Senate Republican Caucus Sets Course with Gov. Palin
Working Lunch Provides Opportunity to Outline Common Goals

JUNEAU – A working lunch at the Governor’s residence today gave the five members of the Senate Republican Caucus the opportunity to share their ideas on the impending budget shortfall and on the general direction of natural gas pipeline negotiations.

“Although we do not yet have specifics on Governor Palin’s pipeline legislation, this meeting gave us the opportunity to express our concerns as the group that protected the State’s best interests in pipeline negotiations last year,” said Senate Minority Leader Gene Therriault, R-North Pole. “The meeting today with the governor was a great opportunity for the Senate Minority group to get off on the right foot as we anticipate the introduction of the governor’s legislation to move the gas pipeline forward.”

Sen. Therriault submitted a 52-page document to the Revenue Commissioner in July 2006 outlining his concerns with Governor Murkowski’s proposed contract between the State of Alaska and BP Exploration (Alaska), ConocoPhillips Alaska and ExxonMobil Alaska Production. Among other problems, Therriault argued that the contract was ambiguous on too many material terms critical to the State’s interest; that it made material and long-term tax and royalty concessions without requiring the producers to provide similar assurances; and lacked adequate work commitments. The other members of the caucus echoed similar concerns during hearings last year.

The group also discussed their role in helping the Governor achieve her budget goals. Under the Department of Revenue’s fall forecast, even if spending remains static, declining revenues will result in a deficit in future years.

“I enjoyed our visit with the governor today and I was really impressed by her enthusiasm and her willingness to work with the Legislature to craft a budget. Clearly where we are is a starting point. She wants our input, and I think is serious about working together to arrive at a budget that builds Alaska,” said Sen. Gary Wilken, R-Fairbanks.

The caucus also expressed its support for an omnibus ethics bill, not sponsored by any one legislator, to keep the issue from bogging down in personalities and politics.

“One of the things we talked to the governor about as far as the ethics bills going through the legislature, we wanted to get more of a generic ethics bill that handled most of the ethics problems. As long as people didn’t have ownership in it, we thought it would stand a better chance of going through the system, and getting it through cleaner, and better ethics for the long-term good of the Legislature,” said Sen. Tom Wagoner, R-Kenai.

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For the entire text of Sen. Therriault’s 52-page document on last year’s gas contract, click here:
http://lba.legis.state.ak.us/sga/doc_log/2006-07-25_
therriault_contract_comments.pdf

For audio actualities from Sen. Therriault, Sen. Wilken and Sen Wagoner, click here:
http://www.aksenateminority.com/media/25/therriault2007013101a.mp3
http://www.aksenateminority.com/media/25/wagoner2007013101a.mp3
http://www.aksenateminority.com/media/25/wilken2007013101a.mp3

Bill Calls for Long-Range Financial Plan
Committee Advances Sen. Fred Dyson’s SB 25

JUNEAU – The Senate State Affairs Committee advanced a bill today requiring the Governor to study, analyze, and publish information for the State’s future financial well-being.

“Evil, irresponsibility and bacteria grow in the dark. This legislation should drag the state’s financial situation out of the dark and under the bright light of public scrutiny. The information proposed under SB 25 should provide the basis for informed, thoughtful actions by public policy makers,” said Sen. Fred Dyson, R-Eagle River.

Senate Bill 25 requires the governor to submit a long-rang financial plan for the next 15 years that includes expected revenue sources and major expenditures. It also requires additional information to be used in the planning of state government finances, including actions necessary to balance the budget and analyses of state debt and unfunded state liabilities.

“This should significantly reduce the strategy of past administrations to ‘hope’ or ‘hide.’ The ‘hope’ tactic has been to spend wildly now and hope something unforeseen will dramatically appear and rescue us from our irresponsibility. The ‘hide’ tactic has been used to hide current irresponsibility and defer tough, unpopular decisions and let the next administration deal with it,” Sen. Dyson said.

The bill originally called for a long-range financial plan for the next 25 years, but was amended to 15 years at the request of the Administration. SB 25 now goes to the Senate Finance Committee for consideration.

