Admitting Defeat, Anti-Oil Group Disbands

August 24, 2021

Astute followers of Alaska’s long-running fight over oil taxes will remember the “Vote Yes for Alaska’s Fair Share” group that headed up the anti-industry ballot measure for the 2020 election.  Led by former Governor Bill Walker’s law partner, Robin Brena, the group formed to try to triple taxes on Alaska’s legacy oilfields.

Thankfully, voters saw through their shenanigans, defeating “Vote Yes” by a near-landslide (58% to 42%).  There was talk that the group would try again in 2022, as doing so would bring out left-of-center votes during a year that gubernatorial and US Senate seats were both in-play.

But late last week, the group formally disbanded, filing its final report with the Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC), and noting in its “Campaign Plans” section it was “Disbanding: No plans to re-form. Closing out campaign account.”

While that is exceptionally good news for Alaskans who won’t have to witness another attack on our leading economic driver, it is doubly good news when you consider the results of a recent study by the American Action Forum.  It showed that ballot measures add economic uncertainty to states, and that continuous ballot measures exponentially add stress to states’ economic certainty.  That certainty/uncertainty has a direct effect on states’ ability to bring new industry to their cities, and hurts GSP (gross state product) in both the short- and long-term.

Doug Holtz-Eakin, the President of American Action Forum, will be one of Alaska State Director Rick Whitbeck’s guests on tonight’s Power The Future Energy Hour radio program.  The show, which airs from 5:00-6:00 PM Alaska time (9:00-10:00 PM Eastern) on KVNT (92.5 FM – 1020 AM or online around the world at 1020KVNT.com) will have Doug on to discuss his study from 5:35-5:45 PM local.