Minority caucus Republicans offered amendments that would cut $28 million, but none passed.
Energy & Mining
Hecla takes aim at critical film with copyright claim
Hecla Mining Co. asserted copyright on about 28 seconds of promotional footage used in a 20-minute film critical of its Greens Creek Mine. The dispute hasn’t affected distribution of the documentary, which is touring across the country as part of the Wild & Scenic Film Festival.
At confirmation hearing, Fisher says he supports diversifying state revenue
Sheldon Fisher didn’t champion any individual tax during his confirmatin hearing. Afterward, he said the biggest source of new revenue should be a draw on Alaska Permanent Fund earnings.
The Cost of Cold: Staying Warm in Sitka
Richard Parmelee warms his house with vegetable oil, donated by a local Chinese restaurant and McDonalds.
Alaska regulators quiz utilities over tax windfall
Regulated utilities benefiting from the corporate tax cut should share the wealth with Alaska ratepayers. That’s the argument made by the Attorney General’s office in a recent filing to state regulators.
Oil revenue is up in state’s spring forecast
The state will still have a $2.3 billion gap between what it spends and what it raises. Lawmakers from the two majorities in the Legislature had different responses to the news.
State puts out list of companies that got $75 million in cashable tax credits last year
These cash-for-credits recipients used to be kept confidential, but a law passed in 2016 now requires that the state report them.
Salmon initiative clears another hurdle
The Yes for Salmon initiative reports it received close to 42,000 signatures, significantly more than required. But a vote on the issue isn’t guaranteed.
Don Young gets riled up contrasting Jewell and Zinke in committee
“It’s such a pleasure to hear them squeal and squall on the other side, after they stick it to us all those years with Sally Jewell,” Congressman Young said of Democrats on the House Resources Committee.
Iñupiat leadership organizations contemplate a “unified voice”
“I definitely think it’s possible to have a unified voice but it’s never going to be truly unified unless all entities that were invited to the table take advantage of it,” Utqiaġvik Mayor Fannie Suvlu said.