April 02, 2019
Tuesday PM

Dear Representative Ortiz: Just got done reading your letter on Sitnews about your townhall meeting and how you perceived what the public response is by this testimony.  First, the public testimony is biased, as the special interests ALWAYS organize their groups and flood the meetings, second, many Alaskans are not able to be there to speak.  Many have to work or other obligations.  I have also been reading online about other townhalls around the state, and those attending posted comments and said the applause at these events went to speakers who opposed using the permanent fund!  

I have been in the Seattle area for almost six months getting medical attention, and could not speak, though I did email you and every other member of the legislature my opinion, to not use the permanent fund WITHOUT A VOTE OF THE PEOPLE.  This is the only fair way, to let the people VOTE, not by having special interests astroturf these townhall meetings and then using that turnout to justify WHAT YOU INTENDED TO DO ALL ALONG, RAID THE PFD AND KEEP SPENDING LIKE A DRUNKEN SAILOR!

Don't try to tell me we don't have a spending problem! It's OBVIOUS the spending started increasing in 2006, and then went right through the roof! The LEGISLATURE went on a insane spending spree and didn't consider that the oil money would run out, and now they want to continue it and use the permanent fund! We need to set down with the 2005 budget and compare where this spending increased and CUT BACK to the 2005 levels! Don't try to tell me the budget for the AMH more than doubled since 2005! Get the budgets out and get the facts!  The graph at this link:
 https://www.facebook.com/groups/goodbyewalker/permalink/637171283399583/ 
shows that government spending has more than doubled since 2006, THIS IS A SPENDING PROBLEM!

I also stated we needed to review our oil credit policy, as I didn’t think it was what was proposed to the Alaskan people, and then today read this letter by longtime Alaskan, Ray Metcalf on sitnews:
  http://www.sitnews.us/0319Viewpoints/033019_ray_metcalf.html

If what he states in this letter is true, the oil credit issue is MUCH worse than we have been lead to believe and the INFLUENCE OF BIG OIL is UNACCEPTABLE!  It’s time to change this giveaway  of our ALASKA RESOURCE and get fair market price for our oil, as they do everywhere else!  If you go along with raiding the permanent fund, to maintain current outrageous state spend that has DOUBLED since  2006, and allowing BIG OIL to get $3 billion a year that belongs to the Alaskan PEOPLE, then you are then part of the corrupt bastards club, representing special interests, and not the PEOPLE of Alaska !

DO NOT USE THE PERMFUND WITHOUT A STATEWIDE VOTE AND APPROVAL OF  THE  PEOPLE!  AND NO NEW TAXES UNTIL ALASKA IS FAIRLY COMPENSATED FOR OUR OIL.  

I urge you to gather other state legislators, and DEMAND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BREAK THE OIL COMPANIES BACK TO PRE 1999 COMPONENTS, THEY ARE FAR TOO LARGE AND POWERFUL, AND ALLOWING THEM TO MERGE IN 1999 HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE CITIZENS OF ALASKA AND THE UNITED STATES!

Regards,

Byron Whitesides
Ketchikan, Alaska

Editor's Note:

The text of this letter was NOT edited by the SitNews Editor.

Received March 30, 2019 - Published April 02, 2019

Related Viewpoint:

Southeast Community Meetings – Public Comment Overview By Rep. Dan Ortiz

Viewpoints - Opinion Letters:

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