contract was mismanaged. After all, in the State’s $8B
yearly budget, what’s a few hundred thousand dollars here,
or a couple of million there? I am certain our governor would
remark that such is inconsequential compared to the excesses
of Washington.
Now, Alaska’s governor has his own jet, and DPS can use
it, too. I feel so much better knowing that crime, education,
our roads, courts, harbors, airports, and wildfire danger from
the spruce beetle kill were all addressed before this purchase
was made. Right? And, most importantly, Alaska’s prisoners
can share the governor’s jet. Ah, yes, going to the cross
bar hotel at 30,000 ft at 500 mph in the gov’s jet!
I wonder how the governor really feels about prisoners riding
in his jet, or is that just lip service to justify the unjustifiable?
Larry Wood
Palmer
The Supreme Court of the United States just provided the fuel
for the next Great American Revolution. The idea that private
property is now subject to eminent domain for commercial development
overrides the Fifth Amendment and throws out every case heard
on this issue. The justices making this decision were the most
liberal members of the court. Those voting against home- owners
were John Paul Stevens, Anthony Kennedy, David H. Souter, Ruth
Bader Ginsburg and Stephen G. Breyer.
This is a serious paradox for a Democratic Party decrying a
Republican Party that allegedly favors big business. I cannot
wait to hear the Democrats in Congress choke on their own criticism
of Republican policy allegedly favoring big business.
Unfortunately, this decision, unless promptly dealt with by
both parties in Congress, has serious portent for violence.
One of the underpinnings of the first revolution was property
rights, and so it shall be in the current instance. I, for one,
would resort to violence to preserve my rights in the face of
a government that would convey my property rights to a commercial
interest. Losing property to a road is one thing, to a bank
is another.
The solution to avoiding this type of judicial tyranny is to
require the Supreme Court to be unanimous in any decision that
affects our basic constitutional rights.
In the meantime, I am going to enjoy watching Dems choke on
their own words decrying Republican support of business.
Larry Wood
Palmer
Supreme Court decision is counter
to protecting private property rights
I am drafting a bill to help protect
Mr. and Mrs. Alaska from U.S. Supreme Court-sanctioned government
abuse of private property rights.
All branches of the government have a
duty to protect the private property rights of citizens. Unfortunately
the U.S. Supreme Court, in its recent decision, has blessed
the taking of one private person's property to give it to another
private person to increase property tax revenue. In other words,
the Supreme Court decision allows government to run roughshod
over individual property rights, so a developer can build a
big box store where your bedroom used to be. It was another
of the court's infamous 5-4 decisions, and it permits judicial
thievery.
This most recent outrageous court decision
helps us understand how critical it is to elect people who will
confirm them.
Eminent domain has a proper place for
public use, but it's beyond outrageous to use eminent domain
to increase tax revenue from private commercial development,
at the expense of home-owners. I hope to have legislation to
introduce in January.
I understand other representatives are
also working on similar bills to protect private property rights
from invasive government actions, and that's very good news.
We have an obligation to work together to protect our constituents.
When we work together, good things happen.
Bob Lynn
State Representative
Anchorage
Supreme Court decision places property
of all homeowners at risk
According to the Supreme Court's Kelo
decision last week, the government that has no business in your
bedroom (unless you are growing marijuana in it) can now drive
a bulldozer right through it if it can find someone who will
pay more property taxes.
Kelo v. New London was a lawsuit brought
by a lady in New London, Conn., who wanted to keep her home.
The city of New London decided that it could get more tax revenues
from a new convention center and hotel on her land, so it exercised
eminent domain and took her home and her land. By a 5-4 majority,
the Supreme Court's big government liberals agreed that this
was a good thing.
In doing so, this court effectively repealed
part of the Bill of Rights via judicial fiat -- essentially
destroying property rights and amending the Constitution. They
grossly expanded the notion of eminent domain by expanding the
places and times it can be used. They put the property of every
single homeowner and business owner at risk.
Supreme Court justices serve only as
long as they exhibit good behavior. Repealing part of the Bill
of Rights, expanding eminent domain and amending the Constitution
without going through the amendment process is hardly good behavior.
Congress should rein in or remove these
wanabe legislators immediately and reverse this outrageous decision.
Alex Gimarc
Anchorage
I am writing in regards to people that dont want Wal Mart to
come to Palmer.
(Well i do ) I have lived in Palmer for 46 years and all these
Houses
and Apartments have ruined the home town atmosphere (so why
cant we
have Wal Mart) It would be better then traveling the Palmer
Wasilla
Highway to get to the one in Wasilla and then its always so
crowded you
cant even walk.
Come on people lets get Wal Mart in here.
Jessie Patterson
Palmer
Dear Editor:
posted monday 10/4/04
I just heard Senator Kerry term Pres. Bush as representing "extreme
right wing beliefs" because of Bush's position on stem
cell research.
The "extreme right wing beliefs" refers to Pres. Bush's
pro-life beliefs.
Anyone who is pro-life is now a right wing extremist in the
purview of
Sen. Kerry and his ilk.
