BERTA'S BRIEFINGS 

Representative Berta Gardner
Serving Geneva Woods, College Village, Green Acres,
Tudor, Taku and Campbell Park

Write Me:     State Capitol Bldg., Room 424
                       Juneau, AK 99801
Call Me:        1-800-331-4930
E-Mail Me:   Rep_Berta_Gardner@legis.state.ak.us
My Website: http://gardner.akdemocrats.org

ACES is Good for Alaska and
We Want Truth in Advertising!

February 5th, 2010

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

         Alaskans deserve a fair and informed discussion of our oil and gas policy.

         Jobs and investment, and a fair share for our oil are important to Alaskans.  Recent ads sponsored by the Alliance, an oil industry support group, imply that somehow the revision in 2007 of industry tax structure known as Alaska’s Clear and Equitable Share (ACES) is hindering development and employment in the oil patch.  I’m skeptical.  Since ACES was enacted, employment figures, spending on development and industry profits all tell a bit of a different story.

• According to the Department of Revenue ACES Status Report employment has increased, with 2,000 more people working in the industry since ACES passed in 2007.
   
• Capital investment increases in oil and gas exploration and development are also covered in the same report.  According to the Department of Revenue those increases have roughly doubled since the passage of ACES, from about $1 billion in 2004 to over $2 billion
   
• We’ve also seen industry profit margins in Alaska increase since 2007 according to their own reporting.

         We all believe in creating jobs, promoting responsible development, and maintaining a stable fiscal environment to support resource development.  Misleading and biased advertising to influence the discussion doesn’t do anyone any good.

         Again, Alaskans deserve a fair and informed discussion of our oil and gas policy.  I encourage everyone to review the DOR report.  Look at the real data.

         I'm Berta. I’m looking for the truth and still listening.