If things weren’t bad enough already for Gov. Sean Parnell’s campaign, his second on the ticket, Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan who’s running for lieutenant governor, talked about using the Permanent Fund to help fund state government in the future. To be fair, he was talking about far into the future, but still, dipping into the Permanent Fund is the third rail of Alaska politics.
The Democrats saw the opportunity and jumped.
“After plunging Alaska into deficits of over $7 million per day, it’s no wonder that Team Parnell is already pondering which piggy bank to raid next. The PFD belongs to the people, not government bureaucrats,” said Mike Wenstrup, Chair of the Alaska Democratic Party.
His teachers must be proud of his poor grammar, too. ‘Opinion’ and ‘Speech’ are not proper nouns, Chris. There is no need to capitalize them. Perhaps you should go back to first grade, where clearly your maturity and mentality is still frozen. By the way, your speech is hate speech. Hate speech is any speech that attacks a person’s character, integrity or personhood based on something that differs them from you. In this case, your name calling and saying you hope the mayor goes to hell, all based on his political persuasion, is hate speech, and you know it. You certainly don’t love the man. If conservatives did that, you would call us hate mongers. It’s ridiculous how hypocritical people like you and Mae are.
Name calling is for bullies.
Mae,
You don’t know what ‘rape’ is and to use that cruel term so loosely, especially in a state where the rate of rape and sexual assault is higher than anywhere else in the country, shows how insensitive you are. To equate anyone with rapist, simply because you are of the other (big government & over spending) political party, shows how narrow-minded and cruel you are. As a woman, I am appalled you would throw that term around in a discussion about politics and public policy . If you can’t poke holes in an argument based on logic and the merits of the argument, then don’t participate in the discussion at all. Your name-calling is mean and immature.
Mae apparently can’t read or understand anything Mayor Sullivan wrote.
She sticks her fingers in her ears and sings “la, la la” when anyone speaks who has common sense, a logical mind or information she doesn’t have, especially if that person is a conservative. She repeats her broken record in the face of all evidence against it. How sad to be so unteachable and so hateful.
Just say NO to the rape n pillage party.
So Bartender/Mayor Dan actually calls some folks “full funding everything guys”. I suppose it IS better than the “$31 million rape n pillage people”.
Question is, will it be $61 million by the time Election Day comes around?
Alaskans, keep Bartender/Mayor Dan away from anything that deals with state government, that includes the PFD. Dan is a life time member of the rape and pillage people, whom are sworn to triple any close friends government contract, avoid any and all accountability and bitch loudly when asked or confronted with opposing comments or questions.
Name calling! The last refuge of those that can’t formulate a coherent response. Your teachers must be so proud.
Dan, you really need to look up the definition of hate speech. Calling you a sniveling rat-faced weasel is my stating an Opinion. Hate Speech is what many of the citizens you routinely ignore (e.g., everyone who isn’t white) experience on a regular basis.
Jon,
Last time I checked the Governor of Alaska, as powerful a position as that might be, is exactly one third of the government. The checks and balances will still be there regardless of who is Governor.
I am willing to give Walker a chance and supported him before the merger. I am disgusted with the performance of Sean Parnell and his intolerant cabal that rules this state with claims to be “fiscal conservatives” possessing “God given, rock solid conservative family values” while working so hard to shovel state largess to themselves and those who support them. Apparently “thrift” is not one of those values that count to them. They have no regard for future Alaskans – only themselves. Now we all wait for the next scandal from the creation of jobs for sitting legislators, to the Sulfolane spill, to the National Guard corruption scandal.
They appear to be an incestuous group who would love to blend the branches of government as demonstrated by the fact the Parnell’s campaign manager is on leave from his normal state job as Chief of Staff for the Speaker of House.
I suggest it is high time to clean house in Alaska starting at the top. .
Mayor Dan gets a lot of credit for commenting on this site himself and clarifying what he said. Love him or hate him, you never have to wonder where he stands on issues. I find it refreshing in an elected official. Wish others would do the same.
Thank you Mayor Sullivan, For all that you have done for Anchorage. For being willing to engage in the discussion, even when people say horrible things about you, and for governing based on what your beliefs are. It concerns me greatly that the Walker/Malloy team says they believe in fiscal responsibility while refusing to identify any areas where they might reduce the state budget at the same time that they are committing to increase the budget through DHHS, Education and a 51% ownership in the Alaska LNG project. Where do Alaskans think $33 billion for that ownership will come from?