I would rather be termed a right wing extremist than to champion
death,
homosexual marriage, child porn, and child sex (what else do
you call
what results in 13 year old mothers?)as has Sen. John F. Kerry
over his
unremarkable 23 years as a U.S. Senator.
I am proud to be a right wing extremist and believe in marriage
being
between a man and a woman, that this country was founded on
Judeo-Christian principles by God fearing men who believed that
acknowledgement of God must be a prominent factor in the beliefs
of our
leaders in order to achieve and preserve our morality and faith
in
liberty, that our rights are not privileges, that privilege
is an
affront to our Constitution, and that we have a right to challenge
our
government. Americans are not as of yet unarmed serfs.
I would rather be a right wing extremist for the above than
an abhorrant
liberal who works to denigrate, destroy, erradicate, and remove
any
semblence of what our forefathers created and believed.
Anyone who believes that that like of King Kerry who tools
around to his
faithful in his personal Boeing 757 can relate to the common
working
American is indeed an absolute fool, or a political idealogue
who is
bent on the destruction of the very foundation of this great
republic.
Best regards,
Larry Wood
Palmer
Dear Editor,
posted
sunday 7/11/04
So Tony Knowles wants Alaskans to elect him to the Senate so
he can open ANWR ? Is this a great con game or what ?
In 1995, when the newly-elected Republican Congress passed
legislation to open ANWR, Knowles only had to convince a single
democrat – Bill Clinton – to sign the legislation
and open ANWR. Knowles did not convince that single democrat.
Today, with 51-48 Republican majority in the US Senate, Knowles
would have to convince 8 unwilling Democrats and an unwilling
independent (Jeffords of Vermont) to vote in favor of ending
a filibuster to open ANWR. I, for one, don’t think he can
or will do the deed.
Note that Knowles at any time over the last decade could have
unleashed his stupefying powers of persuasion on his democrat
colleagues, dazzled them with his brilliant arguments, persuaded
them to change their minds, and opened ANWR. Yet ANWR is still
closed.
This reminds me of the old Peanuts routine – where Lucy
promises to hold the football for Charlie Brown to kick it.
She, like Knowles, promises the same thing time after time after
time. Yet she never delivers. Charlie Brown wants to believe
the promises, yet always ends up flat on his back. Alaskan voters
shouldn’t put themselves once again in the position of
believing a Tony Knowles promise.
Alex Gimarc
Dear Editor,
(posted
sunday 6/6/04)
Democrat Tony Knowles opined on foreign policy in May 10th’s
ADN. Knowles regurgitated the very worst from the democrat party
anti-war fever swamps. He reprises fraudulent democrat claims
that Congress was misled about the war; that Iraq posed no imminent
danger; and that we’ve found no WMDs.
Congress voted on two Resolutions of War against terror of
which Iraq was a part. His party was fully ready to go to war
with Iraq in 1998 under Bill Clinton, with precisely the same
intelligence. Perhaps democrats only support war when democrats
are sitting in the White House – which tends to put Party
before Country for democrats.
Knowles ignores President Bush’s specific language that
after 9-11, we must no longer wait until a threat is an imminent
danger to do something about it. Iraq was clearly a very dangerous
place, training terrorists, giving aid and support to Al Qaida,
including a training camp in Northern Iraq. Iraq ran a terrorist
training facility in Salman Pak, 15 kilometers south of Baghdad.
It had a jetliner fuselage where hijacking skills were taught.
Finally, he chirps about missing Iraqi WMDs. He ignores the
news a few weeks ago that a bunch of them showed up in Jordan,
in the back of trucks full of VX, other nerve agents and explosives,
in a plot to kill 20-80,000 Jordanians. The trucks were manned
by Al Qaida and came in from Syria. Large convoys of trucks
from Iraq went into Syria during the days leading up to the
war. Perhaps we found where they went.
Knowles does not say we must win World War III at all costs.
He does not condemn our Islamist enemies. He is far more interested
in an exit strategy than in a win. Knowles demonstrates yet
again that he does not have the knowledge or the insight to
be elected Senator. Tony is not ready for Prime (or any other)
Time.
Alex Gimarc
POGO
Again the environmental zealots are dominating the lives of
300 workers who have high paying jobs at the Pogo mine earning
a livable wage. The extreme environmental groups have proven
that they are not against any one Natural Resource project but
all development in Alaska.
Whether it’s opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
to exploration or development in the National Petroleum Reserve
or the Tongass Forest what will be next? What if we get an Alaska
Natural Gas Project? What will they do then? There are no guarantees
of not having long delays and added costs to the gasline project.
Was Joe Vogler right about our Natural Resources?
POGO, ANWR, NPRA, Tongass and a Gasline have everything to
do with Alaska’s right to develop our Natural Resources.
Paychecks from these projects fuel the economy that sustains
local businesses, schools, hospitals and other essential community
services. Opening of these
projects will create high paying jobs for Fairbanksans to earn
and enjoy a livable wage.
