 by Don Hoff Jr. January 09, 2005
January 5, 2005, Anchorage Daily News, "Lisa Murkowski sworn in survivor: Accompanied by her father,Governor Frank Murkowski and Sen. Ted Stevens, U.S. Senator takes the oath. She called herself a survivor in a brief conversation with Alaska reporters at a public reception before the noon ceremony attended by campaign supporters, staff, lobbyists and figures from the State's oil and gas industry including vacuous Bill Allen, a major Republican fund-raiser." One of the first things on Senator Murkowski's agenda is to open up what is left of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil exploration and production. Why drill for oil and gas knowing that Alaskans will not benefit except for short term jobs. Alaskans will in turn buy back refine fuels at 4 or 5 times its worth or more from the lower 48? The solution is not to drill nor open up ANWR for exploration and drilling. Protect our resources for Alaskans, for our survival in the future that is what I would do. When the world's oil supply is depleted as predicted, only then I would tap into to our oil reserve for Alaskans, refined in Alaska, for Alaskans. The second issue on U.S. Senator Murkowski's agenda is to get funding for a bridge to give Ketchikan, Alaska residents more convenient access to their island airport. Critics have deemed this the "Bridge to Nowhere". Which is true, a wasting our federal tax dollars for a few opulent people and skate boarders to drive to our small airport. You are asking for $175 million dollars for a bridge to Gravina Island via Pennock Island in Ketchikan, but we know the actual costs will be $240 millions or more. You are trying to down play the actual costs of the proposed bridge in Ketchikan. I will say one more time, Pennock Island is an active Tribal burial grounds for the Taan ta Kwaan and Saan ya Kwaan people which you folks are suppose to represent also. Building this proposed bridge to Pennock Island will further cause desecration our Indian graves. It would be cheaper to build another airport on the Ketchikan side than to build the proposed $240 million dollar pork-barrel, boon-doggle bridge to no-where to Gravina Island via Pennock Island from Ketchikan. In closing, we are facing larger issues, like paying for a war in Iraq and the huge deficit in America. We don't need a bridge in Ketchikan. We don't need to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for exploitation by oil companies. This is my own opinion. Don Hoff Jr.
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