Senate Republican Caucus: Skilled, Responsible, Conservative
25th Alaska State Legislature Begins

JUNEAU – The five members of the Senate Republican Minority said today that they plan to draw on their expertise to promote back-to-basics government characterized by fiscal restraint, principled conduct, cooperation and progress on issues vital to Alaska.

Those issues include working cooperatively with the Palin Administration to facilitate successful development of a natural gas pipeline project for Alaska; setting clear ethical standards to restore the people’s trust in their elected officials; and promoting a budget based on spending less, taxing less, and saving more.

“Skilled, responsible and conservative, we believe those are some of the attributes we bring to the discussion,” said Senate Minority Leader Gene Therriault. “They are principles we believe we have stuck to over the years, and I think the number of years that the people here have served buttress the idea that we certainly have skills to bring to the discussion, and a great depth of legislative experience.”

“I just want to say how proud I am to serve with these four other gentleman. I think we have like goals and similar philosophies,” said Sen. Tom Wagoner, R-Kenai, “I think we will work hard on the issues that we have the skills to work on. I will work as hard being a member of the Resources Committee as I would have had I been the chairman.”

“If people are willing to accept our ideas, our skills, and our experience, we can do things to help the process along and address Alaska’s needs,” said Sen. Con Bunde, R-Anchorage. “In a strange way, being in the minority, we have more time to specialize.”

“We’re going to make what we hope is recognized as a helpful contribution to the whole process by identifying those things where we can perhaps do some good,” said Sen. Gary Wilken, R-Fairbanks.

“My first priority is to help this governor, for whom I have the best of expectations, and make the best things happen here that we can,” said Sen. Fred Dyson, R-Eagle River. “I believe the organization we have is sub-optimal and it could be better. It should not escape any of us that we have here three or four people who spent the most time and were most involved in the gas pipeline issue last year. And we’re on the bench. There’s a great deal of expertise sitting here with my colleagues that we want to make available.”

Senate Minority Reacts Favorably to Palin Address
Speech Outlines New Direction for Pipeline

JUNEAU – Members of the Senate Republican Minority responded positively to ideas outlined tonight by Governor Sarah Palin for getting Alaska’s gas to market.

“I’m very encouraged by what we heard tonight. It appears that Gov. Palin and her team are preparing legislation that encompasses a competitive process that will get the gas line project off high center,” said Senate Minority leader Gene Therriault, R-North Pole.

“The nation and Alaska desperately need Alaska’s gas. This delightful new gubernatorial team brings the right expertise, experience, drive and leadership skills to the project. How refreshing to see this open, clear thinking, inclusive approach. Alaskans have to be proud of having picked these leaders. The Senate Republican Caucus is pawing the ground and lunging in the harness, eager to help,” said Sen. Fred Dyson, R-Eagle River, who served last year on the Senate Special Committee on Natural Gas Development.

“I look forward to the introduction of legislation so I can roll up my sleeves and get into the details,” said Sen. Tom Wagoner, who last year served as Chairman of the Senate Resources Committee and was also a member of the Senate Special Committee on Natural Gas Development.

Wagoner and Therriault Bill Would Speed Natural Gas Line
Senate Bill 26 Gives the Alaska Supreme Court Jurisdiction

JUNEAU – Senators Tom Wagoner and Gene Therriault introduced legislation today intended to expedite resolution of ExxonMobil’s appeal of the decision denying its proposed plan for developing the Point Thomson Unit.

“I think this is one of the most important pieces of legislation the Legislature can address and pass this year,” said Senator Tom Wagoner, R-Kenai. “It’s going to expedite the legal matter surrounding the cancellation of the unit agreement at Point Thomson and the taking back of those oil and gas leases. This legislation will keep the appeal from dragging on and on in the courts. It will expedite the process so it won’t be such a drag on the progression of putting together a natural gas pipeline.”

ExxonMobil is appealing a decision by the Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources affirming denial of the proposed plans for developing the Point Thomson Unit. The appeal is currently in Alaska Superior Court. SB 26 would transfer jurisdiction of an appeal under this circumstance to the Alaska Supreme Court.

“We’re interested in working in a bi-partisan manner with the members of the Legislature, and cooperatively with the Department of Law, to hammer out a reasoned and meaningful bill that will help accelerate the process,” said Therriault, R-North Pole.