Alaska’s Governor Bill Walker takes no responsibility for a declining credit rating as he continues to joust at the windmills of socialist acquisition of Alaska’s resource wealth deterring industry investment in a low oil price environment. Brilliant. -dh
Governor Walker’s Statement on Moody’s Downgrade of Alaska’s Rating
“Today’s news from Moody’s Investors Services is concerning but, unfortunately, not surprising. Moody’s says, ‘The downgrade recognizes the state’s political inability – at least for now – to address its severe fiscal challenge.’
The agency’s analysts cite our strengths—our available cash reserves and our willingness to cut spending. But they also cite our challenges: that we are depleting our savings and relying solely on the volatility of oil prices to fund government services.
As residents rely on their credit scores to secure low-interest loans to buy houses and cars, the state’s rating determines how much it will cost to build projects that create jobs. The higher the rating, the lower the interest rate and the more Alaskans those projects can employ.
It is imperative that we implement a sustainable fiscal plan so we are not drawing down on savings. The sooner we fix Alaska, the sooner we can build Alaska.” –Governor Walker
Attached: Moody’s opinion
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.
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