SB 21 equals reduced state revenue for years

To the editor:

Regarding Proposition 1, let’s cut through all the noise and focus on the essential question. Why keep Senate Bill 21? Gov. Parnell says it’s to put more oil in the pipeline so that we can put more revenue in state coffers. Walter J. Hickel Junior in his Vote No OpEd (Frontiersman, July 15) restates the Governor’s point and lays out clearly why increased revenue is so critical to the state.

Along with defraying unfunded pension costs to protect our bond rating for the gas line the Governor wants to build, we need enough revenue from oil to fund other capital projects, maintain infrastructure including the university system, and meet state mandated responsibilities for health, safety and education without having to draw from the states reserve fund.

Apparently, someone in Juneau really blew it because we’re nowhere near this objective with SB21. Not only will there be less revenue this year, not more, according to the state’s own numbers, there will be less revenue for a good 10 years or more to come. Less revenue has already led to education cuts with teacher layoffs and homeowners looking at increased property taxes to cover the shortfall. Less known to the public are the other cuts including to our university system with 5 percent of university jobs gone, planned programs like veterinary medicine canceled, professor positions unfilled. Consider the impact of 10 more years of this kind of austerity. Unless our children plan to major in oil they’ll have to look for their future Outside. A Yes vote on Proposition 1 is the only way to get this fixed.

Marian Elliott

Wasilla