Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, is defending Alaska’s oil and gas jobs as being on the rise, while the governor states this is not the case.
Wielechowski says those industry jobs are near an all-time high, citing statistics from the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development that show oil and gas workforce has a preliminary annual employment average of 12,800 in 2010. This is just under the historical high of 12,900 the previous year, according to that same chart.
That same chart shows the average increasing since 2003, when it was at 8,100. The 2011 oil and gas employment estimates show the 13,000 as the revised number for January and 12,900 for the preliminary February figure.
Wielechowski says these numbers contradict claims by Gov. Sean Parnell that oil and gas industries are down and the state’s future is at risk. He said one of the biggest arguments he’s heard is that jobs dropped significantly lately, but the department’s numbers show differently.
“The governor has heard directly from Alaska employers like Cruz Construction, Doyon, and Lynden Transport who have said they have had to reduce their Alaska workforce and send jobs to more competitive environments. There is absolutely no debate that Alaskan oil production is declining and those jobs are going to go away unless we act to improve our competitiveness by reducing oil taxes,” Parnell’s spokeswoman, Sharon Leighow, stated in an e-mail.
“Responsible decisions on Alaska’s future must be based on hard facts, not unsubstantiated claims,” Wielechowski said.
He pointed out further statistics from the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, stating 137 wells were drilled in 2006, 139 in 2008 and 164 in 2010.
He said increases in the industry are very evident in the North Slope, with capital and operating expenditures going from $3.7 billion in fiscal year 2007 to $3.8 billion in fiscal year 2008 to $4.3 billion in fiscal year 2009 and $4.7 billion in fiscal year 2010. He also said it’s clear that employment has increased there over the years.
Furthermore, he states the Department of Revenue forecasts increased expenditures of $5.1 billion in fiscal year 2011 and $5.5 billion in fiscal year 2012, based on information provided by the industry.
“The time for an honest appraisal of the facts is now,” Wielechowski said in a release. “Alaskans are being asked to forgo billions of dollars in revenue each year which otherwise could go to improving education, building needed infrastructure, and saving for less prosperous times. They should not be duped or misled into making a decision of this magnitude.”
Wielechowski said much of the industry’s growth is due to the Alaska’s Clear and Equitable Share (ACES) oil tax. He has defended ACES, which passed in 2007 under then-Governor Sarah Palin. Parnell has opposed the tax.
Communications Director Beth Leschper of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development said the department only provides the statistics and could not comment on oil and gas employment trends.
• Contact reporter Jonathan Grass at 523-2276 or at jonathan.grass@juneauempire.com.
Comments (9)
Add commentWhom To Believe?
Kind of like the national unemployment numbers - more of that funny democrat math. Spin the numbers to further the agenda.
I think I'll take the numbers from the private employers over the government numbers.
Parnell is wasting state money
What does a oil lobbyist and an attorney do?
Parnell is giving billions of state dollars to the oil companies
Parnell is also spending millions of state dollars in lawsuits
Alaska needs a new Governor
Our states future is at risk because of Parnell
Even if the U.S. can reduce our demand for foreign oil, experts say this will not bring down the cost of gasoline, since oil is priced globally and the increased demand from China and other developing nations will continue to push prices up up up up and up
Also the cost of oil is more than what we are paying at the pumps when you look at the pollution costs, the lives lost in wars, and it will only get worse
We need to get OFF Fossil Fuels because they are expensive, dirty and killing our planet.
What happens to our state when we all turn to a cheaper and cleaner energy source?
Sean Parnell and his oil friends are blind to these facts and they will continue down the path that is feeding them till the bitter end, it is up to us to say no to Parnell that we have to start building a better future for our kids now.
Moving to a new energy economy will create more jobs
Economic growth and energy independence and moving toward cleaner forms of energy will create New Jobs.
Our state should be capitalizing now on the need for cleaner sources of energy that do not imperil our climate because this is what will spark new products, new businesses and jobs all over this country by tapping America's greatest renewable resource: our ingenuity.
What steps is our state taking today to capitalize on this?
Parnell is dragging our state down
Pants on fire!
Parnell is like most right wingnuts, can't deal with facts. The industry is promising nothing (no new jobs, no new spending, no new exploration) but just wants lower taxes. Alaska is finally getting its fair share after years of industry rip-offs, and they just want to go back to ripping us off again.
Thank goodness the Senate isn't buying Parnell's bogus arguments.
"Here's the numbers, give us more profits!"
Calypso said, "I think I'll take the numbers from the private employers over the government numbers.
Spoken like a true Repub (and no, I'm not a Democrat)! So, your going to believe the numbers coming from the industry that is lobbying for a huge tax break instead of the unbiased numbers?
Please Calypso, don't ever run for office or make any important decisions based on information from a biased source.
Alaskan Businesses Are Suffering
There has been a loss of jobs not only within the oil industry in Alaska but by those Alaskan owned and operated businesses that support the industry. As many realize, this is a trickle down effect that will eventually have an impact on every resident of the state. Bottom line: We need to reverse the decline in production and one way of doing that is to make Alaska competitive by creating a fair tax structure.
Parnell is a liar!
How else are you going to say it?
Parnells buddies say they need lower taxes and then maybe then can hire some more people.
-or
DLWD numbers show cold hard facts that employement in industry is up and near the record high.
Repeat the lie as often as possible and simply dismiss facts as "I don't believe it because my friend told me otherwise". THIS is our leader? Omg, really really? Truthiness fit for Fox News. Seriously. Can the spin get any more blatant than an obvious LIE now? A L.I.E. A person purposefully repeating a factual inaccuracy in light of the truth is a LIAR. As if he didn't know.
Parnell is a unabashed LIAR. Keep it simple. New Gov please! Recall recall recall!
Pathetic
If it wasn't due to the reality that parnell is holding our states budget health in his hand as he proposes these tax giveaways it would almost be laughable. Seriously. If we read about this going on in new york we'd just shrug and think "those corrupt guys in NY, I guess they are used to it". Expect better. Demand better. Get rid of this flake you would think most people would have to admit they've lost their confidence in. Predictable, but no confidence.