"I think a lot of legislators are capitalizing on this wave of concern about corruption"  Andrew Halcro-ADN story on PPT- 10/28/07

Thank you Senator Gene Therriault for proving my point.

In the words of the prison farm warden in "Cool Hand Luke," what we have here is a failure to communicate. In this increasingly toxic political environment if you say raising taxes again on the oil industry is not a good idea, you're labeled a shill for big oil. If you say raising taxes again on the oil industry is a good idea, you're labeled an anti-oil populist.

PBS award winning show "Now" is in Alaska this week conducting interviews with various Alaskans on the corruption in Alaska and its impact on the political environment.

Wednesday their camera crew spent time at the trial of former legislator Vic Kohring. They interviewed Governor Palin on Wednesday and I'm schedule to spend time with them on Thursday. Then they head to Juneau later in the week.

During the first day of testimony last week on Governor Palin's proposed ACES plan to raise oil taxes, Senator Gene Therriault (R-Fairbanks) asked one of the International Oil & Gas experts why it would be so detrimental to future oil & gas investment if the state were to raise taxes for the second year in a row.

The word from Matanuska Maid has been quiet since they announced combined losses of over $400,000 for July and August.

I received an update this afternoon from a very reliable source.

The last milk pick up from Valley milk producers is scheduled for December 10th with Mat Maid plant closure scheduled for December 14th.

The predictions of the prior agriculture board are starting to play out. If Palin would have closed it when it was recommended, it would have paid itself out and the asset would have been free and clear to sell and deposit the proceeds in the ARLF. 

The legislative special session got underway with two well known international oil & gas experts disagreeing over the governor's proposed ACES plan which would increase oil taxes.

However, what was more important was what they agreed upon.

On Monday, State Representative Carl Gatto published an opinion piece in the Frontiersman concerning his view of PPT and the upcoming special session.

Since Rep. Gatto's opinion column asks Alaskans to speak out on PPT, I have obliged with my comments woven into the text of his comments.