Lynn, just becase you don’t think it will happen doesn’t mean that Walker isnt going to waste billions chasing his great white whale.
Anyway, when Walker says “study hall is over” and that he is going to get the LnG project built, is he lying? Delusional?
This is your candidate’s #1 priority after all. Worse, he wants to kick all of the experts to the curb so we “can control out destiny”. Why doesn’t this concern you? Do you really believe that Walker will not in fact follow through on his top priority? I happen to think the man is a pathological liar who will do and say anything to get elected, but he may just be dumb enough to try his insane plan to build this LNG project. I would think you would find his campaign’s top promise to be very disconcerting.
Mr. Mayor,
Thanks for the response and thanks again for broaching this subject. The discussion of priority for use of Permanent Fund revenues needs to happen now. That is the critical first step toward a plan of action. All of you in public office need to make this shortage of revenue an issue. Image is going to be an important part of your efforts. I have a hard time making an argument with folks for fiscal constraint as we pass the LIO.
Spending our reserves is not balancing the budget. We can “hope” for oil and gas; revenue however, as I was told in the military: “Hope is not a plan of action”.
Lynn, I brought up the discussion. The reality is that as long as oil revenues provide the necessary funding for state government, fund earnings are off the table. Discussions regarding the future use of fund earnings has been going on since the fund was created. I am not just for lower spending and fiscal stability, I have actually done it and it’s not easy. Talk is cheap. Proven records, not slogans are what Alaska needs going forward. Good luck with the ‘full funding everything’ slogan guys.
Hate speech from Mr Lloyd – how clever, especially from someone who has contributed absolutely nothing to our community. Run for office and show us what you got – or are you all talk?
Mayor Sullivan,
You did an overall good job controlling spending in Anchorage. Thank you for that; however, you are apparently willing to allow a delay of a serious meaningful discussion of offsetting state spending by increased use of Permanent Fund revenues, including reduction/elimination of the PFD if we cannot reduce spending or immediately raise the necessary revenue from additional taxes? You want to have that discussion “over the next generation when oil revenues are gone”. As one who lived in Anchorage in the late 1980s’ when oil prices collapsed I am not willing to wait for a discussion over the next generation. If that is all the PWAC (Party With A Candidate) has to offer me, I say no thanks….
Jon,
I have told you how many times I don’t see how any gas line across 800 miles of Alaska from the North Slope can be viable for the foreseeable future regardless of who builds it. Berkowitz correctly points out how Parnell told us he had a gas pipeline four years ago with “willing buyers and willing sellers. Nothing substantial has changed Jon except the name AGIA has morphed into AKLNG. Do not confuse motion with progress. What scares the hell out of me is the idea that the State of Alaska will be a very junior partner in this AKLNG endeavour with 51 billion in assets that could be vulnerable.
Regarding controlling spending Parnell has had his chance. He should just sit quietly now and listen. Even Parnell’s running mate is willing to broach the problem but Sullivan should remember what happened to Treadwell when Treadwell tried to actually be involved. Go ask your guy (who refused to line item veto one penny from the current budget) to explain why he couldn’t control state spending which, to me, is more important than what either of them might promise to do.
I am looking forward to the debates where these questions will certainly have to be addressed by both Walker and Parnell.
No Dan, you may not misappropriate/steal the Dividend Fund. Go to hell.
You’re like an arsonist who burns down his own house and then complains he has no place to live. You’ve asset-stripped our schools, libraries and other public services and benefitted no one other than a few of your financial friends and your weirdo ideology. I know, I know, it’s not your fault, it never is.
You’ve cheated all the other guys and and passed the savings on to no one. In two words, you suck.
You said it Jim Bob. STFU Wenstrup! You lost any right to comment the moment you stuck a knife in the backs of Mallott & French and flipped off your party members that voted during the primary. You don’t like what our side has to say…too bad.
I didn’t step in anything Amanda. I am a big supporter of the dividend as it represents Alaskans ownership interest in our state’s wealth. Mr. Weinstrup apparently doesn’t understand that the dividend is just one part of the fund earnings. Earnings are also used to inflation proof the fund and to add to the corpus of the fund. If the corpus ever grows so large that after the dividend and inflation proofing, some earnings could be used for essential services after oil revenues are gone is certainly a discussion Alaskans will have over the next generation. This is the scenario Norway has anticipated with their Generation Fund. Growing our fund’s corpus along with controlling spending is the key and something I have firsthand experience at. As mayor I have significantly reduced the growth of government spending, produced five straight years of budget surpluses while restoring the integrity of the tax cap and saving taxpayers over $100 million in the process. Our trust fund is at an all time high. We are the only city in Alaska history to achieve a AAA bond rating and last year Kiplinger.com named us the 9th best city in America. I would say we’re doing something right. These results illustrate the skills I will bring to state government. Meanwhile, I am sure for the remaining 45 days we will have to suffer through these pathetic attempts by TPWAC (the party without a candidate) to try and manufacture ‘gotcha’ moments.
