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Alaskans are being asked to pay nearly a dozen new state taxes, including a death tax, but they're being prevented from seeing exactly how the state spends its money.

Alaska's Online Checkbook was created in 2008 to allow legislators, the public, and the press to look through the ledgers of spending at the State of Alaska, line by line, without having to ask for help finding that information from a State of Alaska employee.

But during the Walker Administration, starting in July 2015, the Online Checkbook has been shut tight. Without being able to access the state's Online Checkbook, Alaskans have no realistic way to see how the state spends.

"Governor Walker engaged in great theatrics since last summer, involving Alaskans in a 'game' to balance Alaska's budget. But Alaskans are only getting the fiscal information that he wants them to have," said Suzanne Downing, communication director for the Alaska Republican Party. "Governor Walker talks a lot about transparency, but he just doesn't walk it."

In 2015, the governor paid a South Carolina consultant, Rigdon Boykin, $120,000 a month to work on a pipeline project on Walker’s behalf. Another consultant, Radoslav Shipkoff, was paid $100,000 per month by the Department of Natural Resources. Boykin and Shipkoff were close associates of Walker and his previous gasline effort, the Alaska Gasline Port Authority, that was pushing to build a gas pipeline from the North Slope to Valdez. It failed, and the State moved in a different direction.

"I have rolled some things out that are not politically popular," Governor Walker said last week, during his press conference, when asked if he thought he was a one-term governor.

That may be true, but one thing he hasn't rolled out is transparency.

This week, Alaskans learned the governor has contracted once again with high-priced DC lobbyist Jack Ferguson in what appears to be another no-bid contract. Ferguson has once again been walking the halls of the Capitol and is in and out of the governor's Third Floor office.

Walker, who ran for governor in opposition to Outside consultants, last week also brought in an European expert, Malan Rietveld, whom he has used frequently since last year. Rietveld testified Tuesday on behalf of the Governor's Senate Bill 128, the "sovereign wealth fund."

The cost of the ongoing work of Mr. Rietveld is also unknown, because the State's Online Checkbook is locked tight. The secrecy forces the inquiring public to file requests for documents, for which they are required to pay a processing fee and face lengthy delays while functionaries decide whether the information can be released.

"This isn't just an academic exercise," Downing said. "Alaskans are being asked by this governor to pay huge taxes -- income taxes, mining taxes, fish taxes, drink taxes. The list goes on. Alaskans have a right to know how Walker is spending the $400,000 an hour that the State burns through now, because next year, this will be $400,000 an hour coming out of their pockets, if he gets his way. It's time for Walker to open up his checkbook for examination."

http://www.alaskagop.org/alaska_s_online_checkbook_shut_down_since_july


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Another reason to not give politicians your PFD.

Bastards will piss it away.


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And they won't piss away an income tax?
I'd like to see meaningful (read - draconian) cuts before either (tapping pfd or income tax) are considered...

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Meh......

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Originally Posted by AKwolverine
And they won't piss away an income tax?
I'd like to see meaningful (read - draconian) cuts before either (tapping pfd or income tax) are considered...


Of course they will, it's their J - O - B.

But, the PFD is sitting there looking juicy and they don't have income tax to play with.



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I thought Alaska had no state tax?

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What is PFD?


Other than that, How was the show Mrs. Lincoln?
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Alaska has no state sales or income tax. There are already quite a number of taxes on specific things...tobacco, tires, booze, etc.

PFD is the Permanent Fund Dividend, a dividend which is paid on a huge oil royalty savings account which was started when the state was flush with oil and revenue. (We still have plenty of oil, but DC would prefer that we leave it in the ground so our volumes being sold are low right along with the price.)


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And the dividend is paid out to the people of Alaska? like a refund check, but not from taxes you paid in?


Other than that, How was the show Mrs. Lincoln?
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Originally Posted by humdinger
And the dividend is paid out to the people of Alaska? like a refund check, but not from taxes you paid in?


It was set up as a rainy day fund and as it grew some of it was paid out each year to every AK resident. It is funded 100% by oil revenue. The PFD is calculated on a rolling 5 year average on a small portion of the increase in the fund. Last year it paid aout 2,000 to every man, woman, and child.


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Originally Posted by humdinger
And the dividend is paid out to the people of Alaska? like a refund check, but not from taxes you paid in?

Not a refund check, a *dividend* check.

Alaska's resources are owned by all the residents and the PFD is a dividend from that ownership.

Think of a dividend from owning Microsoft stock.


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This year, as a former state employee (retired public school teacher), my COLA means I'll earn $35.40 more than last year. Maybe I'll spend it on a mid-shelf bottle of scotch. (I'm already spending more than the money we're saving on gas on the higher cost of groceries. frown )


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Just don't spend it all in one place.


If you take the time it takes, it takes less time.
--Pat Parelli

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--ironbender
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Yeah, wink booze is it; that's the patriotic thing to do. We know the state will/is upping booze tax so, "Support the State's budget, buy more booze!" I am confident we can close the gap if we work at it. crazy


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Originally Posted by Klikitarik
(I'm already spending more than the money we're saving on gas on the higher cost of groceries. frown )


Probably still paying a fuel surcharge on getting that stuff to your town. Funny how private companies levy this type of additional fee (akin to a tax) and then never let go of it when the conditions that warranted it go away. Just like Big Gov.

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I'm living along the Fair Banks of the Chena River at the present time, so we're not paying it directly. However, being in here and then going back out that way periodically, that's when we really get those "yikes!" moments. And I'm sure those surcharges are probably in full effect. My wife just ordered diapers for our granddaughter out there. She was bragging about getting two cases of diapers and a bunch of wipes for only $88 or so. A single case of diapers out there is $100-plus.

This isn't a bad time to consider being a bit more resourceful. That isn't necessarily fun, but sometimes it's necessary. Government gets so easily addicted to revenue.


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Well isn't that something; the permanent fund is managed by David Rubenstein of the Carlyle Group; who is married to Alice Rogoff, who owns alaska dispatch.


Alice is the gal who had obama over for dinner when he was here.

http://www.alaskagop.org/ktuu_report_raises_important_questions_regarding_influence_peddling


Son of a liberal: " What did you do in the War On Terror, Daddy?"

Liberal father: " I fought the Americans, along with all the other liberals."

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Originally Posted by watch4bear
Well isn't that something; the permanent fund is managed by David Rubenstein of the Carlyle Group; who is married to Alice Rogoff, who owns alaska dispatch.


Alice is the gal who had obama over for dinner when he was here.

http://www.alaskagop.org/ktuu_report_raises_important_questions_regarding_influence_peddling


Well isn't that special!


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w4b better be careful or he'll find himself in a closet or similar quarters for digging dirt like that! eek


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Alice Rogoff is also the one who undermined Joe Millers campaign, as Lisa had her scheduled to receive funds for her museum.

Because of budget cuts, it never happened

I'm sure she wanted to display her collection, but at taxpayer expense

http://www.adn.com/article/20100715/nys-alaska-house-gallery-opened-loudly-closes-quietly



Son of a liberal: " What did you do in the War On Terror, Daddy?"

Liberal father: " I fought the Americans, along with all the other liberals."

MOLON LABE






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