Here’s gubernatorial candidate Bill Walker’s response to Gov. Parnell’s announcement that his administration will appeal Sunday’s federal court ruling lifting the Alaska’s gay marriage ban. There’s something here for nearly everyone, except for those who want a clear stand. He seems to indicate that the appeal is unwise, however, he stops short of saying that he would or wouldn’t appeal if he were Parnell:
I continue to view marriage as the union of a man and a woman. However, as governor, I will place my hand on the Bible and swear to uphold the laws of the land.
Governor Parnell has indicated he will appeal today’s district court decision. Upon taking office, I will review all major litigation in which the State is involved and determine the merits of pursuit, settlement or dismissal.
Despite my personal views on marriage, with the State’s dire financial crisis, pursuing expensive litigation that has little chance of victory is an unwise use of our dwindling resources. “
Thank you Lynn and Jack, at least 2 people that speak sensibly and have a clue as to who Bill Walker is. a true statesman who is out for nothing but the good of Alaska.
Walker might sue. He might not. Depends on how much it costs. He’ll uphold the law, or maybe not. Depends on whether he likes it. The guy has a full load of Depends.
I would credit Walker with having the strategic sense to clearly see our fiscal problem in the context of future obligations that simply must be met with hard choices and not reliance on promises or hope. I think Walker has the sense to understand that only a fool would have continued, starting as long as four years ago, to fund government at record levels as if all was well and not acknowledge the storm clouds on the horizon. How could Parnell not have understood years ago that AGIA was not going to work, Alaska oil production was falling and that the US oil production model had completely changed after North Dakota? In other words Walker has the strategic sense to appreciate the adage: “when you find yourself in a hole the first action to take is to stop digging”. I would credit Walker with having the strategic sense to see the State Constitutional Crisis that is looming over the formation of subordinate taxing authorities in Alaska and the desire to resolve the school funding question. Walker appears to me to have the strategic sense to not drag Alaska into a national political agenda by being so partisan as to be the chair person of the “elect Rick Perry for President” campaign in Alaska, as was Parnell and also to refuse to meet the President of United States when both Parnell and the President were in Anchorage. Lastly, Walker has the strategic sense to see that the solution to many of Alaska’s problems are going to have to include the efforts of Alaskans across the entire political spectrum. Then again Jon, you might see Walker as having the “strategic sense” of a cynical opportunist, I do not.
I could, of course, ask you what is Parnell’s strategic sense of fiscal management and when did he demonstrate that sense over the last four years as he created and approved the largest budgets in State history- but I won’t. I could also ask you if slogans such as “choose respect” can be a bit embarrassing when some Alaskans in uniform appear to not have been respected at all by Parnell’s political appointees (for years) – but I won’t.
For the love of god, if you are going to use snark at least get your facts right – SB 21 raised taxes when oil is below $105 or so. Cleverness falls flat without a basic command of facts.
We want Parnell! We want Parnell!
The longer we keep him the more he will spend on us before we leave this state.
We need a governor who is strong enough to side with the oil companies and reduce taxes so they will stay here. In fact, we should do away with taxes on the oil industry, especially since the prices are dropping, there hasn’t been much of a reduction in oil throughput, and oil company layoffs are happening. We can’t afford to let the oil companies leave us. The oil companies promise that if we reduce taxes that they will stay, they will drill more, and that they will hire more. It’s time to take action, reduce or eliminate taxes and if possible do away will the enviro whacko DEC that does everything in its power to delay or stop development.
Lynn, beyond slogans, what exactly is Walker’s “strategic sense”? What meaningful cuts will he make?
Walker has a strategic sense of how much effort is now involved to allow Alaska to face the certain future of less revenue concentrated at the State Level. The days of the big spenders are ending despite the claims of Parnell and others that we need not actually worry about deficit spending because we will soon see a reversal of our fortunes and the halcyon days of a “million barrels a day” and even more billions from a gas line with the plentiful CBR and SBR cash reserves will return. Walker correctly states that “everything must be put on the table” which terrifies those who have created a revenue stream from the current situation or hope to in the near future.
