That royalty argument is one we might expect from their lobby... that since eventually new oil will come online, from which we receive a royalty...we should be happy with that and just keep quiet about the rest.

However that reasoning ignores the very real circumstance, that AK is both the resource owner, AND the taxing authority. So we forego one side, in lieu of the gain on the other (which we would receive in any event).

In fact, if as the taxing authority, we're paying out MORE than we're taking in (which we are now, by design), then aren't we effectively being asked to surrender part of the royalty as well?

Some make the point, that this is the real objective. To strip AK of its savings, which the oil industry regards as ill-gotten to begin with. And to make AK broke and utterly beholden to the industry. 

Isn't it just a little curious, that we keep finding all these "unforseen" aspects in SB21, that benefit the industry, to our detriment....but never the other way around?