Not hunting related, but of interest to Alaskans.
Sarah is a pro gun Governor.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071227/ap_on_re_us/alaska_...4_28QnRc73mwAm2s0NUE

Alaska governor shows fearlessness

By STEVE QUINN, Associated Press Writer Wed Dec 26, 11:24 PM ET
JUNEAU, Alaska - In her first year as governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin has plunged ahead with the fearlessness of a polar explorer.

The populist Republican has raised taxes on the powerful oil industry. She has pushed through ethics legislation amid a burgeoning corruption investigation of Alaska lawmakers. She has bucked her party's old guard. And she has ordered her administration to seek fewer congressional earmarks after Alaska's "Bridge to Nowhere" became a national symbol of piggish pork-barrel spending.

The 43-year-old governor has also emerged as a national figure and a media darling, posing recently for Vogue magazine.

Alaska's first female governor, a former Miss Wasilla with swept-up light-brown hair, says it is her responsibility to be available even to fashion magazines if it can help change the state's reputation for graft and gluttony at the public trough.

"We've got to make sure the rest of the United States doesn't believe the only thing going on in Alaska is FBI probes and corruption trials," Palin said.

Palin has dismissed speculation she might leave Juneau for higher office before her term expires in 2010, saying, "My role as governor is where I can be most helpful right now unless something drastic happens, and I don't anticipate that right now."

Nevertheless, John J. Pitney Jr., a political scientist with Claremont McKenna College in California and former analyst for congressional Republicans, said Palin could be an ideal presidential running mate next year.

"What separates her from others is that at a time when Republicans have suffered from the taint of corruption, she represents clean politics," Pitney said.

"The public stereotype of Republican is a wrinkled old guy taking cash under the table," he said. "One way for Republicans to break the stereotype is with a female reformer."

Party labels seem to mean very little to Palin. Her revenue commissioner is a Democrat. Her husband, Todd, a blue-collar worker on Alaska's oil-rich North Slope, is an independent.

The mother of four is often seen bounding down the Capitol stairwell, holding a pink backpack and rushing to get her 6-year-old daughter, Piper, off to school on time — something that Pitney said could make Palin more appealing to a national audience.

The former mayor of the Anchorage suburb of Wasilla ran on ethics reform in trouncing Gov. Frank Murkowski in the GOP primary. In the general election, she handily beat Democratic former Gov. Tony Knowles.

She immediately took on the state's most lucrative industry, questioning whether Alaska — which gets about 85 percent of its revenue from big oil — is getting its fair share of the oil companies' billions of dollars in quarterly profits.

She got what she wanted from the GOP-controlled Legislature. Relying heavily on Democratic votes, she won approval last month to boost taxes on oil company profits from 22.5 percent to 25 percent. That could bring in an additional $1.6 billion annually for the state, depending on oil prices.

The state has also accepted bids for the right to build a multibillion-dollar pipeline to deliver Alaska's natural gas to the rest of the nation.

On the same day a former Alaska lawmaker was convicted on federal bribery charges, Palin signed an ethics reform bill into law.

Since then, two more former lawmakers have been found guilty of bribery related to VECO Corp., an oil field contractor. Another former lawmaker awaits trial, and Sen. Ted Stevens and Rep. Don Young, both Republicans, are under investigation.

Palin's climb is being done without the backing of the state Republican Party, led by Randy Ruedrich. In 2004, as chairwoman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Palin exposed Ruedrich for ethics violations when he was a fellow commissioner.

She has also made trouble for the party's establishment by calling on Stevens to give the public an explanation of why the feds have raided Stevens' Alaska home in the investigation of his ties to VECO's founder.

"I don't sweat it at all that the partisanship isn't playing a big part of my agenda," Palin said. "What that tells me is this: that I'm on the right track, and that it hasn't stopped us."

I get a lot of mileage on telling folks we have the sexiest govenor in the nation.

I hope she doesn't leave us for National Politics. If she does she's a winner for the white house race.

quote:

Originally posted by D99:
I get a lot of mileage on telling folks we have the sexiest govenor in the nation.

I hope she doesn't leave us for National Politics. If she does she's a winner for the white house race.

I can understand not wanting to lose such a govenor but by the sounds of it she would be excellent at the national level...

