When I heard that Alaskans were going to vote again on oil taxes, my first thought was, “Can’t we just stick to a tax rate for five seconds?” By nature, I’m a low-tax kind of guy. But then I started to delve a little deeper into our current tax structure, and I had to admit, Alaska’s getting hosed. The oil companies barely pay anything in taxes. They tout how much Alaska gets in “royalties,” but that’s just our share for owning the oil. As for taxes, though, barely a blip – like less than a third of what other oil states, like Texas and North Dakota, get. Sometimes we need to look beyond our natural tendencies and learn the facts. That’s what I did. If we had been getting what we should have for the past five years, we probably wouldn’t have the budget problems we’re having… and we’d still be getting a full PFD. I’ve made a complete 180, and now I can’t wait to vote yes for the Fair Share Act.
