Maybe passing a lot of bills isn’t necessary

We are more than one-third of the way through the legislative session and some House and Senate leaders are saying that our primary focus needs to be on passing a budget.

Indeed, according to the state Constitution, approving operating and capital budget legislation is all any Legislature must accomplish.

The good news is that our state revenue forecasters expect an estimated $700 million surplus for the current budget year and $300 million the next year. That doesn’t even include $1.1 billion that is expected to be set aside for education funding and $400 million to pay back what’s left of tapping money from the constitutional budget reserve fund, an account used in the past to balance the budget.

However, the bad news is that oil production is declining and the state must prepare for the day when the lifeblood of state finances — petro-dollars — dwindles. This is something on which budget writers are keeping an eye as they craft spending bills over the remaining days of the session and meet the bare-bones, constitutional mandate of what every Legislature must do.

True, there has been a lot of talk about oil and gas taxes, developing an in-state gas pipeline, energy, university scholarships and more. There is also growing concern about the way Alaska taxes natural gas because, under the current structure, the state may actually lose millions of dollars if gas producers or shippers submit successful bids during TransCanada’s open season slated to start in May or later this year when BP and ConocoPhillips’ Denali project is expected to accept offers on shipping gas. Extensive hearings by the Senate Finance Committee this week are expected to ferret out this matter.

With an ear open to important matters that may arise, but with an eye focused squarely on the budget, I shall look for opportunities that will take care of the basics in the Glenn and Richardson highways district: fixing schools, roads and senior centers. This may seem modest, but it’s imperative that we protect priority items of interest to our region. A clearer picture should emerge in the next few weeks.

Should we be concerned whether the Legislature passes a lot of bills in this 90-day session?

Maybe not.

And maybe that’s a good thing. After all, government governs best that governs least, to paraphrase Henry David Thoreau.

Rep. John Harris, a Republican, represents District 12, which includes part the Valley.