Alaska ferries generate 133 ROI (Metlakatla: preschool, university, income)

[stiffnecked]

I'm going to give Dunleavy the benefit of the doubt for right now. There may be a method to his madness. The State of Alaska can't keep spending money it doesn't have. If folks don't want an income tax, a sales tax and a statewide property tax then they best prepare to give up the PFD to fund state services. One hand giveth, another taketh away. I'm in favor of giving up the PFD in lieu of being nickeled and dimed to death with a plethora of never ending taxes.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by 6.7traveler

I do think there's tons of productive people up here worth a damn though. Not everyone is the stereotypical trashy billy brown. They are just an easy scapegoat. There's some world class people up here.

You should ask all the world class productive people you know why they don't run for office. They'll probably all have similar answers.

My comments about Billy Brown were specific to the type of people who dragged up for "the check," and not really about Alaskans in general (although I've been hearing some awful things about Anchorage and North Pole these days). We see way more of them in SE than you do up there in Delta Junction. They usually start acting like the PFD is their birthright two minutes after their rattletraps roll off the M/V Matanuska.

ETA I don't fault anyone for looking for a better life as long as they're willing to leave their grifting ways behind, but I'm not sure how often that actually happens.

So under Dumleavy's original campaign promise (6700K PFDs), a family with eight kids would be raking in almost 70K from the state...can't wait to read the wailing and gnashing of teeth on the ADN's social media site about how the governor is stealing the PDF when that doesn't happen.

[Haolejohn]

My only comment. This proposed budget sucks. I was informed two weeks ago that I don’t have a job next year. Might know something in June. So I ha e a decision to make. Find a job somewhere else? Change careers? Wait? What happens if I wait and there is no job with matsu? I guess I’ll fins something and either live away from my family or live off welfare. Ain’t no way, I’m finding a job that covers my expenses unless it’s in the same field. 13 years invested in a career makes starting over anywhere near your income almost impossible.

We moved up 7 years ago, and didn’t even know about the PFD. Heck I didn’t even apply for one the first year I was eligible.

[riceme]

Originally Posted by Haolejohn

My only comment. This proposed budget sucks. I was informed two weeks ago that I don’t have a job next year. Might know something in June. So I ha e a decision to make. Find a job somewhere else? Change careers? Wait? What happens if I wait and there is no job with matsu? I guess I’ll fins something and either live away from my family or live off welfare. Ain’t no way, I’m finding a job that covers my expenses unless it’s in the same field. 13 years invested in a career makes starting over anywhere near your income almost impossible.

We moved up 7 years ago, and didn’t even know about the PFD. Heck I didn’t even apply for one the first year I was eligible.

I keep reading about what the student to teacher ratios are going to be if the proposed cuts are made to our educational system, and it makes me angry. The quality of education that we'll be providing our kids will be nothing short of shameful. How will we be able to retain talented educators? Who would want to teach in such an environment?

My heart goes out to you. I have a big soft-spot for folks that work in the public school system. It is often a thankless job.

I know this won't sound helpful at all, but I have faith that if this budget cut does happen you'll figure something out. You seem like a smart, likable, resourceful guy. I've done all sorts of things to earn a living, but I have never worked in my field of study. All of my jobs for the past 20-years have required a college degree of some sort. No one has ever really cared what the degree was in.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by stiffnecked

I'm going to give Dunleavy the benefit of the doubt for right now. There may be a method to his madness. The State of Alaska can't keep spending money it doesn't have. If folks don't want an income tax, a sales tax and a statewide property tax then they best prepare to give up the PFD to fund state services. One hand giveth, another taketh away. I'm in favor of giving up the PFD in lieu of being nickeled and dimed to death with a plethora of never ending taxes.

I think there's an element of grandstanding as well, and as I've said, there are some lessons the Alaska electorate needs to learn. But this is at the expense of working people, and I wouldn't want to be a ferry employee or a teacher trying to map out my future in Alaska in the midst of the current (and future) hunger games. Alaskans — I know you know this — need to prepare for worst case scenarios instead of just believing that the worst couldn't possibly happen. Because the worst does happen, and people do lose "cushy state jobs."

[Haolejohn]

And that’s what makes it hard. Everyone keeps saying, you will be ok. You teach special ed.
We blew through our savings to move out of the bush. Our worst case deadline is June. I ain’t becoming a leech on society.
We made Alaska our forever home. I hope we get to keep it that way.

[mitgreb]

Want to keep them running then start paying more for them.

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by mitgreb

Want to keep them running then start paying more for them.

I don't believe that's currently an option on the table, but certainly worth looking at IMO. Typically off season (non summer) rates have gone down, when there is less use. Looks like that will be a thing of the past, one way or another.

Same thing can be said for our highways-lowest gas tax in nation-it should be raised significantly

Also oil, gas and mineral extraction companies need to pay more for using the states' non renewable resources. Want to keep making lots of money digging them up? -pay more taxes.

[Haolejohn]

Originally Posted by riceme

I keep reading about what the student to teacher ratios are going to be if the proposed cuts are made to our educational system, and it makes me angry. The quality of education that we'll be providing our kids will be nothing short of shameful. How will we be able to retain talented educators? Who would want to teach in such an environment?

My heart goes out to you. I have a big soft-spot for folks that work in the public school system. It is often a thankless job.

I know this won't sound helpful at all, but I have faith that if this budget cut does happen you'll figure something out. You seem like a smart, likable, resourceful guy. I've done all sorts of things to earn a living, but I have never worked in my field of study. All of my jobs for the past 20-years have required a college degree of some sort. No one has ever really cared what the degree was in.

Thanks. I know we will figure something out. May not be the ideal situation, but we will survive.

I got ideas and suggestions to weather the storm. I’m not sure if my voice will be heard. But I can say I at least offered suggestions.

[Frostnip]

Originally Posted by Blind Cleric

Also oil, gas and mineral extraction companies need to pay more for using the states' non renewable resources. Want to keep making lots of money digging them up? -pay more taxes.

Yes. Also, they need to dig/drill or go. The huge companies can afford to sit on claims indefinitely until they'll get a higher ROI, but that doesn't do workers, the state, or residents any good. If an extractor isn't working the leased property, another company should be allowed a crack at it.