Palin calls for second special session
Published Tuesday, July 1, 2008
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Stumble It!JUNEAU -- Gov. Sarah Palin has issued a proclamation calling lawmakers back to Juneau for a second special session on a natural gas pipeline and energy rebates.
The deadline was midnight Wednesday for the formal notice, which has been expected.
Lawmakers will be asked to vote up or down on issuing a state license to TransCanada Corp. to build a natural gas pipeline from the North Slope to Alberta, Canada.
Palin's proposal to give Alaskans cash to help them with high energy costs is also on the proclamation.
So is energy relief for rural Alaskans under the power cost equalization program, the state's motor fuel tax and the renewable energy grant fund.
The next special session begins July 9.
Community Discussion
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THANK YOU GOVERNOR PALIN!!! Now Alaskan Legislators let's make it a one day session and get the Bills past to help ALASKANS before the first frost.
You might think about doubling the $1200 energy dividend as the amount the Governor has suggested was based on $120 bbl oil. And the last I check it was up to $143 and headed up, too.
Heat is only part of the problem; food and about everything else is headed out of sight due to the energy crisis, while our state piggy bank is busting at the seams.
I agree!! Thanks Gov Palin, and yes, it might be more realistic to double the 1200 dollar figure. That will get most through the winter, and will once again give us that feeling of ownership of our resources as spelled out in the Constitution....something the last administration was going to make sure we NEVER HAD again!!
Legislators,
Follow through on AGIA. All the talk from every angle other than AGIA has not moved us closer to getting a line built. We knew the cost, and can afford the risk. We cannot afford to wait another ten years for another idea to get this far. If we pull the plug on Trans Canada, what creditor is going to back another company that meets us half way?
Make some sense out of how the the amount of the rebate is calculated and write it into the budget process for next year, but get the checks in the mail.
Energy relief under the power cost equalization program doesn't sound simple enough to deal with at this point. It doesn't even sound like it's constitutional. Fire back on that one. Get the Alaska Energy Authority and GVEA on the same page now and get HCCP online. Supposedly GVEA's north pole plant saved members $16 million last year. Where did they hide the bodies?
Suspend the State motor fuel tax if there are no direct funded programs that depend on that tax for funding. Otherwise, look closely at where the money is pulled from before you decide on that measure. Or maybe invest that $40 million in renewable energy programs and studies so when you get into your regular session you have a plan.
Any alternative and renewable energy grant fund should be alternatively and renewably funded. Set the example for the program with the funding. Businesses can collaborate and establish it with state assistance, and it should be an interest free loan progam rather than a grant program that will have to be constantly fed. As people save energy costs, thus increasing their income, they should repay the loans. Half of the principle can be invested in small businesses that are primarily related to renewable energy programs. The remainder can go toward interest free loans to individuals and businesses to convert to alternative energy or gas.
Put the remainder of the surplus in an investment account until you have time to hear and and a regular session to deliberate all the good ideas.
Here's the official proclamation that wasn't listed in the article:
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/pdf/July9th20...
WE LOVE YOU AUNTIE SARAH AND UNCLE TODD ~ CAN'T WAIT TO COME VISIT IN AUGUST.... WE LOVE YOU WE LOVE YOU WE ADORABLE LOVE YOU !!!
The purpose of collecting taxes is to insure that the state has enough funds to operate services year to year.
Since the state is currently busting at the seams due to the profits it takes from (Our Resources) that are pumped out of the ground and therefore has more than enough to run the State operations.
I do not see why the state continues to insist on maintaining other taxes of any kind such as the taxes that have no relation to the value of the product ie Tobacco, Alcohol......tobacco for example is currently taxed in extreme excess of it's actual wholesale value...
If these taxes are for the purpose other than to collect funding for state services (in other words instead is being used for social engineering) then can someone direct me to the part of the constitution that specifically spells out that we the people actually gave them this power to tax for such purpose?
Sarah - can you forget to invite Samuals, Huggins, Green, Harris, and Ramras to the special session? They will probably be busy with Conoco anyway.
All I can say is, do a real power cost equalization program that is a REAL equalization of power costs statewide. With the price of oil rising everyday, we are looking at paying $7.00 per gallon for #2 heating oil this winter. Our electric bills have almost doubled with the fuel surcharge almost exceeding the energy cost; what's it going to triple or more this coming winter?
AGIA, TransCanada, treble damages and all the aspects of the gasline is too confusing for me, only knowing what I've read in the newspaper, but know we cannot wait until 2020 for natural gas to reach Fairbanks.
Joy that it is reality. Anyone who is telling you that you can have gas to your house sooner is not being honest.
That doesn't mean that there aren't other short term solutions to our energy problems. But having cheap gas in a few years isn't one of them.
Treble Damages: are triple the cost of actual damages caused by willful conduct of one party resulting in damage to the other party. In the event the State backs out after we grant the license, we would owe due to breach of contract. If they fail to perform, they breached the contract and as long as the state acts in good faith we won't have to worry about treble damages.
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