You guys get Sarah Palin and we in Arizona get Janet Napolitano ... Not necessarily bad but not someone for national work either... Plus she left any good looks she had in infancy ...

Ken....

From the sounds of it she'd make one hell of a good presidential candidate!

I'd love to see her wipe out Hillary!

Sarah & Todd Palin have hunted & fished forever they are Alaskans first!!

All of you guys from the Lower-48 making such positive comments about our governor sure makes me feel good. I'd surely not want to lose her to the realm of national politics. She's a real breath of fresh air up here & she's had my support since day one. Something I very seldom say about politicians from southern Alaska.
Bear in Fairbanks

She is a dramatic improvement over Emperor Frank.

She did have the guts to stand up to Big Oil, which has ruled Alaska politics for some time.

A conversation with Gov's Napolitano & Palin and Charlie Rose:

http://www.charlierose.com/shows/2007/10/12/2/a-convers...politano-sarah-palin

I don't think Sara is very intellectual. She's a Wasilla barbie.


<<MM>>

You guys up there in Alaska sure did good by electing her as Governor.
Kudos to ya!!!

Don

Hard to believe big oil runs Alaska. 22.5% income tax rate is exorbitant.

quote:

Originally posted by Mikelravy:
Hard to believe big oil runs Alaska. 22.5% income tax rate is exorbitant.

WTF??????????????

........Mikel ..,., we don,t have an income tax ,,., that is the tax on the oil companies profits .....

I understand that. Taxes on other people are always more popular, but 22.5 is high. That's more than they pay in Canada.

........Well its 25 % now .....We have 2 refineries up here and I,m paying right @$ 3.80 a gallon .....Somebody needs to be taxed.......Thank God for Hugo Chavez last winter ,,, He really helped alot of people out ...................................We got the best Governor !!!!!!!!!Her husband runs the IronDog snogo race ....And she is a full blown Alaskan ...........She may not play politics as well as some others but she is no one to fool around with as she is pretty good at tramping people who try to get in the way ....

quote:

Originally posted by Mikelravy:
I understand that. Taxes on other people are always more popular, but 22.5 is high. That's more than they pay in Canada.

I understand that 25% is still less than the average rate that the oil companies pay in the majority of the world's countries.

who do you suppose that tax gets passed on to?

It may be less than some countries but it is more than any other state in the US by far. I doubt the oil companys supposedly running Alaska would recommend that.

..........Well , If it was unprofitable for them , they would leave ........Then we would have the oil for ourselves ....We wouldn,t have to run the pump stations beyond North Pole ,,,Just that fuel ,not used to run the pumps would run the desiel generaton in most all the villages The refinery @ Nikiski could make all the gas for the state ...North Pole could make all the desiel .........besides Mike ,,, What do you care ???????

natural resources belong to no one and should be utilized for the greater good of all..we are only temporary stewards of Gods creations.

.......What is it with the Pennsylvanians telling us what we can do ... ,...Last winter it was guys from Deleware

I don't care, I was merely pointing out the fact that if "big oil" ran Alaska they wouldn't pay 22.5% of their profits in taxes.

ps I do a lot of business in AK

quote:

Originally posted by Woodrow S:
natural resources belong to no one and should be utilized for the greater good of all..we are only temporary stewards of Gods creations.

Natural Resourses under Alaska soil belong to the state of Alaska & All of its Residents. Other than the individuals who retained sub-surface rights at statehood.

mikelravy, If you do so much bussiness here then you should know the petroleum tax is 25%
If you were in the construction field you would have to eat your words, Big oil has run alaska for the last 30yrs. Next you will be bitching about the high sales tax in Anchorage
Move up here & then you can bitch & whine & maybe learn something

Have a great new year!!
even you Alaska bashers

quote:

Originally posted by Woodrow S:
natural resources belong to no one and should be utilized for the greater good of all..we are only temporary stewards of Gods creations.

What do you pay for a gallon of diesel in your area of PA?

