Jim Prentice - Calgary Arctic Gas Conference -2- by Dave Harbour_small

James Prentice. Northern Gas Pipelines file photo by Dave Harbour

We lament the passing of a great Canadian leader: Former premier Jim Prentice, who, with three others, was killed in Kelowna-area plane crash, yesterday.

When we chaired an Arctic Gas Symposium in Calgary, it was a pleasure to dust off our French and introduce Jim in both of his country’s languages.  We sat together over lunch discussing his desire to see an Arctic gas pipeline properly developed with minimal delay…and his love for hunting pheasants in the Dakotas.  He seemed to appreciate my Dad’s years writing for Sports Afield, though that could have been his easy going charm and courtesy.

He was a serious man who performed his job with class and diligence.  This blog covered his gas pipeline related activities and we never found him to be less than well prepared, always focused on the best interest of Canada’s citizens.

We join the millions of Canadians and quite a number of Americans in appreciating his service and honoring his memory.  (Video) -dh


     Well-Known Alaska Attorney Robin Brena Supports Democrat/Union Election Strategy

Below is the copy of correspondence we received today from Rebecca Logan, General Manager of the Alaska Support Industry Alliance.  Her letter addresses at least two of the state’s most critical issues: Alaska’s fiscal crisis and election strategy.

Expensive efforts to pursue the administration’s North Slope gas monetization agenda are, also, at least indirectly affected by Logan’s observations.  The project’s enormous cost and its reliance on funding by a compliant legislature will require more friendly lawmakers next year.

We suspect there could also be an effort underway, to influence Alaska election contests in order to support project funding by increasing industry taxes even as annual deficit spending continues to exceed $3-4 billion.

Yes, higher oil taxes would absolutely discourage future investment — along with citizen futures and the future sustainability of Alaska’s state budget.

But increased oil taxes could serve the selfish interest of certain elected officials who are loathe to responsibly balance a deficit budget at the expense of their constituents.   -dh

*     *    *

Dear:

When the truth starts to fall as fast as the leaves, you know it is election season. With a $4 billion deficit, this election presents us with critical choices about the future of our state.

With that in mind, our first duty … is pointing out the danger of a group called “Together for Alaska.” They are anything but.

One of the top contributors, Robin Brena, twisted himself in a pretzel in a renewed call to raise taxes on oil (“Alaska needs to reclaim its fair share of oil revenue.”)

Gov. Walker already put a “stop payment” on hundreds of millions of dollars in credits that the state promised to pay, and now Brena, his longtime business partner, wants to tighten the screws. He writes, “simply requiring the producers to pay us our historic fair share would increase state revenues by roughly $3 billion.”

Simply put, his dangerous tax scheme will put thousands of additional Alaskans out of work, and put a cork in TAPS – and the oil revenue that the state depends on. Low prices have already driven oil and gas unemployment claims up 116%. Investment dollars (which drive new production and grow state revenue) have slowed to a glacial pace. Bankruptcies are rippling through the industry. Brena recklessly ignores the reality of Alaska’s situation.

“Together for Alaska” is targeting specific legislative races to hand control of the state’s budget and checkbook to their allies who have no incentive to run the state’s budget responsibly, and who are supportive of increasing taxes on the oil and gas industry. 

The future of our state is at stake. The Alaska legislature is just a few seats away from being taken over by special interests. We’re working hard to prevent that from happening, because we won’t be able to say we weren’t warned.

(Signed, Rebecca Logan)

Reference:

  • Links: Together for Alaska, Robin Brena Oil Tax Op-Ed
  • Together for Alaska Footnote: “Paid for by Together for Alaska | 19030 Trail Bay Dr. Eagle River, AK 99577.  Tom Wescott, Chair, approves this content | Top three contributors are PSEA, AFL-CIO, & Robin Brena. We certify that this URL is not authorized, paid for, or approved by the candidate.”

AGDC board asks president tough questions about gasline’s future


Alaska Public Media Audio.  Our comment.  This report characterizes AGDC Vice Chairman Hugh Short’s questioning as, “tough”, but it looked more like a coordinated soft ball designed to have President Keith Meyer justify continued spending.

Meyer’s logic seems to be that while the project now languishes in an infeasible, low energy price environment, Alaskans should continue financial support of the expensive AGDC operations and, “…give us a chance …  It’s like casting a lure out there, hoping the bait is good enough ….”

That has seemed like a fairly cavalier response to us; and, easy enough to say as long as one is spending millions of dollars of other people’s money (OPM).

Here’s some background for our readers.

Please feel free to offer a comment at the bottom of this page.  -dh