Mining production tax bill long overdue

February 28, 2006

Juneau Report/Myrl Thompson

Editor's note: The following is excerpted from Myrl Thompson's weekly &#8220Juneau Report.” The complete report is available by e-mailing myrl@ak.net.

Bills/issues

House Bill 418

Mining Production Tax

This bill, by Rep. Paul Seaton, R-Homer, would replace the existing mining tax structure, which gives very little of the people's resource value back to the state and municipalities. According to the sponsor statement and committee documents, &#8220State revenue generally amounts to about seven-tenths of 1 percent of the mined resource value, while an additional 1 percent is paid to municipalities.”

In comparison, the oil and gas industry pays about 22 percent of the resource value and the fishing industry about 5.2 percent. Š The 1.7 percent state and municipality take on its own resources is paltry under any circumstances Š and the Seaton bill tries to put the fast-growing mining industry on track to paying its fair share.

The mining industry is not at all interested in this bill passing. They have and will be testifying against any change from the sweetheart deal that they are currently under. Š

Senate Bill 186

Executive Ethics

Sen. Ralph Seekins, R-Fairbanks, was back up to the plate in House Judiciary last Thursday. After striking out twice already, he was up there swinging for the fence again.

However, the House Judiciary hurlers were hitting the corners of the plate with their pitches, and mighty Ralph Seekins has struck out again.

A line from Associated Press reporter Matt Volz's article sums up Seekins' frustration: &#8220Seekins says he won't vote for his own legislation on speaking out about state ethics allegations.”

Š. Seekins is not about to quit either. He will continue to try to add back the grossly unpopular provisions at every step of the bill's journey.

Next it goes to the House floor for a vote, but has to be scheduled by Norm Rokeberg, the Rules Chair, first. If the House passes the newly amended bill, it would then go back to the Senate, where you can expect Seekins to pressure his fellow senators into stopping his own bill.

It will be interesting to see how our Valley senators, who supported SB 186 last spring, vote this time.

Letters of Disclosure

(Reported gifts)

Published Feb. 22, by the Legislative Ethics Committee

Rep. Vic Kohring: gift from Alaska Tanker Co., $1,185, airfare, July 24-Aug. 1, 2005; gift from Conoco Phillips, $723, airfare, Sept. 15, 2005; gift from XTO and Tesoro, $295, airfare, helicopter trip, ground transportation and meals, Sept. 21, 2005.

Rep. Mark Neuman: gift from Goldbelt Raven Inc., $849.30, airfare, June 21-23, 2005; gift from Alyeska Pipeline Service Co., $664, airfare to Valdez, transportation to facility, lunch and tour. Sept. 20, 2005; gift from Alaska Mental Health Trust/Lucas Lind, $1,137.53, airfare lodging and meals (filed late), Oct. 4-6, 2005.

Rep. Bill Stoltze: gift from Alyeska Pipeline Service Co., $664, airfare to Valdez, transportation to facility, lunch and tour. Sept. 20, 2005; gift from Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, $1,038.53, airfare, lodging-Fairbanks, airfare, lodging-Tok, Oct. 4-6, 2005.

Sen. Lyda Green: gift from NCSL, $1,300, airfare, lodging, meals, Nov. 2-4, 2005.

Sen. Charlie Huggins: gift from Alaska Trucking Assoc., $340, airfare and transportation costs, July 1, 2005; gift from Council of State Governments, $2,300, lodging, meals, academy program sessions, Nov. 15-18, 2005.

Overheard

Rep. Bill Stoltze (Talking with a man in the Capitol about the Mat-Su Borough): &#8220It's too bad, the freaks that are running it now.”

Wasilla resident Myrl Thompson is a citizen lobbyist and former independent candidate for the state House. His Juneau Reports, a guest column comprising observations and opinions from the capital, appears here periodically.