Alaska dividends slashed, and that Republican lament rings hollow

In a recent commentary, the chair of the Alaska Republican Party shamelessly shed crocodile tears over the dividend cut, as if his own party wasn't responsible. What he neglected to mention, because it ruins his attempt to cast blame on everyone except Republicans, is the Permanent Fund dividend Alaskans are receiving is more than the dividend amount ($1,022 versus $1,000) promoted by Republican leaders and voted for by Senate Republicans.

The Republican-led Legislature is ultimately responsible for Alaskans receiving half of what the dividend would have been if the statutory formula had been followed. When the PFD funding was vetoed, the Legislature's Republican leaders refused to hold a vote to consider overriding the governor's veto.

[Day of reckoning: Gov. Walker vetoes hundreds of millions, caps Permanent Fund dividend at $1,000]

Instead, Republicans left Alaskans on the hook for hundreds of millions in subsides to the oil companies, an amount this year alone is virtually equivalent to the cut to the PFD. It's time those we elect start working for us.

With this election, we have the opportunity to set a new course for a fair, sustainable and prosperous future for all Alaskans. Democrats understand we need to take action to grow and diversify our economy.

We need to strengthen our education system to ensure ideas, innovation and opportunity flourish. We need to fix the broken oil-tax system that is depleting our savings accounts and risking away our future. We need honest and accountable leaders who will work to craft a fiscal plan that is fair, balanced and sustainable. But we won't see any of this happen if Republicans remain in charge.

The Republican-controlled Legislature bears major responsibility for the budget fiasco. Republicans came home with no fiscal plan because, apparently, they were more interested in reelection and divisive distractions than in serving the people of Alaska.

Republican leadership has failed. It's time for our state legislators to work together to address these serious problems, not ignore solutions in order to protect their political careers and wealthy contributors at the expense of Alaskans. Why even hold public office if you're not going to make decisions to move Alaska forward?

Alaska needs realistic and achievable proposals to address the fiscal crisis. A willingness to consider alternative approaches to the problem might have produced more constructive results.

[Alaska Senate adjourns special session, leaving budget reforms to wait]

Yet, instead of offering a path forward and the leadership to guide us, the Republican-led majorities gave us distractions and excuses, and five expensive special sessions. If we don't change the leadership of the Legislature we can expect more of the same.

Why elect the same people who created this mess and refuse to even consider realistic solutions? Democrats are ready to lead, willing to do the right thing and to make the tough decisions.

Democrats understand we have to work together as Alaskans because no one party has all the answers. That's why Democrats offered to put partisanship aside and form a "Committee of the Whole" to develop a fair, sustainable and balanced fiscal plan. The Republican-led majorities slapped that olive branch away and continued business as usual, maintaining complete control.

There are solutions, but Republicans, aided by an army of lobbyists, went straight for the Permanent Fund while doing their best to preserve tax credits for the oil industry. After countless opportunities to produce a fiscal plan, the Republican majorities chose to do nothing except spend our savings while continuing to subsidize big oil. Whose side are they on?

Democrats believe education, seniors, kids and struggling families should not bear the sole burden of these lean times, especially when we are paying oil companies more than what we get back from our production tax. That's why Democrats called for an end to the massive, unsustainable oil subsidies.

That's also why Democrats fought to fully fund K-12 education, support our university system, keep modest benefits for low-income seniors and preserve prekindergarten as an investment in our future.

Democrats know we have to seriously examine the budget, not cry for cuts while sneaking in hundreds of thousands of dollars to benefit themselves and their wealthy friends. Rep. Hawker's illegal LIO deal, Sen. Kelly's sweetheart deal for data company giant LexisNexis, the pocketing of thousands of dollars in per diem despite living in their own homes and overpriced junkets are some examples.

While Republicans were spouting off empty rhetoric, Democrats proposed a ways and means committee to consider ways to control state spending, identify ways to improve efficiencies in government programs, and thoroughly vet proposals to raise state revenue. Again, the Republican majorities refused.

It's time for legislators to work together as Alaskans and face our challenges head-on. No political party or individual has all the answers. It's no secret that hyperpartisanship has failed. Alaskans can only build a better future if we work together. It's time to reboot the leadership in Juneau. Alaska's future depends on it.

Casey Steinau, chair of the Alaska Democratic Party, lives in Big Lake.

The views expressed here are the writer's and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary@alaskadispatch.com. Send submissions shorter than 200 words to letters@alaskadispatch.com or click here to submit via any web browser.