(SitNews) - Alaska Common Ground hosted a debate on Ballot Measure 1 last week which Alaskans are voting on in the 2020 general election.

The discussion started with an overview of the ballot measure, followed by opening remarks by both for and against panelists. This was followed by discussion amongst the panelists and questions from the audience.

The debate was moderated by Drew Cason and the overview was provided by Ralph Townsend, ISER. Robin Brena and Senator Bill Wielechowski debated Aaron Schutt and Roger Marks representing OneAlaska, said to be the oil industry front group.

Debate on October 06, 2020

Panelists For:

• Robin Brena (For) is Chair of Vote Yes for Alaska’s Fair Share and helped draft the initiative on the ballot in November as Ballot Measure 1. He is a long-time oil and gas attorney who served as the chairman of the Oil and Gas Subcommittee for the Walker administration transition team. 
  
  
• Bill Wielechowski (For) was first elected to the Alaska State Senate in 2006. He serves Northeast Anchorage and JBER. He is an attorney and has a degree in Finance. He served on the Senate Resources Committee for 10 years where he focused on energy and oil and gas issues. He has served as the Co-Chair of that committee, as well as serving as the former Co-Chair of the Senate State Affairs Committee and Co-Chair of the Joint Armed Services Committee. He is currently a member of the Senate Finance Committee.
  
  
• Slides for Vote Yes

• Aaron Schutt, President & CEO, Doyon Limited. Before joining Doyon in 2006, Schutt was an attorney at the Anchorage offices of national law firms Sonosky, Chambers, Sachse, Miller & Munson, LLP and Heller Ehrman, LLP, where he represented tribal and ANCSA corporation clients in transactional and business matters. He is Chair of the ANCSA Regional Association Board. Schutt slides
  
  
• Roger Marks has been a petroleum economist in Alaska for more than 35 years. After more than two decades with the Alaska Department of Revenue, he started a consulting practice in which his clients have included oil companies and the Alaska Legislature. He currently has no financial ties to the oil industry. Marks Slides

Quoting a news release from YES on 1 Alaska's Fair Share, the organizers (Alaska Common Ground) polled attendees of the virtual event before and after the debate. Before the debate 56% of the audience were planning to vote yes on Ballot Measure 1 and after the debate that rose to 68%. The event was attended by hundreds of Alaskans across the state, with many oil industry supporters in the audience.

During the debate, Schutt concede that Alaska should raise oil production revenue, but said taxes needed to be raised on Alaskans as well. "I clearly recognize the need for new revenue for Alaska. In my opinion that new revenue does need to include some additional amount from the oil and gas industry," Schutt said during the debate [timestamp: 42:00]. "But we also need new revenue from other industries in Alaska."

"Alaskans have suffered under Senate Bill 21 for the past five years, and are figuring out we are not getting a fair deal for our oil,” Brena observed. “Last night's debate shows that the more Alaskans hear both sides and learn the facts, the more likely they are to vote yes on Ballot Measure 1." 

"I applaud the opposition for admitting that Alaska's oil revenue's should be raised," Wielechowski said. "The fact is every single Alaskan has already lost over $7,000 from their PFDs to pay for the the production revenue crisis. We must fix our broken production revenue system this year and Ballot Measure 1 is the only new revenue that can be implemented this fiscal year."

“While it’s nice hear that Alaskans opposing Ballot Measure 1 are finally starting to admit Alaska needs to get a better deal for our oil,” Brena acknowledged, “the Texas-based oil companies taking our oil are doing everything possible to avoid giving back even a penny of what they took from us through Senate Bill 21. Ballot Measure 1 must be passed by the Alaskan voters on November 3rd because Juneau simply isn’t capable of getting back a fair share for us.” 

"We want to thank Alaska Common Ground for organizing an excellent debate, and Drew for doing a great job as the moderator of a spirited debate,”  Brena concluded. 

Ballot Measure 1 would increase Alaska’s share of production revenue only from Alaska’s three largest and most profitable oil fields. It would end the shroud of secrecy and make company profits on these fields public information so it can no longer be hidden. The Fair Share Act will be decided by voters in the November 3 election.

Interested readers can attend a live Zoom forum on Ballot Measure 1 from Noon – 1:30 pm, Monday October 12, 2020 sponsored by Anchorage Association of Energy Economists and UAA’s Institute of Social and Economic Research.

Larry Persily will moderate a panel with four energy economists: UAF Professor Doug Reynolds for the ballot initiative, Roger Marks against, ISER economist Mouchine Guettabi and former legislative consultant Nikos Tsafos, who will give a global perspective on oil and gas.

The forum will feature a panel of energy and tax economists. After short introductions, the bulk of the forum will be an opportunity for voters to ask questions of the panel. This is not intended to be adversarial or partisan toward either side. We will also discuss what is going on in the competitive world of oil investments and how other countries are responding.

To register for the October 12th and for more information on the Virtual Forum on Proposition 1 - Fair Share Act click here...

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