Jim Plaquet
Fairbanks
Perhaps environmental center staff can contribute to miners'
families
I wonder if it would be too much of a stretch for the Northern
Alaska Environmental Center to accept that human families are
also a fragile part of the environment. The families affected
by their action at the Pogo Mine are case in point.
Maybe the staff of Northern Alaska Environmental Center should
contribute their entire paychecks to pick up the slack for these
families. That would go a long way to prove they have a strong
commitment to the whole environment.
Lynn Moore
Trapper Creek
Dear Editor,
So Tony Knowles wants to go to the US Senate to save the MatSu
from the evil coal gas methane companies? Fascinating.
The story would be ever so much better had the Anchorage Daily
News reported that Governor Tony Knowles could have saved the
MatSu from the evil coal gas methane companies in 1996 simply
by vetoing the bill out of the legislature that set up the lease
sales and conditions.
Kowles is simply pandering, one of the few things he does very
well, and hopes we don’t remember who signed the legislation.
He demonstrates yet again that he is not fit for office.
Alex Gimarc
Anchorage
RELINQUISH YOUR DIVIDEND TO SMOKE
What group of people in Alaska pay the most takes? The answer:
smokers! Currently, a one pack a day smoker pays at least $365
a year in cigarette taxes. At two packs a day, a smoker pays
$730 in cigarette taxes each year. With the additional cigarette
and tobacco tax that Governor Mortaxski is pressing on our legislature,
a two pack smoker will pay $1460 a year in cigarette taxes.
Hey, why not just take the Permanent Fund Dividend away from
smokers? They don't dare to suggest that, but in effect, that's
exactly what they're going to do.
Notice also that the expected $35 million the state expects
to collect from smokers annually does not show a decline over
the years to reflect anti-smoking group claims that more and
more people will quit smoking due to the increased tax.. Get
the picture? It's not about your health, it's about the money.
According to one of the anti-smoking groups 3,500 people will
quit smoking as a result of the increased tax. Let's see - $35
million divided by 3,500 is $10,000 in taxes that smokers will
pay for one person to quit smoking. Send me $10,000, I'll quit
smoking too.
The argument that increased tobacco taxes will cause people
to quit smoking is ludicrous as well. You cannot change attitudes
or habits with taxation. Do people stop buying houses when property
taxes go up or quit trying to increase their standard of living
because their income taxes would go up? The answer is no. It
does, however, cause people to try to circumvent the taxes.
That's why this cigarette tax measure has a cost of $828,000
for increased enforcement. In case you don't know, that means
more government bureaucrats.
One segment of the population cannot pay for Alaska's government.
If the state really needs money, it's time for fair and equitable
taxes that apply to all Alaskans.
Signed,
Overtaxed
Richard A. Burt
Anchorage
Dear Editor:
Voters on the Kenai Peninsula indicated their displeasure with
a Borough Assembly tax and power grab by voting down a school
issue.
Proposition 1, if approved by voters would have moved another
basic government service OUTSIDE of the borough wide real property
tax cap. This deceptive tactic is increasingly used by government
to expand their cost and powers, beyond limits previously set
by law.
Historically school bond issues have been approved by voters
almost without question. Sometimes these bonds are really needed,
but often it becomes obvious after the election they were not.
The combination of a wasteful state legislature and an over
zealous school board has resulted in about 20% excess Kenai
Peninsula schools at a time of declining enrollments. Now because
of the arcane state funding formula these schools can NOT be
closed and tax savings realized.
Fortunately, the majority of voters on the Peninsula were not
fooled again by an election to take more money from the taxpayers,
under the pretense of benefiting our children. Voters simply
expect the school board to live within its means just like we
do.
Results of Proposition 1 clearly indicated the public favors
a smaller more efficient government. This should be a wake up
call not only for local governments, but also for those hiding
in Juneau, because state wide elections are coming next!
Mike McBride
North Kenai
Dear Editor:
Perhaps common sense is no longer common, or just doesn't apply
to our State Legislature. The old saying, “don't fix it
if it ain't broke!” must not apply to our Permanent Fund.
The Governor's proposed POMV plan is a fix to one of the few
systems that isn't broke.
I've heard claims the current system is old fashioned, that
universities and endowments use POMV to fund their operation.
I've heard government officials claim POMV will create a steady
stream of revenue, so Alaskans can count on receiving a dividend.
However, I haven't heard why this new and improved system is
really necessary to fix what really isn't broken with the Permanent
Fund and Dividend Program.
It's what isn't being said that should alarm Alaskans. You can
be sure this is a political fix to the citizens advisory vote
of 1999, when 83% of Alaskans clearly said “No” to
the state's proposal to spend a portion of the PFD to satisfy
their overspending. Politicians refusing to accept that answer
have now come up with a new plan and hope we don't figure out
what they are doing until it's too late.
This issue was never about management of the Permanent Fund,
but whether we have changed our minds about them spending the
Permanent Fund to sustain the unsustainable. I say “NO”,
again!