Dontcha just love it every time sanctimonious outsiders tell us how we should run our business? They don't like Alaskans setting the tax on big oil, they don't like the "exhorbitant" fees charged for non resident hunting/fishing licenses & they think they deserve to hunt grizzlies, brown bear, sheep & goats without having to hire a guide. One thing after another, blah, blah, blah.
We don't tell Californicators how to run their affairs, nor the people in Taxachussetts how to set their income taxes, sales taxes, living taxes, death taxes and then, their taxes on taxes.
I strongly suggest you folks in the Lower -48 just pay attention to your own backyards and we'll take care of ours. Ok? Now, rant OFF.
Ya'll have a Happy New Year.
Bear in Fairbanks

I give up. I don't know where you got the idea I cared one way or the other you do in AK. My point wstands even if you guys can't understand what it is.

quote:

Originally posted by Mikelravy:
I give up. I don't know where you got the idea I cared one way or the other you do in AK. My point wstands even if you guys can't understand what it is.

I think the point is on top of your HEAD

[
....We don't tell Californicators how to run their affairs, nor the people in Taxachussetts.....


I had a funny thought. We don't tell either of the afore mentioned because we don't want anything to do with them and hope they don't move to our much better state!

Now, don't anyone from those places get riled up at me, I'm only teasing and am originally from Calif myself. All meant in the best of humor and fun.

Very Happy New Year to all!

Hit em with 35%

know matter what we still have the best looking governor of the fifty states.
Jim Phillips

We got you beat...we got Kathleen Babineaux Blanco here in Louisiana.

............,I,de have to see that to believe it ...................Welcome to the forums Romo ...

Alaska and all Alaskans are very lucky to have her at the helm. She couldn't of come at a better time.

quote:

Originally posted by Romo:
We got you beat...we got Kathleen Babineaux Blanco here in Louisiana.

I just looked and it ain't even close!

Romo,I just looked too made me chringe !!

Kathleen Babineaux Blanco she must have been a butt baby!

You could use her face to plow all the way to the hard pan.

I like ours better, that and it proves that Alaskan women aren't as unattractive as most folks talk about.

Ok, well maybe at Hooters in Anchorage. It's a rough place, compared to the ones in Hawaii.

Mrs. Blanco was said in jest...her governing skills are on par with he ability to win a beauty contest.

As much as I like Sarah, and was glad to vote for her, I'm afraid the tax hike will have a negative affect on the economy in the long term, for two reasons.

First, the oil companies invest globaly, taxes are a cost of doing business, and it affects their return on investment. The higher tax will reduce the amount of money they invest in the state, and hence production will decline faster. Would you rather have 22 1/2% of 900,000 bbd, or 25% or 700,000 bbd???

Secondly, the big wad of cash that is going intot the government coffers today, is going to go into increased state spending and entitlements that will be expected to be funded from now on. So when tax revenues decline in a few years, and at a faster rate, there will be less money to pay for more state spending.

I can understand the f@*! the oil companies attitude, but it is extremely short sighted. Killing the goose that lays the golden eggs means no more gold. The oil industry accounts for the vast majority of the states economy, when you factor in tax revenues, and hence what percent of gov employs and projects are paid for by oil money, oil co workers, oil industry contracctors, and the various suppliers to the oil industry in the state.

To me Sarah has an A for how she's handled fish and wildlife, but she's getting an F in economics based on the increased oil tax and the bungling of the gas pipeline. Can't see much use in improved fish and game if the most of the folks in the state are out of work, or driven out by high taxes and cost of living.

Two terms of Tony Knowles put the hurt on fish and game, bud honestly he was much better for the economy.

Finally, put a mirror on the gas pump and look at who is really paying that oil tax, and maybe you won't be so smug about who you stuck it, as it is ultimately you that pays that tax.

Bravo Paul Corporations don't pay taxes, consumers do.

With VECO gone & the Buying of Contracts & Politicians Exposed, The Oil Companies are pissed they are losing their control. They have to go back to a competitive bid system & the State is going to watch their every move

25% is less than what I pay in taxes, so what's the problem? And I pay on total income too, not just profits left over after the cost of living and supporting a family. So I don't see the 25% tax on profits being all that unreasonable. I'm sure it's just a small percentage of their gross income and it's adjusted after they deduct for exploration and the cost of doing business. I guess I'm just a bit grumpy after roughly figuring out how bad I'm really taxed. After income tax I am taxed on gasoline, electricity, tires, food, and another 7% onto everything else I buy! Sheesh!