Alaskan voters will decide this week whether to impose a nearly $1 billion-a-year tax on oil companies holding leases for undeveloped natural gas lying in the ground on the state's North Slope region.
A TV advertisement aired by Democratic Senate candidate Bill Wielechowski this week lays into his opponent on multiple counts -- saying that Republican Earl Mayo took money from Veco, that he wants to spend Alaska Permanent Fund earnings, that he wants to raise gas taxes and that he was questioned by the FBI.
U.S. Rep. Don Young made a campaign stop in Eagle River Wednesday. The congressman made the stop to boast about transportation dollars he has brought back to Alaska. His Democratic opponent, Diane Benson, made an appearance, but she wasn't given the opportunity to speak.
University of Alaska President Mark Hamilton is asking the board of regents to approve an operating and capital budget totaling $1.27 billion. The UA Board of Regents is scheduled to meet today in Anchorage to approve the statewide university’s budget for the next fiscal year.
Natural gas reserves tax opponents continued their well-financed campaign to defeat the proposition on Wednesday, as the state Chamber of Commerce met in Anchorage to express a united position against it. A public policy forum discussing the pros and cons of the tax takes place Wednesday night at the Z.J. Loussac Public Library at 7 p.m.
