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So far Dave Harbour has created 2145 blog entries.

Can Alaska’s Legislators Learn From Canadian Provinces? Will They Act In Time To Save Alaska’s Economy? Right Now, The Odds Don’t Look Good.

We support the Alaska Business Report Card project designed to save Alaska's economy.  It will be interesting to see the result this year.  -dh Comment: Can Alaskan legislators -- presiding over a dying economy of their own making --.learn from others' mistakes?  We think not, for "Experience is a dear teacher; fools will learn at no other" (B. Franklin),  If we are right, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemed to repeat it." (G. Santayana)  However, since "Hope Springs Eternal..." (A. Pope), we offer decision makers who are opposing [...]

By |2016-12-22T22:33:56-09:00April 19th, 2011|Uncategorized|0 Comments
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Scott Hawkins Has It Right!

Our Canadian Friends face pro- and anti-development struggles in the North as well.  See this Globe and Mail Story by Nathan Vanderklippe. Commentary:  Our thanks to Alaska entrepreneur-economist Scott Hawkins for this summary of our current investment climate 'fix'.  Earlier this weekend I wrote the following comment in response to intrasigence of legislators bent on keeping their ill gotten gains at the expense of Alaska's future: "The Senate Fiddles While Rome Burns. Senators hurriedly constructed ACES in a month of chaos, but to modify it after years of proven failure [...]

By |2016-12-22T22:33:56-09:00April 18th, 2011|Alaska Taxes, Commentary|0 Comments
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Another Big Rally Yesterday For Tax Reform! – House Speaker Resists Senate Power Play

Here is Keith Silver's (NGP Photo-L) testimony to the Alaska Legislature about how he was laid off from his position on the North Slope.   He explains that it's not just his job that was lost.  North Slope investment losses trickle down to the support staff in Anchorage as well.   ADN by Richard Mauer.  In a lunchtime address and rally on Thursday billed by the Make Alaska Competitive Coalition as BP's chance to present "specific commitments" should the cuts pass, John Minge (NGP Photo-R) was short on details -- he [...]

By |2016-12-22T22:33:56-09:00April 15th, 2011|Alaska Taxes, Commentary, Personal|0 Comments
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4-13-11 Monday, The State Senate President Argued For An Unsustainable Economy, Subsidized By Predatory Taxes…. Tuesday, Senators Agreed On An Unsustainable $3 billion in Capital Spending. Now, Legislators Want A New Building For Themselves

Three Comments: Alaska's Unsustainable Economy Is Based On Predatory Taxes And Wasteful Spending by Dave Harbour (See TransCanada's Newest Edition of "Update Magazine") Comment 1 of 3:  Here's a concept: a gasline can only materialize when the markets call for construction and when investors believe they will make a reasonable return on and of their investments.  Since the three major Alaska North Slope producers are the major potential gas pipeline investors, they must believe that their Alaskan assets are safe from unpredictable expropriation by Alaska through imposition of future, predatory tax policies. [...]

By |2016-12-22T22:33:57-09:00April 13th, 2011|ACES, Alaska Taxes, Alaska's Fiscal Crisis, Commentary|0 Comments
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Senate President Supports High Oil Taxes – Tom Brennan Offers Economics 101 For Legislators Who Listen….

Comment:  Anchorage Daily Planet's Tom Brennan (NGP Photo) has offered the Alaska Senate an important lesson on Alaska oil investment economics 101.    We have already commented at length on the importance of moderating Alaska's predatory oil tax investment climate.  Senator Stevens' approach (below) is obviously to sqeeze every drop of blood possible out of today's turnip, leaving no incentive for investors that would sustain an economy for future generations of Alaskans.  Between Stevens' anti-investment climate position and Obama's job killing policies Alaska's economy this week is much closer to the [...]

By |2016-03-13T04:07:17-09:00April 12th, 2011|Alaska Taxes, Commentary|0 Comments
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Knowles Helps Educate Alaskans On Economics 101 – We Return From San Antonio

     "We Need to Encourage More Oil Production"                        An ADN Op-Ed Piece                                        by Tony Knowles (NGP Photo), Former Governor   In 1968, after school and the Army, I was working on an oil drilling rig in California. My employer had drilled the Prudhoe Bay discovery well and offered me a job in Alaska. Just married, Susan and I came to [...]

By |2016-12-22T22:33:57-09:00April 11th, 2011|Uncategorized|0 Comments
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Feds Continue Alaska Shutdown With Beluga Designation – Our San Antonio Photo Assignment Continues

What a joy it has been to do this pleasant assignment in the Alamo city (NGP Photo)!  Home soon.... ADN, by Richard Mauer.  Federal fishery managers on Friday designated large stretches of Cook Inlet as critical habitat for endangered beluga whales, leading to an outcry from political and business leaders that the regional economy will be strangled.  ...  "That means no construction, drilling or dredging," House Speaker Mike Chenault said in a statement. "We were hoping to see the benefit of state participation in (oil) drilling this summer. Now? It's [...]

By |2016-03-13T04:00:28-09:00April 9th, 2011|Uncategorized|0 Comments
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Another Successful Rally for Tax Reform! – Continuing Our Photo Assignment: Fiesta San Antonio!

