Posted on 06/21/2008 10:01:12 AM PDT by BlueMoose
Way to go Gov Sarah. She has got yo be the hottest. "Gov. Sarah Palin is asking the Legislature to give every Alaskan $1,200 as energy cost relief."
(Excerpt) Read more at adn.com ...
Socialism.
Not really... It’s more like a tax rebate.
Giving people their own money back is socialism?!!
Why not just cut taxes to eat the surplus? They are giving money to people who did nothing to earn it. The people who generate wealth and jobs with their resources are the ones who will have the broadest positive economic impact. Tax cuts would be a sustaining gift to the state. This is just pandering, and is essentially something I would expect of Hugo Chavez.
Normally, I would immediately agree with you. In fact, it was the first word that popped into my head.
But Alaska might be a special case. I could be mistaken, but I believe that there is no income tax and there is no sales tax in Alaska. In fact, I think everyone in Alaska gets a check from the state and that this money comes from Oil rights or something. In this circumstance and in this setting, is it really socialist to distribute state surplus in this manner? It would seem strange to distribute surplus proportional to income in this setting.
I guess, unless I'm mistaken about the setting, I wouldn't think such a plan is actually unfair.
Okay...Rick Perry, where is an energy relief rebate for Texans? I’d like to see how much money the state of Texas has made off $135/bbl. oil, and I’d like an explanation of why Texas is still charging the state gasoline tax at the pump when many Texans are barely able to drive to work.
And I would like to know how much money the Permanent University Fund has in it, and why middle-class Texas families have to pay tuition hikes every year for their children attending the University of Texas system and Texas A&M system when those two schools get all the money from the PUF. It’s very strange that Texas Tech, which is excluded from the PUF, is not raising tuition this year because they know how strapped Texas parents are, yet these two piggish subsidized systems are raising their rates yet again.
Did you actually read the story?
“The money for the payments would come from the windfall surplus the state is getting because of the high oil prices and last year’s oil tax increase. The state could collect an extra $2.7 billion in oil taxes and royalties than had been forecast for the coming fiscal year — even if prices gradually decline over the next year, according to the revenue department.
The payments replace a proposal Palin had earlier pitched to give $100-a-month energy debit cards to Alaskans for a year. The governor said that turned out too expensive to administer and the debit cards wouldn’t work in 174 rural villages.
The governor is also proposing to suspend the state gasoline tax (eight cents a gallon) and marine fuel tax (five cents a gallon) for one year. Palin had previously called for $475 million in state grants to utilities so they would lower their rates for residential and business customers. The utility grants weren’t part of the bill Palin produced Friday for the Legislature. The governor’s office said the grants are still on the table but details have to be worked out.
Palin hopes to meet with legislative leaders next week to work out details of how and when lawmakers would consider her plan. They’re in special session now to consider her natural gas pipeline proposal. She said she wants the Legislature to deal with the energy-relief plan in the next month or so.”
Well, if there are already no personal income taxes or sales taxes...what about corporate taxes? If there are no state taxes left to cut (praise be!), then perhaps I jumped the gun. Given only the options of (1) the government spending the money via the usual expansion of programs, or (2) the government dispersing it directly to all individuals, the latter is superior IMO. Government has a tendency to refuse to get smaller, even when revenues dry up.
Hell Kitty, Perry wants private donations to rebuild the Mansion. Personally, I think he should pay it himself out of the Foreign toll road contract kick-back monies.
There is no tax. This is socialism.
It’s not their money coming back. It’s money they never had and never would if the State didn’t just hand it out.
It’s not a question of fair. Nor has it anything to do with proportionality. These are not relevant factors. The State owns the oil, to keep murmuring at a low level the State distributes some of the royalty that otherwise goes into the Permanent Fund. The Permanent Fund is to operate the State when oil revenue eventually fails which makes for an attractive nuisance in the meantime. The distribution is called the Dividend, was invented by a Socialist Governor, and is demanded by the residents of the State because they like it.
As Sarah said.. The huge amount the State recieve of very high crude prices.. YES the State gets Beau Coup money from miners and oil producers.. WELL THAT money (SHE SAYS) is BETTER spent by the Alaskans than by the State government.. WHo could fault that?.. She says its a very conservative decision.. She's right you know.. She says this money will help with the added burden of higher energy prices ALL must pay..
You know that government WASTE can eat up ANY overage of revenues to ANY government.. i.e. teachers unions, road building gangs for roads to nowhere.. and a hundred other questionable expenditures.. etc..
GO SARAH.. she caught the socialists while they were napping..
Shes smart too. John McLaims(Veep) would have her KILLED her career..
Besides that SHEs HOT.. and conservative..
No State taxes.
It’s gotta be way more fun being the governor of Alaska right now than it is being the governor of Michigan...
Being Gov of Alaska is something anybody can do. I have known and know several persons who have done this or ran for the office. They are Alaskans with the Alaskan attitude just like all your neighbors, and that is all you need.
Right and SHE didn't start or really CAN'T STOP it either..
BUT this little gambit pulls the rug from under State socialists.. NOW if she only could find a way for the PF to finance the gas pipeline so the State owns it or part of it.. and leases it to providers.. THEN she would doing something..
