How can you say that oil and gas credits are not major cost drivers? What do they do for the people of Alaska? What do crazy mining roads and the other unnecessary capital projects do for Alaskan people? Nothing. The Chinese economy may never need a huge amount of minerals ever again. It is in trouble. The businesses that will use these capital projects will employ few in businesses that pay few taxes. How will those projects educate our kids, take care of our necessary roads, care for people with mental illness? They won't. Taken together those things are major cost drivers that do almost nothing for Alaska.  What will happen if we don't pay this?  As I understand it, the oil and gas credits are close to two thirds of the education budget and then you add the Ambler mining road, the Susitna dam (probably a mining industry electricity giveaway) and the Knik Arm Bridge etc. maybe the money is close to the size of the education budget.  Maybe more.

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