Lynn,
Goodness. Walker will do nothing meaningful to deal with the budget – assuming he will pursue his other priorities like building a $50 billion (or so) LNG project without first securing the necessary permits or a real cost estimate (study hall is over baby!!!); fully funding education; “dealing” w the rural energy crisis (whatever that means); expanding Medicaid, etc etc.
Lynn, I keep asking: what is Walker going to do to deliver on his promises? Where is his plan? Why doesn’t it bother you that this man is lying to Alaskans about his two core campaign promises: balancing the budget and building us a gas line?
Hey Mike Wenstrup! STFU. Your party isn’t even fielding a candidate for governor, so you’ve lost the right to complain.
I like Dan about as much as I like dirty diapers, and for the same reason. However, the truth spoken by a dirty diaper is still the truth. For all the “hope and change” that SB21 promises, the fact is that Alaska is funded by oil, and that oil will eventually run out. If we’re smart, the Permanent Fund can be managed in a way that allows for the earnings generated by it to fund all the whims of state government, with maybe enough left over to continue paying the annual “I live here” bonus to all of us. But eventually the Fund will have to be incorporated into the way we pay for things up here, because at current spending levels, there is simply no way people could afford to live here otherwise. That’s just math.
What a surprise! The “Big” tickets will also remain “Big” spenders. The only real change will come by electing those of us who are serious about government fiscal restraint. Vote MYERS/RENSEL for true reform and accountability in Juneau.
Sullivan is simply the messenger bringing the bad news. If the Parnell/Sullivan team is elected we will remain on an apparent irreversible spending trajectory that will require we spend all the Permanent Fund earnings (and maybe the principal) on government if we don’t want to increase taxes on business and ourselves.
To listen to Governor Parnell and the members of the legislative majority one would believe that this unsustainable spending is not their fault. No legislator can remain in the majority caucus if he or she does not vote for these unsustainable budgets, yet that is not a problem. The Governor has line item veto authority, yet that is not the solution.
They are enslaved to spend on social programs and “formula spending”. Of course one should not ponder the existence of a space port, the Anchorage LIO, the Anchorage Crime Lab, roads to nowhere, mega project and other studies, continued payments for AGIA long after shale gas made it untenable, continued funding for both the AGDC/ASAP and AKLNG parallel pipelines, astro-turf fields for every school, The Anchorage Sports Stadium, increasing number of state employees, travel expenditures for the state, costs to move personal desks, exercise equipment and multiple cars to Juneau for legislators, and my favorite – providing pregnancy tests in bars. As for future unrestricted fund availability wait until the AKLNG project starts consuming significant percentages of those funds before any possible revenue from that project is realized.
Sullivan could have made an even more unpleasant observation. Since 1982 the state has distributed nearly 20 billion dollars in “formula spending” to citizens as PFD payments. Sullivan might have pointed out how the state could have saved 20 billion dollars since 1982 and we wouldn’t be in deficit spending. How would that message be received?
OF course, the Democrats are much more sophisticated at this. They want to “fully fund” education and inflation proof it forever. This state spend more than $22,000 per student and cannot get it right when it comes to education. More money will not solve this problem. It is merely a transfer of wealth from the state coffers to the union coffers. Also Walker and Co. want to build a natural gas line fully funded by the State of Alaska. Where is the money coming from–more than $51,000,000,000? The Permanent Fund-all of it.
The Republican is surprised to be agreeing with Beltrami, however, when it comes to the Mayor………
He’s an idiot and a huge drag on the GOP ticket.
Can anything be done to get him to resign?
There are lots of good Republicans who could take his place. Unlike the Democrats, we don’t have to go oitside the party for a candidate.
Senator Mike Dunleavy beat him to it in the last legislative session, asking if they could take money from the PFD fund. Raiders.
This figures. Seanoco is giving away our oil unconstitutionally, and now they plan to raid the Permanent Fund.
Seanoco’s record when he was in the legislature was dismal. He voted for many different bills- or even sponsored bills that would have led to raids on our Permanent Fund.
Bill Walker 2014!