 By Craig Moen December 12, 2006
Gas is currently at $5.29 a gallon in Kotzebue, and is $1-$2 higher when you go further out in the Bush. In Fort Yukon you can spend $9 on a large cabbage, and $10 on a 12-pack of Pepsi, to a large degree because there s only one store. The thing is, however, that you just don t buy those things as often, and you walk a lot more or drive a 4-wheeler instead of a monster SUV. If people were serious about the price of gas, they d buy smaller cars for one thing, or drive a moped at 100 mpg. Executive compensation is another thing most people really don't understand. I personally wouldn't take the job of governor of Alaska for $125k per year - there's easier ways of making a buck. I read the same article about the UA president's salary at $300k, but read on to see that larger university systems in the lower 48 pay $900k+. No doubt about it, that's a lot of money. But certain professionals can be no real cost to an enterprise because they either bring in or save more than they're paid. Hire a UA president worth $125k and it will cost you more than the one worth $300k. That's another market truism - you get what you pay for. Maybe if we paid our public officials a market-based salary, they'd be more inclined to conduct business in a way that better served the interests of their constituents, and less likely to be tempted into making side deals that are self-serving and cater to special interests. Craig Moen About: "lived in the Bush"
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