NORMAN OK (September 12, 2008) - Oklahoma and Alaska officials using same play book to justify sweetheart deals

Nick Baker
Fax: 214-572-7260
Contact Email: nite@prowlingowl.com

Lights should brighten the sky, bells clamor and sirens wail anytime public officials fund obviously excessive incentives. The only justification - this is what it required to create interest. Now add wanted posters when officials sole source and/or, in the case of Oklahoma, secretly give unknown recipients the key to the treasury gates without explaining for how much something is costing taxpayers, where the money goes and who benefits.

Alaska officials did a similar sweetheart deal giving exclusive rights to three North Slope producers ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips and BP to build a $25 billion pipeline to move natural gas to the lower 48. The deal included a special oil-requested tax package for up to 40 years, provide a $4 billion state investment, and relinquish most oversight. Alaska officials claimed, obviously backed up by the three oil companies this was what it took to attract any interest in bidding. When a new administration took over in 2006, elected mostly on suspicions of this deal, it opened the pipeline project for open bidding, took back oversight and reduced the incentive to a mere one-eighth of what the sweetheart deal gave. Any willing to use a little common sense were not surprised when five groups submitted proposals. Then to find that Conoco and BP, two of those claiming they needed the whopping incentives, later decided they'd would build their own pipeline with no state incentives, at all.

At least Alaskans knew the purpose, amount and who would get the money. But, the Okies, validating the term Okie.

Where are the questions?

Who's pilfering the state's collection plates,
who was given the keys to the gates.
why are none trying to abate?

Are those chosen from slate,
leaving unguarded the gates,
of our treasury of state,
to fill their own retirement fund plates?

Where is the demand for public debate,
while our economy deflates,
state officials continue to misstate?

Why does the media remain so sedate,
yet eager to authenticate, spin bait,
putrid stench bait,
claiming great works,
by those filling their plate's?

Why does the public take the bait,
choose the same old slate,
as if it is their fate?

Tis time to storm the gates,
wipe clean the slate,
flush that putrid stench bait!

Break the plates,
take back the state,
ere tis too late!

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