Murkowski visits Mat-Su

WASILLA -- U.S. Sen. Frank Murkowski, R-Alaska, was in Wasilla Monday evening to meet with local supporters at Evangelo's Trattoria for a little fund raising for his 2002 gubernatorial campaign and elbow-rubbing with area legislators.

Before the event got into full swing, Murkowski took a few minutes to answer questions from the Frontiersman. The event, he said, was just one in a series of events he is attending during Congress' week of vacation. He spoke at an economic development conference in Kenai, Murkowski said, and was in Fairbanks over the weekend, discussing aspects of Alaska's economy.

When asked about the status of debate over whether or not to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), Murkowski said he recently received a letter from the Jewish Council of Presidents, which weighed in in favor of an economic bill -- a bill Murkowski said is dependent upon the opening of ANWR.

Murkowski pledged to continue to push for the refuge to be opened for oil development -- a necessity, he said, for national security reasons as well as for economic development. Opening the refuge, he said, would bring in a significant amount of money to the state.

"[It would bring in approximately] $3.6 billion in revenue from lease sales," Murkowski said. "And it won't cost the taxpayer a nickel."

Along with opening ANWR, Murkowski had several ideas that would help bridge Alaska's burgeoning fiscal gap, including a statewide sales tax.

"An awful lot of visitors . . . contribute very little to the state economy," Murkowski said. "We're going to have to find some way to have them pay their fair share."

Ultimately, Murkowski said, Alaska needs to focus on better developing its natural resources.

"The future of Alaska . . . is to build an economic based on primarily resource development," Murkowski said. "[We] can't build the economy on a foundation of government spending -- we are in a recession in this country."

Murkowski said state leaders must also take a look at what causes Alaska's "brain drain" -- Alaskan youth who don't attend college -- and find out how to bring back young Alaskans who leave the state to go to college or jobs Outside. Bringing in jobs besides those in the service industry, he said, is one key to curbing the loss of educated Alaskans, and would serve to encourage Alaskan youth to pursue higher education.

If he were to be elected as governor, Murkowski would quickly have to deal with the subsistence issue, as it's likely the matter will be heavily discussed during the upcoming legislative session, and will likely be a topic of discussion well into the future.

Murkowski said he will seek to bring Alaskans together to seek a solution on the matter, and felt confident he would be able to work with those who hold opposing viewpoints on the issue.

"Maybe there's a way to have a local use [designated]," Murkowski said. ". . . those who need subsistence need to have it in a time of need."

Essentially, Murkowski said, he would favor a local-use designation that would allow people who live in rural areas to have first access to game populations when game stocks are low. But Murkowski added another facet to the issue.

"Also, it's a matter of responsible predator control," Murkowski said. "I think more Alaskans have to recognize that it does address [predator control], to some extent."

Ultimately, Murkowski said, the debate has been roiling for more than 30 years and will likely continue. He said what it needs is a new commitment to work together and new ideas on the table.

"There isn't an answer to the subsistence dilemma," Murkowski said. "I think you need some new players. I feel very confident in working with the Legislature."

If he is elected governor, Murkowski has said previously that he will be in a position to hand-pick a senator to fill his vacated seat. He said he has not yet come up with any possible successors, nor has he begun to consider who he would like as a lieutenant governor, if he were to get the seat.

"I'm going to be in the U.S. Senate all of next year," Murkowski said.