SOCIALISM?.. true it is, but then all of America is a socialist country.. Don't look like that will change soon either.. Americas colleges are and have been breeding socialists for more than a generation.. little wonder..
What to do about it?.. I say Capitialize the Socialism.. OR Socialize the Capitalism.. you know like China and India are doing.. Capitalism creates wealth and socialism uses that wealth UP.. As long as possible throw the pendalum toward Capitalism, I SAY..
OR REVOLT.. I lean toward revolt.. but American men have been de-balled.. more or less.. so realistically CAPITALIZE the socialism when ever possible.. Sarah has her head screwed on straight.. Alaskan democrats and RINOs are cross threaded.. Our Senators and Rep.(Alaska) are the socialists.. currently.. and they ARE republicans..
The state manages my share.
BTW they charge me a 75% managment fee.
Sure that’s the story. I do not like Hickel’s and the Port Authority’s plans to have State ownership of oil/gas development to the extent of doing development themselves. They are mostly Republicans, but Gov’t ownership of industry is very close to socialism and endangers the State due to lack of continuity. Could be a big hurt coming.
I love the Alaskan Governor, anyone who criticizes her doesn’t know what they are talking about, this woman is giving back excess taxes, it is NOT socialization, but fairness to the citizens of Alaska. Wish I could move there. She would always get my vote and I wish she was the Republican nominee for President, she beats Mcdumbass all to he**.
The Constitution of the State of Alaska Adopted by the Constitutional Convention February 5, 1956 Ratified by the People of Alaska April 24, 1956 Became Operative with the Formal Proclamation of Statehood January 3, 1959
Article 8 - Natural Resources
§ 1. Statement of Policy
It is the policy of the State to encourage the settlement of its land and the development of its resources by making them available for maximum use consistent with the public interest.
§ 2. General Authority
The legislature shall provide for the utilization, development, and conservation of all natural resources belonging to the State, including land and waters, for the maximum benefit of its people.
§ 3. Common Use
Wherever occurring in their natural state, fish, wildlife, and waters are reserved to the people for common use. § 4. Sustained Yield
Fish, forests, wildlife, grasslands, and all other replenishable resources belonging to the State shall be utilized, developed, and maintained on the sustained yield principle, subject to preferences among beneficial uses. § 5. Facilities and Improvements
.
We must understand these natual resouces belong to the people of the state. We are all share holders just like a person could be a GM shareholder. The return from these shares are managed by the state. The state is now chaging 75% management fee. The share holders ( the people of the State) get 25%. The is like exxon ceo getting 100M and share holder getting what ever.
The Alaska Constitution
"The legislature shall provide for the utilization, development, and conservation of all natural resources belonging to the State, including land and waters, for the maximum benefit of its people."
Add the Fed layer on top of that. The State is very limited in what it can do, and that doesn’t count regions such as ANWR where the State has little to say to begin with.
I am one of the few who do not collect the PFD. I object to the very idea of the PFD. I know of a couple others who did not collect the PFD, but they have died recently, as grumpy old men tend to do eventually.
I know people that didn’t apply for PFD. The feds take half of mine. The other half goes to pay back taxes. I would be ahead with out a PFD. Jays plan would work very well in my case.
I know Jay [maybe the same one] but I don’t know his plan on this.
Geting the legislature to stop taking in too much money is the next step. giving them a rebate of their own money now is the first step.
Jays plan was to give the oil revenue to the owners ( the people) and let the Youknows try to get it back.
That would certainly reprioritize what is done in the State.
Governor Palin said. “With savings and funding priorities covered, I am confident that Alaskans, who are the owners of our resources, can spend their resource revenue better than government can.”
This is where Palin is a winner. She is a repub but does the right thing when it's common sense; often goes against the repub establishment. They all hate her but most of the repubs we use to have in office are now in jail or convicted felons or all their associates are. Palin is a breath of fresh air and bottomline is the people support her. There's a big difference between Ak Republicans & AK Repub legislators (their image is pretty filthy right now). The legislators are seen as crooks all on their way to the pokey over corruption. If Palin hadn't run, you'd have a dem as governor right now; remember that.
It's to bad Stevens and Young don't step aside
Both are part of the corruption.
Looks like we will dave to vote Dem to get them out.
One good thing is Parnell. if he can take young out in the Primary. Sadly we don't have open primary, so I will not be able to vote on that one. If Parnell can't take Young out then I'll have to vote DEM.
It seems that everyone gets them.
It seems like a tax rebate to me. I’m sure that most people in Alaska pay more than $1,200 in taxes to the state and local govts., so Gov. Palin is just giving the money back. Of course, I’m more lenient because she’s the most awesome governor evah... and I’d like to see a VP Palin or a Pres. Palin in the next few years.
No State taxes.
gee... despite being cold and having no night life, Alaska’s a pretty nice place to live :). But most Alaskans probably pay more than 1200 in fed. taxes and local property taxes and sales taxes, correct??
AK resident. Military.
I have never taken the PFD.
I am stationed in the lower 48 now.
I would welcome the cash, but will not press for it.
No it’s a management fee.
that is correct
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