3-23-18 Which is worse off, Alaska or Alberta?

Commentary

Dave Harbour

Which is worse off: Alaska or Alberta?

Both are controlled by liberals (i.e. socialists). Both are dependent on fossil energy — and the pipelines transporting it. Both prize expanding an ever-wanting-more entitlement voter base more than a taxpayer base of wealth-creating energy investors and WORKERS. Liberal leaders of both spend billions more than they can afford. Both have lost thousands of taxpayer workers while keeping tax beneficiaries mostly WHOLE. Both project a better economic day…when the current crop of political ‘leaders’ are safely out of office, enjoying taxpayer funded retirements.

Yes, Democracy is not perfect: the trick is to not let its imperfections, ultimately, kill it in favor of a socialist dictatorship. That presupposes the guardians of our free enterprise democracies and cultures are working harder — and more effectively — to preserve the gift of freedom than the anarchists, special interest activists, socialists, world order manipulators and monied elite who would attack capitalism, while ignoring history’s lessons, and destroy the greatness of their countries.

Which is worse off? Depending on your political affiliation, your home base and how you evaluate the facts (some of which are linked below for your quick reference), you will decide and vote and contribute to the future of your state or province.

Alberta

Alberta is on pace to be $96 billion in debt by 2024 – a dramatic change in fortunes for a province that celebrated being debt free 20 years earlier

Varcoe: Federal watchdog says Alberta’s fiscal policies unsustainable …calgaryherald.com › Business › Local Business. Oct 13, 2017 – The bulk of the spending in Alberta — $55 billion in this year’s budget — is driven by the government in Edmonton. The study found … This is why Alberta governments for the past decade have only made budget problems worse by banking on volatile royalties, while overspending and under-taxing. By next …

Fraser Institute. Having spent itself into a considerable deficit problem, the Alberta government seems to be considering a sales tax as part of its plan to dig provincial finances out of the red (or at least theyre trying to start a discussion to that end). The alternative, were led to believe, is fewer and lower-quality public services due to obligatory spending cuts. A closer look at the facts suggests thats not the only option available.

Instead, they could choose a win-win scenario that improves health care while reducing waste and inefficiency.

Alaska

ADN, JUNEAU — As the Legislature considers taxing Alaskans and reducing their Permanent Fund dividends to help close the state’s $3 billion deficit, is state government still big enough to sustain more budget cuts? Or is the call to keep shrinking state spending rooted in political ideology, not the reality of governing.

Alaska Chamber: Our polling shows budget, reducing spending are Alaskans’ top priorities

Since 1953, the Alaska Chamber has been the voice of Alaska business large and small across Alaska, with a mission to promote Alaska as a great place to do business.

House begins budget discussion, Senate defends oil based revenue

The Alaska House of Representatives met Tuesday to discuss a long list of amendments to the governor’s proposed $11.3 billion operating budget for Fiscal Year 2019.

Alaska Policy Forum » Blog Archive » Alaska Pork Book Exposes …

Mar 24, 2016 – We have just compiled the first ever Alaska Pork Book which documents the frivolous State of Alaska spending on “capital projects” from 2005-15. It seems as if the State has been spending its winnings from the “oil lottery” on wasteful, unnecessary projects. Unfortunately, these projects tended to be ..

Governor says Alaska’s deficit will not be fixed in 2018 – Juneau Empire

Jan 7, 2018 – Gov. Bill Walker (NGP Photo by Dave Harbour) answers a range of questions during an interview with the Empire in his Capitol office on Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire). Gov. Bill Walker is an optimist, but even he thinks Alaska’s multibillion-dollar budget deficit won’t be resolved this year. Walker spoke to the Empire …

Alaska’s budget and you: A few hard facts – Must Read Alaska, mustreadalaska.com/alaskas-budget-hard-facts/ Apr 24, 2017 – Are we being asked to dig deeper in order to support a high functioning, efficient set of government services or are we simply propping up a wasteful bureaucracy in desperate need of overhaul? One data point can be seen in our education spending. Alaska spends more per K-12 student than any state in …

Alaska has the highest level of state spending, but that’s not the whole … https://www.alaskapublic.org/…/state-spending-a-contentious-and-complicated-issue-i…

Budget crisis highlights need for spending cap | Juneau Empire …juneauempire.com/opinion/2017-03-29/budget-crisis-highlights-need-spending-cap

Alaska House majority keeps wasteful spending while shorting basic …

www.brooksrange.org/alaska-house-majority-keeps-wasteful-spending-while-shorting…

The inability of the House to make responsible decisions condemns the State to further wasteful spending during the drawn out legislative session. “As the newest member of Alaska’s Legislature, there have been a lot of things that have surprised me about our political process. One of the biggest surprises has been the …

Video: Alberta Exceeds $90+billion debt by 2023? (After today’s spendthrift politicians are happily gone and drawing taxpayer pensions — at the expense of a younger generation of taxpayers that must pay for the excesses of their parents. -dh)

Video and transcript: Alaska Gov. Bill Walker delivers 2018 State of the …

Don Braid: Discontent with Alberta NDP spending deepens as new …

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business.financialpost.com › Economy › News. Mar 14, 2017 Thursday brings an NDP budget with two features guaranteed — high spending and a big deficit.

About the Author: wpnorthern

Dave Harbour, publisher of Northern Gas Pipelines, is a former Chairman of the Regulatory Commission of Alaska, a Commissioner Emeritus of NARUC, NARUC's Official Representative to IOGCC and Vice Chairman of NARUC's Gas Committee. He served as Gas Committee Chairman of the Western Conference of Public Service Commissioners. He also served as commissioner of the Anchorage Bicentennial Commission and the Anchorage Heritage Land Bank Commission. He earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree: English, at Colorado State University, a Master of Science Degree: Communications-Journalism at Murray State University and graduated from Utility Regulatory School for Commissioners at Michigan State University. He served as a Vice President for Communications and Public Affairs at Alaska Pacific University, taught bank marketing classes at the University of Alaska and was an English teacher at Los Alamos High School. Harbour served in ranks of Private - Captain during a 4-year assignment with the Army in Korea, Idaho, Georgia and Fort Meade and received the Meritorious Service Medal among other commendations. Harbour is also a past Chairman of the Alaska Council on Economic Education, the Alaska Oil & Gas Association Government Affairs Committee, the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce, the Export Council of Alaska and the Department of Commerce's District Export Council. He is a past President of the Alaska Press Club, American Bald Eagle Foundation, Consumer Energy Alliance-Alaska and Common Sense for Alaska. Harbour was instrumental in founding the American Bald Eagle Research Institute (UAS), the Alaska Support Industry Alliance, the Downtown Anchorage Business Partnership, and Arctic Power. He also served as CEO of several small Alaska organizations, including the Anchorage Parking Authority and Action Security, Inc. Harbour is also Chairman Emeritus of the Alaska Oil & Gas Congress. Harbour's wife, Nancy, is a professional, performing arts administrator and his three boys, Todd, Benjamin and William work in the fields of environmental management, energy marketing and medicine.