Fred Sturman
Soldotna, AK 99669
Our Legislators and the Governor continue their push to grab
more money, with no real cuts proposed to the bureaucracy. They’ve
cut the Longevity program and created new taxes, calling them
user fees. They’re proposing a new system of management
for the Permanent Fund called POMV, percent of market value.
Through this system, they’ll raid the Permanent Fund but
they won’t say “raid”; they call it “smart
management.”
What they’re doing is taking away from the many and giving
to the few. They’re squandering Alaska’s future! If
Alaskans continue to be silent, we will lose more and more.
Our state currently spends three times the national average
for state government. While the bureaucrats push for more, they
can’t explain how this level of spending can continue.
If they take the Permanent Fund and increase taxes on everyone,
we’ll still be out of money in the near future. The state
will then finally be forced to cut spending, when we’re
out of money and options. Can we afford wait until our last
dime is spent?
Visit “Alaskans to Recall Murkowski” at www.RecallMurkowski.com.
Send a strong message by signing the petition to recall the
Governor. Visit “Alaskans, Just Say No” at www.justsayno.info.
Sign up there to protect our Permanent Fund! For Alaska’s
future, stand up now before it’s too late!
Ed Martin, Sr.
Cooper Landing
Dear Editor:
Other Permanent Fund Options Available!
Elected officials need to be constantly reminded that 83% of
voters in the 1999 special election said “NO” to spending
Permanent Fund earnings for government. Because so many have
chosen to disregard the results of that vote raises the question,
“Whom do they actually represent while in Juneau?”
Recent advertisements promoting the Percent of Market Value
(POMV) plan as a major benefit to Alaskans is really nothing
more than their latest attempt to raid the Permanent Fund. Their
false claims of paying big dividends and guaranteed inflation
proofing to sell this plan will ultimately be exposed upon close
public scrutiny. Those responsible for this misrepresentation
of facts should be replaced by honest citizens and full public
disclosure.
So far the only legislation introduced that would really save
the Permanent Fund for future generations of Alaskans is HJR
3 and SJR 19. Either of these would put the Permanent Fund earnings
(PFD’s and inflation proofing) into the Alaska State Constitution.
There is an excellent comparison chart showing effects of the
different Permanent Fund legislation available online at: http://www.akvoters.org/pfdcomparison.htm
Because they plan to spend several million of OUR dollars to
“educate” the public with their myopic view of POMV,
an equal amount should be allocated to “educate” the
public of the other options available. Then informed voters
can decide which plan is right for Alaska’s future!
Mike McBride
North Kenai
WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE?
For years the public has been asking for a smaller more efficient
government. This request has fallen on deaf ears. Excessive
state spending has gone on with total disregard for Alaska’s
future. The legislature is faced with a spending crisis of its
own making again this year and wants to use Permanent Fund earnings
to get bailed out.
The legislature should evaluate the real cause of this fiscal
crisis and consider appropriate LONG-TERM solutions to solve
it. They must refuse to be swayed by special interest lobbyists
or bureaucrats, who insist spending public money for their programs
must continue forever. Collectively the legislature and governor
need to recognize the fact that current unsustainable state
spending must end before ESSENTIAL services are disrupted.
Money in the Permanent Fund must be kept for when it will REALLY
be needed. When the oil revenues are gone, and that WILL happen,
there needs to be a savings account to help pay for essential
government services. If we let them blow the Permanent Fund
now, there will be NOTHING left, and few options available for
future generations. Is this the legacy we want to leave our
grand children? I don’t think so!
Any legislator failing to recognize this over-spending problem
and deal with it in a realistic manner is not worthy to represent
me in the future.
Laurie Churchill
North Kenai
Dear Editor
Our borough government is certainly looking out for our future
energy needs as well as satisfying other requirements for our
well-being. I was worried they might not be concerned about
our running out of natural gas in the very near future, but
no more! I figured it out! They really do have a long range
plan, they have just been keeping it a secret. Well the beans
are about to be spilled.
The borough politicians don’t want coal bed methane because
it will be too big an eyesore, will pollute our drinking water,
make lots of noise, destroy our property values, and gobble
up our fossil fuels. By taking all their negatives into account
it is obvious that in the borough’s opinion our future
energy must come from a renewable resource.
When one dutifully analyzes present usable borough assets balanced
with the borough planned economic development there really is
but one answer. (Here’s where we reveal the secret) the
Borough Mayor and the Assembly are preparing us to use wood
for heat!!!! This will include wood for cooking, the melting
snow for water, then heating the water for baths (we should
take one at least once a week) and doing our laundry. It makes
a lot of sense!!!!
LET ME EXPLAIN.
Wood is plentiful and wooded borough land is plentiful, all
we have to do is harvest it. We have around 22,000 homes in
the borough that will use about 15 cords each during the winter.
That means we will have to harvest only 330,000 cords just for
our homes. Add in a few businesses, schools, and public buildings
and one can visualize 400,000 cords per year. Wooded land will
deliver approximately 5 cords to the acre which will mean we
will have to harvest ONLY 80,000 acres every year. It takes
3 years to properly season wood so we need to get started pretty
soon since we have 240,000 acres to mow down before we can start
burning it.
