Sen. Rob Yundt of Wasilla on Friday withdrew his support for his own bill, Senate Bill 92, which would create a tax that targets one company: Hilcorp, an oil and gas company doing business on the North Slope and in Cook Inlet.
Although Yundt now is not sponsoring his own bill, Sen. Cathy Giessel quickly adopted it as a bill sponsored by the Senate Resources Committee, which she chairs. The vice chair of the committee is Sen. Bill Wielechowski, who is one of the persons believed to have convinced Yundt to file the controversial legislation.
Thus, the Yundt Tax will continue to be considered by the Senate, although Sen. Yundt will now disassociate himself from the bill, which has growing opposition from his district. Three Republican organizations in the Mat-Su have passed resolutions opposing his tax and the Mat-Su Borough Assembly, which was considering a resolution in support, has turned against it, sources have told Must Read Alaska.
Earlier this month, when Yundt was still defending his bill, he commented, “Poor Suzanne, I’m afraid if brains were dynamite she wouldn’t have enough to blow a fart,” as his description of this author.
Also earlier this month, legislators have said Yundt claimed to have enough votes for his bill to override a veto of the governor.
Senator Yundt wrapped himself up with anchor chain and jumped off the ship with his SB 92. It seems he wanted to have cosmic impact as a brand new senator with this incomprehensible tax bill. But credit to him that he has had the common sense to withdraw his bill after his constituent’s heads exploded. Now Yundt gets to twist in the wind with great embarrassment while watching Senator Giessel rub salt in his self-inflicted wounds by championing his dumpster fire bill of a bill.
Lesson to be learned: be better informed as to the consequences of tax hikes on Alaska’s economy and get a much better sense of what your constituents care about.
Yunt—No Brainer. Please Resign so the Valley can get a Senator who truly represents US. We can’t wait 4 years to uneiect you. You Are Political Road Kill. Only Democrats want to use you to carry their legislation forward. You lied to us. Please RESIGN.
Yundt is a complete rookie. Not qualified to be a thinking conservative. His incompetence and rush to seek misguided recognition backfired.
And as a consequence the Weasel, Cathy Giessel, stole his thunder for the left-wing Democrats and Trojan Horse RINOs.
Representative Yundt needs more training in logic and common sense before he is unleashed on his constituents and hard -working citizens of Alaska.
Why did Wasilla vote in a rookie? Isn’t Mamma Bear available?
Credit to him for withdrawing?
Why, because he’s a great man of principle?
No.
Yundt is a fraud.
He presented himself as a true conservative – a MAGA man.
And the very first bill (his first bill!) he sponsors was to raise taxes on the largest oil and gas company Alaska?!?!
He withdrew the bill because he FAAFO.
Fraud.
Liar.
RINO.
NeoCon.
Behind closed doors I bet he has a bad case of TDS.
It appears the “Gentlemanly graces” of politics has arrived at the bleak Editor
It is upsetting to read, hear, or be told, that the level of civility within the Legislative body dissolves to the point resembling uncouth barbaric neanderthals prior to discovery of fire.
When the debate or situation dissolves to the point of nasty, the debate is won by the side remaining calm and quiet.
You see in our National Congress, across State Legislatures pointedly at our own legislatures, when comments such as Yundt are made, in session or out.
No matter the party, civil tones of adult upbringing are urged in the chambers.
Cheers, Johnson-Ketchikan
This was address to the “Editor” not intended to be in the body of the post
Sorry-Johnson
It is a sign of real leadership to recognize one’s mistake and turn from it. I hope he also has the courage to apologize for the childish way he responded to Ms. Downing’s reasonable arguments against his bill.
We need to balance our budget, maybe reduce State Troopers in the MSB and let the MSB police themselves
How about reducing the size and scale of the two largest programs in the State: DHHS and Education. These two consume a disproportionate share of the budget due to their massive expansion under Sarah Palin. Ugh. Now I have to go brush my teeth…
I agree a 100%. Does the MSB have the political will to do what needs to be done or continue to get a free ride?
Lots of people disagree with Suzanne. But if you insult Suzanne you insult everybody.
The Yundt… sounds strange even when you say it backwards… last time we saw a face like that, we fed it a banana.
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We pay this character so much to be an assh.. rectal orifice, why not just save money and fart ourselves? Boy wants to be a tur… pile of fecal matter, he could just go lay in the yard.
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Rarely have much good to say about legislators, but those who tolerate this one on a daily basis, they’re the real heroes.
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No worries, Rob, first 40 years of childhood are always the hardest, with an entire life to be stupid, why not take today off?
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The Giessel? There’s a reason to be jealous of all the people who’ve never heard, or will hear, of that one.
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At a minimum we need a level playing field for all companies extracting our oil. We can either bail out Lower 48 based corporations, or place a greater burden on Alaksans. $60,000.00 in lower dividends for a familiy of four because worthless legislators refuse to get Alaskans a fair share for the oil they own.
Define “fair share”….
As the valley continues to slide to the left.
I live in the KPB and am discouraged that Hilcorp does not contribute to our economy like the other resource companies. Finding a fair and equitable way to bring Hilcorp alongside their competitors makes them partners in our community. Being an LLC shouldn’t give them a pass.
Disappointing to replace Wilson with this guy. We had high hopes. At least he’s staying with the R minority and not selling his soul for a plum position. Hillcorp and Conoco are lifelines in Ak.
Every time I hear an” Alaskan” complain about Minnesota or some other state they perceive as a”Democrat” state I instantly know I am in the presence of stupidity.
I am glad he pulled his bill. No surprise the socialists like Giessel made it their own.
Many here are angry at Rob, when they should be celebrating that he listened to his constituents and withdrew.
Calling for his resignation, is just hateful.
He shouldn’t be in Juneau. He needs training wheels first. Now we have to watch him like a hawk so he doesn’t make more beginner mistakes.
If all’y’all keeping whipping on that hind end for four years, he’ll be a ‘seasoned’ Senator who understands his district quite well. I say, ‘go for it.’ ?
Frank needs to add besides greatly reducing the State Troopers return to the Borough the roads that were reclassified as State Roads.
1. Yundt never should have even gotten close to the notion of a tax in the 1st place.
2. Being disingenuous about S versus C corp status being a “tax loop” is a broken trust…ecspecially because he is a business owner.
Yundt has lost all of my trust and confidence.
How do y’all expect this state to function without even equitable taxes in place? You whine that school funding will bankrupt Alaska while not realizing that changes to our tax structure could go a long way toward keeping required services available. Lose the belief that fraud, corruption and waste are the only problems. That’s not where the final solution lies. Just watch what Trump and Musk are doing. Government services that matter are funded with taxes.
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