Michael Tavoliero: What happened to Sen. Rob Yundt?

By MICHAEL TAVOLIERO

In a recent Facebook comment, newly installed Senator Rob Yundt (R) responded to Suzanne Downing’s Must Read Alaska, “Camel’s nose: Alaska Senate Democrat majority has a surprise tax package to raise cash for state spending”, Feb. 26, 2025, as follows:

“Poor Suzanne, I’m afraid if brains were dynamite she wouldn’t have enough to blow a fart.

“It’s not conservative to have a tax environment that treats one company substantially better than the rest in the same industry. That’s called crony capitalism. It’s also not conservative to allow 743K Alaskan residents to get short changed because of a loophole that was accidentally created nearly 50 years ago. So far that loophole is $732 per resident & will be approximately another $179 per resident next year. It’s hard to fix the PFD if we’re giving our natural resources away at a large discount.

“This subject has been discussed in this building for at least 4 years (picture attached). It’s time to close the damn loophole & stop letting Alaskan residents get ripped off. Nothing more, nothing less. 

“My cell phone is still the same. 907-232-8340, if anyone has any questions give me a call anytime.”

A quick reminder to anyone paying attention. Candidate Yundt’s campaign promise of Feb. 19, 2024, stated his intentions of “Expanding our state economy through responsible mining/timber development so we’re not solely dependent on oil revenue.”

Camel’s nose: Alaska Senate Democrat majority has a surprise tax package to raise cash for state spending

Even more fascinating, candidate Yundt’s campaign promises contain the typical political spectrum of promises for family bonding improvements, municipality land rights, timber harvesting growth, school choice, election integrity and a better Alaska for seniors. Nope, nothing on a new tax or closing that nasty loophole.

Sen. Yundt’s SB 92 surprised most of us conservatives.

Sen. Rob Yundt starts his legislative career by introducing a new tax on oil

Sen. Yundt’s response is a perfect illustration of why Alaska’s government spending problem continues unchecked. Rather than addressing the real issue of bloated bureaucracy, he’s engaging in petty insults and political distractions emblematic of the boring and stupid junior high school insults the public has seen for more than a decade from state democrats and RINOs.

On March 25, 2024, candidate Yundt wrote, “Instead of burdening Alaskans with more taxes, policymakers should prioritize investing in infrastructure, mineral development & reducing red tape. By staying true to our values of personal freedom & self-determination, Alaska can chart a course towards a vibrant & resilient economy for generations to come.”

Senator Yundt’s FB condescending response to criticism, laced with juvenile insults, does not hide the fact that his bill is just another attempt to increase government revenue instead of reforming spending. His so-called “conservative” tax proposal targeting one company—Hilcorp—reveals that Alaska’s elected officials are more interested in shifting tax burdens than making the state’s bloated budget more efficient.

This is not a principled stand against crony capitalism; it is selective taxation designed to generate more state revenue under the guise of fairness. Yundt’s bill aligns perfectly with the broader Democrat-led push to impose new taxes on businesses, including SB 112 (targeting oil production) and SB 113 (taxing out-of-state digital commerce).

Alaska does not have a revenue problem; it has a spending problem.

The unelected state bureaucracy treats fiscal responsibility as an optional suggestion, burning through taxpayer dollars with little accountability. Instead of tackling this, Yundt is focused on closing a tax “loophole” that has existed for nearly 50 years—all while ignoring the far larger and more urgent issue of out-of-control state spending.

Instead of addressing that reality, politicians like Senator Rob Yundt and his Democratic allies are proposing new tax schemes to squeeze more money from businesses and residents—without any plan to curb the out-of-control bureaucratic machine that continues to waste taxpayer dollars.

It’s particularly revealing that his approach to debate is condescension rather than substance. Instead of offering meaningful reforms to cut government waste, reduce inefficiencies, or demand accountability from the entrenched deep state, which appeared as many of his campaign promises, he lied and is now pushing for new taxes under the guise of “fairness.” It’s the same old big-government playbook: when politicians refuse to cut spending, they look for new ways to take more from the private sector.

If Yundt were truly interested in fixing Alaska’s financial problems, he’d be focused on reducing the cost of government, not inventing new ways to extract more money from the economy. Instead, he’s playing into the hands of the bureaucratic machine that believes it is entitled to Alaskans’ wealth, rather than accountable to them.

Robert Seitz: ‘Yundt Tax’ won’t help oil production

And his flippant, unprofessional remarks don’t just expose his arrogance, they reveal his complete unwillingness to engage in a serious conversation about fiscal responsibility. If Alaska’s newest Republican senator thinks insults are a substitute for leadership, then Alaskans should take note of exactly who he serves: the bureaucracy, not the people.

Meanwhile, Sen. Cathy Giessel has taken tax advocacy to a bizarre new level—claiming that without tax hikes, more Alaskans will commit suicide. According to this logic, taxation is now a public health initiative, and the only way to prevent despair is by ensuring more money flows into government coffers. The absurdity of this claim underscores just how out of touch Alaska’s ruling class has become.

Giessel doubles down: To avoid suicides in Alaska, there will be taxes and no Permanent Fund dividend

The real issue isn’t tax loopholes or a lack of revenue. It’s the unchecked expansion of government. Alaska’s unelected bureaucracy, operating without meaningful fiscal restraint, continues to expand, consuming more taxpayer dollars while demanding even greater contributions from the private sector. Meanwhile, these same bureaucratic interests legally funnel a portion of their gains into campaign contributions, effectively bribing state legislators to maintain the status quo. 

Alaska has enjoyed 11 years of tax stability, which has led to major investments in oil production—such as Willow and Pikka, expected to increase production by 30% by 2032. Yet, these new revenue bills threaten to destabilize that progress. SB 112 proposes altering per-barrel oil production tax credits, clawing back deductions that have incentivized investment. It even introduces an investment match requirement, where the government—not businesses—determines whether investments are “worthy” of tax deductions. This is nothing more than state-controlled resource management, a strategy proven time and again to reduce investment and lower long-term tax revenue.

SB 113, on the other hand, is a cash grab disguised as fairness. It seeks to tax digital commerce on out-of-state corporations that do business in Alaska, a move that will ultimately be passed onto consumers in the form of higher prices. Supporters claim it will raise up to $65 million annually, but such estimates are always optimistically inflated, and the broader impact of discouraging business growth and raising costs on Alaskans is ignored.

The bottom line is this: Alaska’s government is addicted to spending, and rather than cutting waste, it is looking for new ways to extract more money from businesses and residents. Yundt’s bill, Giessel’s bizarre reasoning, and Wielechowski’s tax proposals are all part of the same strategy: demand more revenue while refusing to address bureaucratic inefficiency and overspending.

Instead of confronting this reckless spending, Senator Yundt and his colleagues are doubling down on policies that stifle economic growth, deter investment, and push businesses out of the state.

If Alaska’s legislators were truly committed to fixing the state’s finances, they would follow the example set by the Trump administration—cut government bloat, eliminate wasteful agencies, and hold the unelected bureaucracy accountable. Instead, they are doubling down on the same failed policies, not because they believe in responsible governance, but because their real priority is protecting the power and job security of Alaska’s entrenched bureaucratic elite. This isn’t about fiscal responsibility—it’s about keeping the political machine well-fed at the expense of hardworking Alaskans.

Michael Tavoliero writes for Must Read Alaska.

Michael Tavoliero: Let’s stop playing colony and become the state we were supposed to be