This can really be a money making deal for the borough since
they can charge $10 a cord for stumpage and thereby increase
their coffers by $4,000,000 a year and not have to keep stealing
money from our rainy day reserve fund just to balance the budget.
It’s going to take a lot of 55 gallon oil barrels to make
enough wood stoves for everyone. That means our recycling center
needs to have all the help they can get for barrel collection.
30,000 barrels is a good start. A barrel stove burns out in
about 5 years so we are going to have to maintain a yearly supply
of 6,000 barrels.
Our borough planning and zoning department should now be working
on an ordinance for wood-stack set backs along lot lines of
at least 100’. It would be an eyesore to have the stacks
along the road, so every one will have to have a fence to hide
their appearance. This would take a fence 6’ high and 120’
long for every house. To be unobtrusive we should require it
be painted green in the spring and summer, brown in the fall,
and white in the winter. At the same time we are going to need
to amend the junk ordinance to cover any unsightly stacking.
One must always observe that good zoning increases property
values, which results in increased property taxes, which gives
more money to our politicos to spend on black top roads to nowhere
like one an assembly person managed to justify last year.
Our borough Public Works Department needs to start building
roads through Borough land right away to provide access to the
trees to facilitate harvest. Now I don’t like packing wood
very far, at least not over 100’. This means we will need
about a 30’ roadway every 300’ or so across our forest
areas. This works out to 16 miles of road for every section
of land or about 2,000 miles of new road to be built each year.
Boy, talk about opening up a lot of new territory to have room
to build more houses to get more taxes to burn more wood, to
build more roads, to get more houses to get more taxes------you
get the idea.
Unemployment will not be a problem because at 2 cords / day
it will take 7888 men employed year around to cut down and buck
up all the wood we need , plus 3000 more to deliver it, plus
another 3000 or so to split it even using modern splitters.
That doesn’t count the number gainfully employed in hauling
wood ashes away. Now there is another good reason for using
wood.
I remember as a boy growing up in the mining camps in the interior
of Alaska that we used to use wood ashes to make lye and mix
the lye with bear fat renderings to make soap. With all the
ashes we will get once we are all using wood we can corner the
world market on bars of bear soap and at last have a real industry
in the valley. The product would be really unique, and since
it is a natural product and environmentally friendly it should
sell at well above normal market prices for the fake stuff.
It takes about 1 cubic foot of ashes to make one bar of bear
soap so at our expected rate of ash production we should be
able to produce about 35 million bars a year. I figure since
this soap will be so rare we should be able to get about five
bucks a bar. At that rate we could afford to give the borough
$1 a bar to pay our hard working Mayor and Assembly people for
getting us to use wood instead of gas in the first place. At
a dollar a pop we can pay each assembly person and the mayor
a salary of about six million dollars every year. After all
it was their wisdom that got us onto this gravy train and they
should be properly compensated for it. No, this is not an example
of public “corporate greed.” It is just makes good
business sense to attract the best in leadership for our administration.
Ah, but the real beauty of this whole wonderful thought out
plan finally comes to light. We are exponentially growing the
moose population!!! Just think, 80,000 new acres of moose pasture
every year should be able to support one moose for every 3 acres.
In ten years we will have cleared 800,000 acres and have a population
of 266,667 moose, a great plenty for the hunters and enough
left over for the all the wolves. We have also solved half of
the predation problem by drastically cutting back on the bear
population. With the wolves saved from harm, our Friends of
the Animals activist, Ms Feral, can rest easy and thereby cancel
all her scheduled wolf “Howl Ins.”
The problem I fear is Ms Feral will soon take up the cause
of all the bears we are going to have to shoot for the renderings
and arrange some other kind of public demonstration. To work,
though, it has to have a catchy name like a Howl-In. Trouble
is bears don’t howl.
As I remember there are only four distinct sounds that a bear
will make. One is a woof when they are startled, second a “click-click-click”
from snapping their jaws when threatened, third, a roar when
their territory is being invaded or if they just want to scare
the pants off an intruder. The problem is these three sounds
just don’t have the charisma of a wolf howl. Not to worry,
the fourth bear sound is a winner--it is a low pitched guttural
grunt made while a bear is leaving his calling card. I have
observed this on numerous occasions, so I know it is true. This
sound in the wild is truly unique and it is often accompanied
by varying degrees of flatulence. I’ll tell you that while
hiking in the woods along some nature trail I flat guarantee
that the sound bite of a bear dropping by with his calling card
will raise the hackles on your neck. You will have the frantic
impetus to immediately duck for cover. This sound is just what
Ms Feral needs, a unique sound that will dredge up a familiar
primeval urge in the human mind and grab one’s attention!!
Instead of a “Howl-In” she can hold a “Grunt-In.”
