Issue Position: Reduce the Budget

Issue Position

What if oil revenues continue to decline, falling below current spending levels, would I favor cuts to state spending, imposing new taxes, spending non-Permanent Fund reserve accounts, or combinations?: Cut spending, reduce burden on the private sector, if we must use the CBR. Revenues go upside down partly because we rely on one source of income and we try to pay everyone's bills. Alaska Constitution, Article 8, requires the State to encourage the settlement of (all) the land and the Legislature to "provide for the utilization, development" of our resources. Alaska is larger than all but 18 nations on earth, Alaska is ranked in the top ten among NATIONS for natural resource wealth in many categories, but we rank among the bottom tier of States for economic diversity, manufacturing, and exports. We are plagued by inadequate thinking. The Legislature should streamline the permitting process for resource development which increases good paying jobs that allow people to pay their own bills, reducing the operating budget. There are 7000 mineral occurrences between Fairbanks and the Canadian boarder but only 7 operating mines in all Alaska. Instead of taking 14-28 years to permit a mine--half to a full career for a newly graduated mining engineer--reasonably reduce the permitting time. A mine creates manufacturing opportunities and as a large consumer of energy, multiple mines create demand for a large diameter pipeline.

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