A Citizen’s Guide

Gov. Sarah Palin’s oil and gas team is coming to Fairbanks on Friday to give a community briefing on Palin’s new oil production tax proposal.

The governor first outlined her proposal, dubbed Alaska’s Clear and Equitable Share, in early September, and called state lawmakers in for a special legislative session starting Oct. 18 to consider the plan. She released a draft version of the tax bill last week.

ACES would retain the basic structure of the petroleum profits tax lawmakers passed last summer, but would make significant changes to it.

Some local lawmakers have said they want a better explanation from Palin for why she didn’t drop the current tax, which is based on net company profits, for one based on gross oil production. The Fairbanks briefing is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Friday at the Carlson Center. Additional briefings are scheduled for this week and next week in Wasilla, Anchorage, Kenai, and Sitka.

For more information about the tax proposal, go to www.alaska.gov and click on the link for ACES.