When the publicity reaches its zenith, it will, with out doubt,
become one of the greatest animal movements of our generation,
maybe all time. It boggles the imagination to think of the prospect
of coast to coast “Grunt-Ins.” Since most of the environmental
big money benefactors who support the most active local group
are from the East Coast, we can fervently hope most of the demonstrations
will be held there.
Now, there you have it on good authority! The borough really
does have a master plan to provide our next energy source. They
are seeing that we make use of environmentally sound renewable
resources, provide jobs, develop borough lands, put a moose
in every pot, and give New England a whole new set of issues
to grunt about.
I’m afraid somebody must have already leaked the secret
because of the pained look I saw on Ted Kennedy’s and Hillary
Clinton’s faces during the State of the Union Address last
week. I just know they were practicing for their first “Grunt-In.”
Darn it all, I thought I was the only one who knew.
Aaron Downing
Mr Editor
I tend to hang out at Wasilla City Council meetings- try to
stay
informed. I know, I should get a life, can't.
Was once a fan of Sarah Palin, but she doubled the budget,
increased
the tax on groceries by 25% and left our city $20.5 Million
in debt.
As you know, Wasilla & Palmer are in a big competition
to get the
nod for providing utilities to the new Triad Hospital at Parks/
Glenn and
$6-$10 Million in funding). Unfortunately for Wasilla, we have
put all our
chips in the same pot- at the Sports Complex. Just this last
meeting, the
city is going back to the legislature for a $650,000 kitchen,
a $300,000
generator and a $4,000,0000 overpass, in addition to the millions
in grants
for water sewer streets and parks and $15.5 Million debt- so
far- for this
facility and -believe it or not-not one basketball net!
That's over on the west side of town. Boss Hawg Country. Commerce,
tax revenues and the new hospital are on the east side of town.
Additionally, instead of building a real SEWER system, we are
still relying
on a very large and expensive forced main septic system which
puts this
liquid right back into the water table. We build elaborate playgrounds
while ignoring the city's most basic infrastructure.
Last Monday, the Council used an Executive Session to discuss
the
Triad issue. Despite the fact that I publicly asked for clarification
according to the Open Meetings Act as to the legality of their
secret
meeting, I was summarily dismissed by the Deputy Mayor, who
doesn't know any
better, and the city's attorney, who should.
"...the immediate knowledge of which would clearly cause"
financial damage
to the city. The city's business should be done publicly. It's
the law!
Back room deals and gag orders and secrets are not legal. Since
we have no
immediate ongoing business or litigation with Triad, the council
is acting
very dangerously. Remember that the City of Wasilla was held
liable for the
opponent's legal fees- hundreds of thousands of dollars- in
the land dispute
at the Sports Complex. We are not above lying, cheating and
stealing in
Wasilla City Hall.
Trust em. Nope. Never. No How. Put our business on the table,
not under
the rug.
Or you can be held personally liable for your actions.
Thanks Mr Editor.
Stephen Stoll, PLS
Wasilla Alaska
Fellow Alaskans,
The Murkowski/Leman recall effort has officially begun. Visit
our website and print our recall petition at www.RecallMurkowski.com.
Sign and return our petition to recall Gov. Murkowski and Lt.
Gov. Leman.
Following public demonstrations of support for our recall action
in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Kenai, we are now beginning the
first stage of our campaign. Our grassroots organization consists
of statewide activists, ex-legislators and Alaskans, who share
the common goal of restoring accountability to the highest elected
office in our state. Our recall instrument sends a strong message
that we expect honesty and integrity in the administration of
Alaska's public business.
Our volunteers have a successful track record working to support
political campaigns and ballot initiatives throughout the state
of Alaska. We have expert legal representation and are prepared
to defend our recall action in court. Our group has the depth
and experience to successfully accomplish this effort.
With your support, we can successfully recall the current administration.
Dedicated Alaskans can restore integrity to the Governor’s
office. If you would like more information or would like to
offer your assistance and support, we are very happy to explore
our shared goals. We strongly believe that Alaskan citizens
overwhelmingly support our effort. "Alaskans to Recall
Murkowski" needs your help to make this happen!
James Price
Nikiski
New question should be added to dividend form
The Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend applications have arrived
in the mail. There are seven questions on the adult dividend
application form.
I propose a modification to this form, an eighth question to
be added: “Do you want to place 100 percent of your dividend
into the Alaska State Treasury to help close the state’s
financial gap?” Yes or No.
This will accommodate those residents in above average tax
brackets, and perhaps some who aren't, who advocate the permanent
fund dividend be used to balance the state budget.
Delphia Nelson
Kenai
Dear Editor:
During New Year's week, the local units of the Alaska State
Defense
Force (ASDF) provided additional security for the oil terminal
at Valdez
along with Alaska Army and Air National Guard personnel, andValdez,
state, and federal law enforcement agencies. ASDF personnel
stood guard
at check points and helped with vehicle searches. ASDF personnel
also
stood guard at check points along the Trans Alaska Pipeline
north of
Fairbanks.
