I appreciated the article about gold mines. It is a part of the Alaska economy we should know about. How about some follow-up on road maintenance and what Alaska gets from mining — taxes, fees, etc.
The Alaska Department of Transportation of Public Facilties road maintenance budget for Central Region is about $25 million. Which sounds like a lot until you look at the size of the central region with its urban areas and rural communities that use this budget to maintain their airport infrastructure too. Maintenance monies are general fund appropriations. Alaska’s gas tax is one of the lowest in the nation and hasn’t been raised in decades. Alaska relies on the federal government for monies to resurface and reconstruct and build new roads, including bridges.
It is time we knew what we — Alaska — are getting for what we give up when it comes to mining. Is there a real gain for Alaska or are mining companies getting wealthy while leaving behind huge tailings ponds filled with forever chemicals? Alaska will have to deal with the mess in perpetuity. If the incoming president follows through on his budget-cutting promises, Alaska could be a huge loser.
— Anne Brooks, Anchorage
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