The social paradigm regarding homosexuality has changed and I accept that and agree that people who do no harm to others can live as they choose. Parnell disagrees with that idea and wants “equal protection” to continue to be defined as “more equal protection” for him and his followers. I would have liked to see him act to defend those Alaskans involved in the National Guard scandal as quickly as he acted to defend Alaskans regarding the marriage issue.
And speaking of equal protection, I support Walker’s opinion that the courts should decide if the legislature can force some Alaskans to pay local taxes for schools which exempting others from that obligation. As I have stated I don’t want to pay less local taxes but I, and some other Alaskans, don’t expect to have to pay for services that are clearly a responsibility of the State according to the State Constitution which states in Article 7 “The legislature shall by general law establish and maintain a system of public schools open to all children of the State…..”
If Walker wins, how will he handle all of the cases where he is suing the state? Settle them in his client’s favor? Some of these cases are worth tens, if not hundreds of millions of dollars for his client.
And what will he do with his Point Thomson litigation where he is trying to stop Exxon from spending billions to develop the largest undeveloped gas field in Alaska?
Is Walker going to settle the Ketchikan Borough’s case which is seeking to force the state to pay the entire tab for public education – at the Ketchikan debate he said he supported Ketchikan and thought local governments shouldn’t have to pay a dime for their schools. Does anyone have any idea how much this will add to the state’s budget if he were to settle w Ketchikan?
Perhaps the ADN can write another informative piece examining Walker’s positions on this issue so Alaskans can be informed when they vote. (This is sarcasm.)
Hey Jack –
HB 77 had nothing to do w finances – it is also the most maligned and least understood piece of legislation, which didn’t pass the legislature.
52 out of 60 legislators supporter SB 138.
Alaskans voted to keep Sb 21, which is bringing in a lot more money than ACES would have at today’s prices.
…This voter doesn`t blame Bill for deflecting questions about the very divisive social issues that have caused divided and paralyzed and ineffective state government rife with slogans (“choose respect” “A million barrels a day” if we pass SB21) but actually only weakening Alaska`s position as the sovereign, and owner of our resources.
The big fish is Parnell and a corrupted legislature. http://juneauempire.com/stories/102807/let_20071028011.shtml If we lose sight of that,… Alaska loses.
We have one chance. Remember in November. Walker/Mallott, to take Alaska back.
“Parnell’s Shakedown
September 18, 2014
“We’re paying for the oil industry’s tax cut”
“Parnell’s bait: Gov. Parnell promoted his oil tax cut, claiming it could restore North Slope oil production to 1 million barrels/day and unlock 40 billion barrels of conventional oil remaining on the North Slope.”
“The oil Industry’s switch: Huge North Slope layoffs, only a minor slowdown in the declining rate of North Slope oil production, deferring development of the North Slope oil fields Parnell was targeting for later, and skyrocketing bonuses for big oil executives”
“Parnell’s fiscal vision: Slash oil taxes, and fund the resulting fiscal gap in state government with Permanent Fund earnings, taxes paid by Alaska’s citizens, and painful cuts to education, public safety, and increased local taxes.”
“Alaska’s oil patch “negotiator”: The oil industry isn’t using Gov. Parnell’s tax cut to maximize North Slope production, state revenue, and jobs for Alaskans.”
