Public Hearing Design Cemetery Road Project

Come learn about the new road plans for Upper Kalskag on Tuesday, August 15, 2017 at the Multi Purpose Building. The project will create a new road from Quarry Road to a new cemetery site, including a parking lot and public waiting shelter. The engineer will be available for any questions or feedback from the public.

Refreshments and door prizes will be provided for those that attend. Invite your friends and family so more of the community is involved.

Dwayne Hoffman, TTP Manager
Native Village of Kalskag
Kalskag, AK

Tell legislators to send new oil tax bill to the shredder

Politics over policy. Once again, the House Majority refuses to negotiate in a meaningful way with the Senate Majority and Governor Walker on ending cashable credits and creating tax deductions that will KEEP Alaska competitive in the global oil industry.

Yesterday the House Resources Committee, chaired by Reps. Geran Tarr and Andy Josephson, released their “compromise” version of House Bill 111. To put it mildly, this bill is a step backwards, and could reverse the progress made in Alaska’s oil patch over the past few years, deepening the current recession.

The legislation proposed by the House Resource Committee erases the ability to deduct legitimate expenses that allow averaging the bad years with the good years. This represents a major tax increase on the oil industry at a very challenging time. We need to refill the pipeline, keep Alaskans working and pay for essential state services like education and public safety, not continue to threaten investors with increased taxes that discourage investment.

Here are the lowlights of the bill:

•Eliminates the ability to deduct losses from the bad years from earnings from the good years. Income/loss averaging is the basis of almost every income tax in the world.

•House leadership says they will come back after a legislative working group on oil taxation has met to replace credits with something. These continued threats only discourage investment.

The proposed legislation continues to hold hostage issues that both parties agree on, namely elimination of cash credits and passage of a capital budget, to meet the House leadership’s objective of increasing taxes on the oil industry and imposing an income tax on individual Alaskans. It’s time to pass the Governor’s compromise by eliminating the cash credits – and pass a capital budget.

It’s time to prioritize good policy over politics.

KEEP Alaska Competitive urges all Alaskans to contact their legislators as soon as possible and express their opposition to the new House version of HB 111 (version X). Let him or her know you support a version of the bill that grows the economy and puts Alaskans to work.

KEEP Alaska Competitive
Anchorage, AK

Social Security AND MEDICARE – Lasting Sources of Independence

In July, communities everywhere celebrate our nation’s independence with fireworks, family, and friends. A strong community also creates independence as we help each other recognize our full potential.

Social Security has been helping people maintain a higher quality of life and a level of independence for over 80 years. Medicare has been doing the same for over five decades. Most people first become eligible for Medicare at age 65. For many older Americans, this is their primary health insurance and without it, they might not enjoy an independent lifestyle.

Medicare can be a little confusing to newcomers so we broke it down into segments. The four parts of Medicare are as easy as A, B, C, and D.

Part A (Hospital Insurance) helps cover inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing care, hospice care, and home health care. Most people get Medicare Part A, premium-free, since they worked and paid Social Security taxes.

Part B (Medical Insurance) helps cover services from doctors and other outpatient health care providers, outpatient care, home health care, durable medical equipment, and some preventive services. Most people pay a monthly premium for Part B. Some high-income individuals pay more than the standard premium. If you do not enroll in Medicare Part B during your initial enrollment period, you may have a delay in coverage.  Additionally, you may have to pay a higher monthly premium for as long as you have Part B.

Part C (Medicare Advantage) allows you to choose to receive all of your health care services through a provider organization. This plan includes all benefits and services covered under Part A and Part B, usually includes Medicare prescription drug coverage, and may include extra benefits and services at an extra cost. You must have Part A and Part B to enroll in Part C. Monthly premiums may vary depending on the state in which you live, if you have a private insurer, or if you already have a health maintenance organization or a preferred provider organization.

Part D (Medicare prescription drug coverage) helps cover the cost of prescription drugs. Many people pay a premium for Part D. However, people with low income and resources may qualify for Extra Help to pay the premium and deductible. If you don’t enroll in a Medicare drug plan when you’re first eligible, you may pay a late enrollment penalty if you join a plan later. You will have to pay this penalty for as long as you have Medicare prescription drug coverage. To see if you qualify for extra help visit www.socialsecurity.gov/prescriptionhelp.

Will you be age 65 soon? Even if you decide not to retire, you should apply for Medicare. You can apply in less than 10 minutes using our online Medicare application. Visit www.socialsecurity.gov/medicare to learn more about applying for Medicare.

Robin Schmidt
Social Security Administration
Alaska Public Affairs Specialist

Dear Calista Shareholders

I’m writing this letter to you, the shareholders, as a newly re-elected Board Member. Thanks to each and every one of you that voted for me. This tells me that you have confidence in me to represent All shareholders, including the ones that voted for someone else.

My phone # 907-440-2445 was on all ads I had in The Delta Discovery. I can be contacted at that number for all concerns you may have concerning Calista. If the concern is serious enough I’ll try to get it on the board agenda so that it can be taken up by the whole Board.

Again, thank you for all your support during the election. I can be seen in my office at ANMC Lobby solving the world’s problems with other elders.

Leslie R. Hunter Sr.
Anchorage, AK