A coalition made up of statewide Alaskan groups aiming to retain the current oil tax reform structure (SB-21) in place presented today during the joint Kenai/Soldotna chamber luncheon to gain support in voting no on Ballot Measure 1.
Ballot Measure 1 is a referendum which seeks to repeal Senate Bill 21, also known as the Oil and Gas Production Tax, which was passed by the Alaska State Legislature and grants tax breaks to oil companies.
In attendance at today’s luncheon was Dan Sullivan, who is currently running for U.S. Senate and was also the lead cabinet official in putting together SB-21.
Sullivan: “Every time I come back to Kenai and other parts of the peninsula its a good news story I mean energy production on oil and gas is surging, jobs are up, investments are way up. We’re talking about opening the Conoco LNG facility that will be more jobs even talking about opening the Agrium facility up again that’s more jobs. Its the model we used here and I’m proud to have been one of the state officials leading that effort with again the whole community, and its the model we’re trying to make sure is successful on the North Slope.”
Sullivan said he feels the oil tax reform is still what is best for Alaska and hopes it remains in place for the foreseeable future.
Sullivan: “Look, I certainly as a candidate for the United States Senate get asked about it a lot, and I get asked about it a lot because I was asked last year during the legislative session by the Governor, obviously he led it but to work with him and be the lead cabinet official, redesigning the tax reform to make it SB21 and working closely with the legislature for example Senator Micciche on the Kenai Peninsula was a great leader on this. We put together a tax that is very, very much in the state’s interest.”
Sullivan will be hosting a meet and greet from 5:00 to 7:00 tonight at Paradiso’s Restaurant in Kenai.