Dave Donaldson

A special House Finance subcommittee opened hearings today on a bill to continue and expand a program offering tax incentives for production companies making movies in the state.

The state’s major oil companies today continued to promote their requirement that they must see meaningful tax cuts before the state sees meaningful production increases.

The standoff over Governor Parnell’s plan to rewrite the state’s oil tax regime has turned personal. In a letter to Senate Finance Co-Chair Bert Stedman late last week, Parnell referred to Senators working on an alternate tax reduction plan as, “a group of hens in the barnyard.”

The House also today authorized a five year extension of the Renewable Energy Grant fund. In continuing the program, it also informally agreed to contribute $50-million a year to projects fitting into the Fund’s requirements.

The House Monday exempted large non-profits from being financially audited as a part of their collecting donations through the Permanent Fund Dividend distribution. The audit was required as part of the Pick, Click, Give program that allows people to make donations from their annual dividend.

The House today agreed with the Senate’s request that the Arctic Council Task Force consider Alaska’s interests in establishing standards for shipping and oil pollution preparedness for Arctic waters.

Finance Co-Chair Bill Thomas said the plan will require oil prices to average about $100 a barrel next year to avoid deficit spending.

The House today rejected minority amendments to next year’s operating budget in anticipation of a final vote on the plan this evening.

The state House of Representatives is ready for debate and a vote tomorrow on the operating budget for next year.

Michael Geraghty, the Anchorage attorney appointed as the state’s next Attorney General, says “Tribal Courts are here to stay,” – saying it’s the law of the land and pointing to authority most recently recognized by the state Supreme Court.