ADN by Richard Mauer.  The head of ConocoPhillips Phillips responded to critics of the governor's oil tax break Thursday, pledging to increase investments by up to $5 billion in existing North Slope fields if the new tax rules take effect. On special assignment this week to photograph Fiesta San Antonio, we realize this is the historic, 175th Anniversary of the Battle of the Alamo (NGP Photo).   Today, Texans "Remember the Alamo" in an inclusive sense, with all segments of the population celebrating the rich history of freedom and independence symbolized by the Alamo.  [...]

By |2016-12-22T22:33:57-09:00April 8th, 2011|Alaska Taxes|0 Comments
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Competitive Breakfast Rally This Morning. Target: Alaska State Senate Reluctance to Act to Save Alaska’s Economy

The Washington Times: EDITORIAL: Obama’s energy plan: A starvation diet Comment:  We note the Alaska State Senate also has Alaska on an investment climate starvation diet and commend those below for their efforts to communicate basic Economics 101 to elected Members of the Legislature.  -dh Though we are traveling on assignment, we note that first thing this morning, The Make Alaska Competitive Coalition has invited Governor Tony Knowles (NGP Photo) and ConocoPhillips Chairman and CEO Jim Mulva to speak on the commitments necessary to put more oil into TAPS and create [...]

By |2016-12-22T22:33:57-09:00April 7th, 2011|Alaska Taxes|0 Comments
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TransCanada and Legislature Define AGIA Differences – Is Obama Attacking Gulf Jobs While Energy Secretary Works for European Gas Prices?

Washington Post by Randy Stilley.  Is Obama undoing the Gulf of Mexico oil industry jobs infrastructure? National Review by Victor Davis Hanson.  Has Obama's Energy Secretary Engineered Higher Gas Prices? ADN by Sean Cockerham.  TransCanada Corp. on Monday disputed the legality of a bill that's a first step toward dumping the state-subsidized natural gas pipeline project.  TransCanada Vice President Tony Palmer (NGP Photo-R) said it appears to violate the license the state gave his firm under the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act.   ...   Don Bullock, an attorney for the Legislature, told [...]

By |2016-12-22T22:33:58-09:00April 5th, 2011|Alaska Taxes, Federal Obstruction|0 Comments
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Maybe No Big Alaska Projects Are Feasible Without A Robust Oil Pipeline Paying the Freight!

Fred Wilson Thinks Neo-Conservatives Are At the Gates In Canada.   Scroll Down For More on ANS Propane, and See Alaska's New Roush CleanTech Propane Truck! (NGP Photo) At Noon Today, Former University of Alaska President Rallies the Troops For Tax Reform! Commentary: Last Thursday and Friday we heard from Alaskan and Lower 48 entrepreneurs about the growing feasibility of an Alaska North Slope propane wholesale and retail distribution project.  Your author addressed the conference on Friday, noting that a fully functioning Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) and ANS infrastructure [...]

By |2016-12-22T22:33:58-09:00April 4th, 2011|Alaska Taxes, Commentary, Propane, Reader Comment|0 Comments
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Doc Hastings Hits Home Run – The Alaska House Passes Investment Climate Improvement Legislation … Tosses Ball to the Senate

  Republicans Introduce Job-Creating American Energy Initiative Legislation.  This week, Chairman Doc Hastings (NGP Photo) introduced three bills to expand American offshore energy production in order to create jobs, lower energy costs, pay down the national debt, and lessen our dependence on foreign energy.  Click on the bill titles for more information: The Putting the Gulf Back to Work Act (H.R. 1229) The Restarting American Offshore Leasing Now Act (H.R. 1230) The Reversing President Obama’s Offshore Moratorium Act (H.R. 1231) These are just the first three of an array of bills that [...]

By |2016-12-22T22:33:58-09:00April 3rd, 2011|Alaska Taxes, Federal Progress|0 Comments
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Propane Conference Could Preview Cheaper Rural Fuel Costs

(HB 110 Passed the House Last Night: 22 Republicans Plus Nome Democrat Neal Foster Voted Yes, While All Other Democrats Plus Kodiak Republican Alan Austerman Voted Against Improving Alaska's Investment Climate.  Now On To The More Stubborn, Pro-Tax Senate.  See Christopher Eshleman's News Miner Report.  See Juneau Empire Editorial, John Meyer.  -dh) Follow-Up Propane Report by Dave Harbour (Original Report Here) Yesterday, representatives of various propane industries throughout the U.S. and Canada met to discuss the potential of a massive Alaska North Slope (ANS) propane extraction and marketing program.  Alaskan representatives [...]

By |2016-03-13T04:11:16-09:00April 1st, 2011|Alaska Taxes, Propane|0 Comments
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Yesterday, Anchorage Hosts Huge Pro-Investment Climate Rally

Comment.  Yesterday, a dozen non-profit organizations representing most of Alaska's population gathered a thousand citizens to support the investment climate sentiment behind HB 110 that would modify the state's onerous oil tax policy.  State Chamber of Commerce President Rachael Petro (NGP Photo-L) introduced Senator Lesil McGuire (NGP Photo).  McGuire was followed by Governor Sean Parnell (NGP Photo) who energized the audience with a compelling call to action.  Skagway tourism Guru Steve Hites (NGP Photo-L) completed the formal presentations with an empassioned plea for Alaskans to become educated, work together and avoid [...]

By |2016-12-22T22:33:59-09:00March 31st, 2011|Alaska Taxes, Commentary|0 Comments
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