As one who participated in the Valdez call out, I was happy
to have
had to stand in 40+ mile an hour 15-25 deg. temperatures for
up to 12
hours. The guys on the pipeline dealt with -40 deg temperatures.
We
all accomplished our mission without incident.
According to the Valdez Police Dept. personnel that we worked
with,
Valdez was very quiet that week. I personally enjoyed people
waving and
giving a thumbs up as they drove by, or being thanked by those
who were
inconvenienced daily by our vehicle searches.
ASDF is one of 27 organized state defense forces authorized
pursuant
to USC 32 Sec. 109. ASDF is authorized by the State of Alaska
pursuant
to pursuant to AS. 26.05.010. ASDF units are organized state-wide
as
the 49th Military Police Brigade under the State of Alaska Dept.
of
Military and Veterans Affairs. ASDF personnel are trained as
military
police constables. ASDF personnel are true volunteers donating
their
time and efforts for training. There is compensation paid when
called
up by the Governor. ASDF personnel cannot serve outside of Alaska
or
for any federal service.
ASDF units statewide are recruiting to meet additional personnel
requirements as a result of Homeland Defense requirements and
for
anticipated participation in natural disaster related call ups.
The
unit I belong to has headquarters in Wasilla and is commanded
by Maj.
Verne Rupright. If you desire to serve Alaska and would like
to help
with Homeland Defense, we could use you. Prior military are
welcome,
but any Alaskan 17 and over is eligible for enlistment. If you
are
interested in serving in our Wasilla-based unit, please feel
free to
e-mail me at lwood@wood-alaska.com or 746-4981 if you have any
questions
SSgt. Larry Wood
Palmer
Dear Editor,
Environmentalist and NIMBY yammering against the development
of coal bed methane is yet another example of disingenuous obstructionism
and yet another business unfriendly step on the road to financial
ruin here in Alaska.
The greens and NIMBYs in the MatSu and in the Homer area are
demanding that the state buy up all subsurface mineral leases.
They claim to be shocked, simply shocked about private property
rights (for the first time in their lives) and don’t want
unwilling property owners to have wells forced on their properties.
Note that Evergreen always asks first, pays rent, and does not
force wells on unwilling property owners.
Say we believe newfound greenie concerns about choice and property
rights of property owners in the MatSu and around Homer, what
happens if the state caves in and buys back all outstanding
leases ? Well, the first thing that happens is that every single
property owner who wants a well on their property is deprived
of that choice and lease revenues. The MatSu and Anchorage bowl
are deprived of a large number of new, high paying jobs. Finally,
and most importantly SouthCentral Alaska will not get a new,
diverse source of natural gas to replace Cook Inlet fields that
are being rapidly depleted. If you don’t think this is
a problem, look at your ENSTAR bill after the first of the year
(hint: it’s going up).
Keep selling the leases. Drill the wells. Bring on the jobs
and natural gas. Do it now.
Alex Gimarc
Dear Editor,
Editor Matt Zencey’s (Anchorage Daily News) column on
Evergreen yesterday (1/10/04) was a breathtaking display of
wanting to have it both ways. The basic message to readers is
that companies in general and Evergreen in particular ought
not to respond to lawsuits brought against their operations
with lawsuits of their own. This is an incredibly self-serving
and foolish message.
Environmentalists in recent decades have decided to take their
arguments to the courtroom or to friendly regulators like they
had in the Clinton and Knowles administrations. They see few,
if any new infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, tunnels
or pipelines that they like. They vigorously oppose all resource
development including oil, coal, natural gas, precious metals
and logging. They just managed to shut down a long-running red
salmon stocking program in Tustamena Lake via federal lawsuit.
If environmentalists choose to take all their arguments out
of the marketplace where they can be resolved quickly, inexpensively
and to the benefit of us all and take them instead into the
courthouse, they ought to expect to receive some return fire
and not whine about it.
Alex Gimarc
An Amusing Cavalcade of Complainers
For three months now the endless cavalcade of contradictory,
whining
voices has filled opinion columns almost daily. Here a fear,
there a
contradiction. Editorial writers with claims that don't ring
true,
letter to the editor writers who echo unctuous calumnies that
circle
mindlessly. This atmosphere hovers ever so thick around the
"People who
Fear The Future" or the opponents of coal bed methane extraction.
The writers opposing shallow gas drilling cite the same issues,
each of
which has been refuted by John Tanigawa or Rep. Vic Kohring
in print.
Most claim to be backers of private property rights but completely
ignore the absolute fact that their fears are caused in great
part by
the actions Democrats took 45 years ago that gave away our precious
birthright of freedom by letting the government have control
over the
subsurface of Alaska in the Statehood Act and the Alaska
Constitution. Rep. Kohring has consistently argued and voted
for
private property rights and supports changing the Democrat-written
Constitution to allow property owners to benefit from what's
found under
their land.
Those who see no dire problems with CBM have pointed this out.
The
state government is the source of the problem, which can allow
the
possible use of your property, not Rep. Kohring or Evergreen
or HB 69.
When is the average property owner going to be allowed to know
this?
