Are Alaskans misinterpreting Alaska's constitution?

• Author: Harbour, Dave
• Position: OIL & GAS OP-ED

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Elected leaders engaged in the great energy debates of 2012 of ten quote from Alaska s Constitution and we examine here why that rhetoric may be misleading.

Maybe Alaska is turning into a high oil and gas taxing, entitlement state because that is what Alaskans want. Is it really? Let's explore what we really want--and what the Constitution says--as the Alaska Legislature journeys toward adjournment and makes many life-changing decisions.

ENTITLEMENT STATE

There should be little question that we are. in fact. one of America's most lucrative entitlement states for those who seek entitlements. While recent studies ranking states by entitlement generosity are sparse, a 2004 study for the federal government by the Lewin Group and the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government put Alaska in the top quartile of not only per capita personal income but also per capita spending on welfare and non-welfare functions.

Since then, we've had the national economic meltdown. That's resulted in a tightening of many other state budgets--but a growth of our own state budget, which the Alaska Department of Labor & Workforce Development notes is almost 90 percent dependent on the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) throughput, which is declining by 7 percent annually. This phenomenon, however unsustainable, must mean migration to Alaska by both job- and entitlement-seekers is more attractive than ever.

Meanwhile, oil and gas taxes are the hot issue du jour. The dramatic oil tax increase in 2007 is what is fueling the avalanche of dollars into Alaska's coffers even as oil production declines. It also fuels the continuation and growth of Alaska's entitlement culture and solidifies the base of constituencies depending upon and demanding high taxes on industry to feed their own special interests.

TOO MANY TAX BREAKS?

It is difficult for those taxed to argue taxes are too high when the multitude of beneficiaries receiving taxpayer largess outnumber the givers. Recently the President of the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce, Rachael Petro, wrote an Op-Ed piece for the Juneau Empire. In it, she noted that, "Alaska ranks near the bottom in two recent surveys of places to do business," naming the annual CNBC survey of "America's Top States for Business," and another report issued by Canada's Fraser Institute noting Alaska's low scores when compared with competitive oil and gas provinces around the world.

Yet, in the Empire's comment section a...