Alaska threatens to levy property tax on stalled North Slope gas reserves

摘要

Anchorage-Alaska Lt.Gov.Loren Leman certified a voter initiative petition last week that would,if approved by voters,levy an annual state property tax of 2 cts/Mcf on natural gas reserves.North Slope producers would pay about 600-mil/yr,but sponsors of the initiative are in the process of amending it to 3 cts/Mcf,raising the tax to about l-bil/yr.Sponsors are Rep.Eric Croft,an Anchorage Democrat,and two former Alaska governors:Republican Walter Hickel(a former US Secretary of the Interior)and the late Jay Hammond,who died Aug2.