Instead of demanding that the state buy back its leases, why
not
campaign to change this basic fact. The chant should be, "Give
us back
our subsurface rights and we will give up the Permanent Fund."
If we
had absolute rights to our property and what is underneath it,
then the
idea that the state could allow someone to come along and fracture
methane out of it would be absurd. That company would have to
come to
the property owner, hat in hand and offer to pay the private
property
owner for that right. And if a property owner wanted to see
trees
instead of a compressor on his property, he could simply say
no.
The trouble with the concept of the "Owner State"
is that the actual
owner is a bunch of power driven politicians in Juneau whose
primary
goal is getting reelected. Evergreen has the honest motivation
of
making a buck. The real culprits are the politicians who are
motivated
by their desire to control people.
This ongoing mess of fears is being spread around by the media,
encouraged by a cult of anti-progress ecologists and newspaper
editors.
If this group complains long and loud enough, and is joined
by naive
property owners who have not taken the time to really research
the
issues, then it can present itself as "the people"
and simply claim
things like "CBM will lower property values by 22%, taxes
will increase,
or methane will seep out and kill vegetation," when all
of these things
happen whether or not methane is involved.
Have you seen taxes being reduced where you live? I have seen
natural
methane seepage in Willow in the winter so that little pockets
would
form in the ice, which could be lighted on fire with a match.
Do we not
have roads and new homes being built everywhere without CBM?
Makes you wonder about the complainers. I think what they're
really
saying is, "Stop the 21St Century. I want to go back to
living in
caves, and I demand that everyone go else go back to caves too."
The
complaints have the same credulity as the claims of Flat Earthers.
Fred James
Bellingham
(Mat-Su Resident 20+ yrs)
Dear Editor:
Should AML get the Permanent Fund?
Was anyone surprised when the Alaska Municipal League (AML)
passed a resolution at their annual meeting in favor of raiding
the Permanent Fund? After all, the AML represents local government
entities in Alaska. They are constantly lobbying the legislature
for MORE MONEY.
An endorsement for Governor Murkowski’s POMV scheme by
the AML is like the proverbial fox guarding the hen house. Of
course they would support ANY plan that will allow them to continue
spending Alaska’s wealth. In fact municipal governments
across our state have continued to grow in size and cost, while
every other private sector entity has down sized at least once!
What makes municipal government and the AML so special, that
they should receive OUR PFD??? When the time comes, vote for
smaller more efficient government; vote NO on the POMV scheme.
Thank you,
Fred Sturman
Soldotna, AK
NO to the P.O.M.V.!!!
First it was the P.O.M.V. plan which gives the legislature
our Permanent Fund and eliminates dividends to the people. Now
it appears Municipal leaders from 65 communities around Alaska
have come out in support of local government getting our PFD.
They are saying give the PFD to them, not the people, not local
business, not your grand children's college fund, not any of
the OTHER uses of OUR Permanent Fund. In this shrinking economy
our governments are now fighting each other to get our PFD!
It's SO EASY to reach into someone else's pocket and spend their
money than to do the right thing!
We can't afford the size and cost of government now!!! What
will happen if government gets its hands on the Permanent Fund?
Will throwing more money at government cure this problem? NO.
It will only encourage it to grow even larger.
Oversized governments at all levels now threaten Alaska's future
and needs to be cut to smaller more efficient service providers,
instead of the money sucking machines they are now. Our failure
to down size government will lead to problems that none of us
want or can afford.
The P.O.M.V. issue MUST be DEFEATED. Government officials need
to remember the 83% vote of Sept. 14, 1999… DON'T TOUCH
THE PERMANENT FUND! It's our money not theirs!!!!
Ed Martin Sr.
Cooper Landing
Why do we need the P.O.M.V. (percent of market value) scheme?
Why are Governor Murkowski and his representatives in the legislature
defying all logic that says, “Cut the size and cost of
state government
to a SUSTAINABLE level”? The legislature has already spent
more than 75%
of all oil revenues, in excess of $60 BILLION dollars, and now
they want
the rest!
The POMV scheme could allow spending of Permanent Fund earnings
(the
PFD) and principal by the legislature! If this proposed constitutional
amendment (SJR-18) is approved by voters the POMV scheme will
replace
language that currently protects the Permanent Fund principal.
The
Earnings Reserve Account where Permanent Fund inflation proofing
and
dividends come from will also be gone.
Are voters encourage to stay out of the business of government
so
legislators can cater exclusively to executives of multinational
corporations, high ranking bureaucrats, greedy municipality
bosses, and
their paid lobbyists, all at the expense of ordinary Alaskans?
Are they
trying to slip another one past voters, rather than face the
wrath of
those they ACTUALLY represent? Do legislators believe voters
are only
needed every couple of years? Why else would the legislature
make a
conscious decision to promote such a devious scheme knowing
it is
political suicide if they get caught with their hands in our
back pocket
again?
Say YES to SJR-19 and save the Permanent Fund; and NO to SJR-18
the POMV
scheme!
Mike McBride
North Kenai
