Why would Gov. Parnell give oil companies $2 billion annually?

To the editor:

I have been asking different politicians around the state why on earth would Gov. Sean Parnell want to give $2 billion a year of the state’s money to oil companies with no strings attached, not even an Alaska hire clause in the bill.

There must be a reason. It doesn’t pass the smell test. Something is seriously wrong here.

What could it be?

The answer I got was that if the governor delivers the state’s billions of dollars to the oil companies now, then when Parnell runs against U.S. Sen. Mark Begich for U.S. Senate, the oil companies will richly reward the governor with campaign contributions.

It is a pay to play scheme that is good for the governor, but at a terrible cost for the state. What does the governor have to say on this?

John Suter

Chugiak