Questions from Mat-Su Business Alliance:

Answer: The Operating Budget needs to be trimmed using terms I learned years ago, “Living within our means, and leading by example.”   To be more precise, we need to balance spending with revenues over an intermediate timeframe, and not adopt unsustainable budgets.

Attempting to enact straight across the board reductions hasn’t worked in the past. Management just cuts workers from the field, and roads don’t get fixed or plowed, public safety doesn’t arrive at your house to help, and the list goes on. Management learned long ago if you cut the areas were it hurts most, the people will complain and their budgets will be reinstated.

Looking over the State's operations budget, one could easily conclude there is a lot of fat that can be cut without affecting essential services.  For example, the allocation for administration in all departments, is inflated. I would start with a 3% cut specifically targeted at management (administration) in all State agencies, beginning with the House, Senate and Governor's budgets.  Leading by example, this will show all state departments that the legislature and Governor's Office  are willing to go first and do what is right. We can then continue  trimming until we have a budget that fiscally responsible. 

The Capital Budget needs to be needs based only.  We have given away way too much on feel good get re-elected items in the capital budget while we have no roads or substandard roads throughout too much of our state, no roads or rail and gas lines that would open up resource development, and the list goes on. 

Our legislators have been spending Billions over the last 5 years and yet not a single major infrastructure project has been fully funded or completed. It is time that we start a 5 year plan on capital projects throughout our state for full funding of infrastructure projects, like roads, rail and gas lines, that provides the opportunity for resource development and allows private business to create jobs and lower our unemployment rate.

Oil is what pays the bills for the state, but it doesn’t hurt to diversify and have a solid resource base other than oil available to keep Alaskan’s working and generating additional revenue.

Q. 2.        Question:  The Federal Government continues to pass regulations that interfere with rights of individuals and the sovereign authority of the individual states.  Would you be willing to sponsor a resolution to the Federal Government to stop regulations that negatively impact business and industry in Alaska?

Answe   Answer:

It is time for Alaska to stand up to Federal regulations that unduly interfere with free enterprise and the economic well-being of our state. I am willing to sponsor legislation that would limit the over-reaching authority of the Federal Government. 

Q. 3.        

Q. 4.       Question: Alaska is now, and will continue to be, dependent on natural resource development for much of the State’s economy.  What, if anything, should the State do to encourage investment in the development of our Natural Resources?

Answ     Answer:

First would be lowering the taxes and associated fees on all business and corporations to create a better business-friendly climate. Secondly, we should enact a streamlined process of permitting for projects along with legislation that promotes cooperation on resource development for the future of Alaska. Finally, I would look at what infrastructure is needed to develop resources.  Working with, instead of against, resource development is what we should be striving for.

Q. 5.       Question: Should new energy sources, such as hydroelectric and gas lines, be funded by the State or private entities?

Answ      Answer: 

Each case needs to be looked at individually.  By partnering with private entities we may be able to overcome hurdles that would otherwise stop new energy projects.  We should review each project for various possible funding sources, like Alaska did with the oil pipeline.

Q. 6.  CQuestion:

                NBC ranked the 50 states for their business-friendly environment. Alaska ranked 47th.   What do you think is the most important thing the state could do to change that?  CNBC’s Rankings

AnswA    Answer:

First we need to lower taxes and fees on business, next start working on infrastructure projects that makes sense like building new roads and bridges, opening up Port Mac, construct rail lines, and build a natural gas pipeline that will lower energy costs and provide the opportunity for job creation and make Alaska a business friendly state.

Additi          Final Comments: 

What happened to establishing budgets that are affordable, sustainable, stable and responsible?  Fiscal responsibility is living within our means, using financial resources wisely and making financial decisions in an open and transparent way.

Promises are made all the time about cutting the budget, living within our means being, fiscal responsible. You heard words from my opponent that they (the legislature) only write the checks, without him taking any responsibility for the checks he's writing!  Thirteen years in Juneau as Chief of Staff/State Representative...and just look at the uncontrolled growth in the State Budget, the lack of any completed major infrastructure project, and his indifference to the looming economic crisis a declining oil pipeline throughput poses for us.   If you'll just elect him one more time he claims fiscal responsibility, and yet he admits he still doesn’t understand the budget. 

Unlike my opponent, I believe cuts can be, and have to be, made to the operations budget.  We should be working from a 5 year forecast of revenue timeframe, and spending should be balanced with revenue with a 3% decrease of the budget each year with revenue projections calculating the decrease in oil production and tied to oil at $80 dollars a barrel,.

Let’s not just make plans for our infrastructure.  We need to actually build something for a change!  We must build the infrastructure that will create new opportunity for business and lower taxes to entice new business. We study and plan, and study and plan a few years later, and then complain that nothing gets accomplished.

Here's a thought.  Let’s not just talk about it, let’s really do it.  It's going to take new blood in Juneau.

This is the only way we can assure a business friendly State and Fiscal Responsibility for now and future generations.

Roger Purcell

Candidate 

Mayor Purcell Administration Financial reports for the City of Houston.