“Gov. Parnell’s oil tax cut (SB-21) goal:
“1 million barrels per day North Slope oil production”
Oil industry’s cynical responses to SB-21:”
“BP/Conoco before SB-21: Oil tax cut “not enough”
Exxon after SB-21 Survives: North Slope production decline will continue
Parnell disappointed: BP layoff eliminates 475 jobs
The oil industry is holding back on developing Alaska’s largest untapped oilfields:”
“Gov. Parnell: 40 billion barrels untapped oil deposits (excluding shale, viscous, and heavy oil)
DNR Commissioner Dan Sullivan: House Finance Committee told oil tax cut could unlock 40 billion barrels conventional oil (See page 6)
U.S. Department of Energy: 36 billion barrels of economically recoverable oil on the North Slope
Great Bear: Fracking to generate 600,000 barrels/day
Anadarko: Huge reserves in Brooks Range Foothills and NPR-A”
“Gov. Parnell’s fiscal vision: As a legislator, Gov. Parnell pioneered the methods that will be used to pay for the oil industry’s SB-21 tax cut, i.e., by: a) Tapping Permanent Fund earnings, b) Imposing taxes on Alaskans, and c) Spending the Constitutional Budget Reserve. See tables in link below:”
http://parnellshakedown.wordpress.com/
..a desperate effort to hang onto Parnell supporters who have jumped ship because of his lack of leadership. Walker said he won`t pursue lawsuits unlikely to win. That makes sense to me. The feds have decided this issue and Alaska appealing it has no bearing on the effort to evict Parnell for cause and for lack of leadership.
The loss of our fiscal sovereignty by Parnell`s gerrymandered legislative attack on our constitution (HB77, HB4, SB138, SB21) is a real issue affecting all Alaskans. It`s fiscal issues that are weighing on our state, not these divisive social issues like gay marriage or women`s and minority rights. They will and are being decided on a national level. All Parnell`s supporters have left is to drag them back up and claim they are more moral,..even as they steal our sovereignty and resource wealth away with conflicted legislation like those mentioned above. We have two good Alaskans ready to focus on the real issues facing Alaskans. Justice for rape victims who were under his command is something a leader would act on promptly. Parnell didn`t. That should say enough.
Thanks for letting us all know where to find Alaska’s subjective “news source”
Argh. Billy the Waffle is at it again. Aww, he just can’t seem to make up his mind. Fencewalker, tightrope walker, jaywalker, we are sick and tired of your strategic repositioning according to your moment-by-moment analysis of the political climate. Now hear this: We don’t trust you, and we certainly won’t trust our vote with you.
I’m worried about his private parts after this astounding feat of fence straddling.
Thank you Bill Walker for standing up for the gay community. We knew when you took on the mantle of the Democratic Party that you would fight for gay rights! Go Walker – Mallott. Vote Begich too. Let’s get rid of the small minded conservatives in Juneau. Happy Days are here again! Go Democrats! Go LBGT community!
A decision not to appeal wouldn’t be a new trend among some reasonable Republican Governors. http://ivn.us/2014/06/02/does-penn-governor-have-an-obligation-to-appeal-same-sex-ruling/
Walker will be a foot note in the history books by election night. This guy had promise but sold his soul to the Demmocrats. Now, he wants to screw our economy, trash the gas pipeline and whatever else that the AFFL-CIO and Mark Begich tells him to do. And Bill, if you read this, do you really expect us to believe your story about frivolous law suits? Aren’t you known as the King of Frivolity when it comes to government law suits. You’ve become Byron Mallott’s monkey.
Walker doesn’t know where he stands on most issues and when he does he doesn’t want to say. Are we talking about a candidate for governor or a 4 year old here. Give me a break. The guy made a deal with the liberals. Alaska already has too many of them. I use to support the guy. Now I don’t even know who he is. I don’t think he even knows who he is. At least I don’t like who he has become.
Walker’s response is sophomoric and laughable. Does he really think Alaskans are this stupid? Isn’t Bill Walker the one STILL suing over Point Thomson? How many millions has he wasted of the City of Valdez’s money over silly lawsuits.
Most offensive to me is this guy’s unwillingness to be open and honest with us. This isn’t an answer this is a bob and weave. This guy lacks principles we know. Now, we’re learning he lacks courage as well. He sounds more like his liberal Democratic friends like Obama and Begich daily. The more I learn about this guy, the more disgusting he gets.
Well spoken, it’s all about priorities right?
Wow, way to take a stand!